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Your
family’s forestland is a valuable asset that should be carefully managed
for the many benefits it provides. Private forestlands in the South
provide most of our region’s wildlife habitat, support a strong forest
products industry, are a good long-term family investment, and preserve
the South's land-based heritage.
Experts
estimate that the South is losing 645,000 acres of forests to development
each year, and that by 2040 25% of our remaining forestland will have been
converted to pine plantations. While our forests support some of the
greatest wildlife diversity in America, there are already more threatened
forested ecosystems in the South than in any other part of the U.S.
Non-industrial
private landowners own 72% of the forestlands in the South. These
forestlands produce more timber that any other region of the U.S.
or any other country in the world, and timber production is projected to
increase 50% by 2040.
Private
forestlands must be conserved and managed sustainably to maintain wildlife
habitat and the long-term viability of our forest-based economies. By
using sustainable forest management, landowners can be good stewards while
still enjoying and profiting from their forestland.
Sustainable
Forestry
There are many advantages to sustainable forest
management, including:
Healthier Forests
Sustainable forestry relies on maintaining or improving the health of
forest ecosystems while providing for human needs. In the long run, this
leads to a forest that provides more benefits for wildlife, landowners,
and local economies.
Diverse Income Opportunities
Sustainable
forestry can produce periodic income from high-quality sawtimber and
non-timber products (such as pine straw, tourism & recreation, medicinal
plants, and mushrooms), and ecosystem services (such as watershed
conservation).
Long-term
Investment
Forestland
is considered one of the most stable long-term investments. Any timber
harvests are carefully planned so that the forest’s “inventory” is
maintained or improved. In other words, you maintain your timber
“capital” while only harvesting the “interest”, while the
property’s value continues to increase.
Financial
Incentives for Conservation
When
you conserve your forestland from development and practice sustainable
forestry, you can receive various
tax benefits and financial assistance.
What
you can do
CONSERVE
your forestland
·
Your local land
trust can help you identify opportunities to conserve your land through
easements and other financial incentive programs. Contact the
Land Trust
Alliance, 919-424-4427
·
Contact your
state department of forestry to find out about tax
reduction programs that reduce property taxes for forestland.
·
Contact your
local government (county/city) to find out about any local forestland
conservation programs.
PLAN
for good forestry
·
Learn as much as
you can about forest management options.
·
Find a reputable
consulting forester who can help you determine the best way to manage
your forest to meet your goals. The
Forest Guild has a directory of foresters who practice sustainable
forestry on their website,
or call 505-983-3887
Beyond
the Forest
Sustainable
forestry supports much more than just forest conservation. Across the
South, communities are organizing to conserve forestlands and create
strong forest-based economies:
Landowners
are conserving their forestland for wilderness and recreation values,
and using sustainable management to produce high-value timber and other
forest products.
Foresters
who specialize in sustainable management are showing landowners how to
conserve, restore, and derive income from their forests without
compromising any of their goals.
Loggers
& Harvesters with
a commitment to maintaining the ecological health and productivity of
forests are using restoration and low-impact harvesting techniques to
produce high-value timber and other products.
Craftspeople
& Businesses are
creating value-added forest products such as building materials,
furniture, and medicinal plant products. These enterprises create good
jobs and keep economic returns in local communities.
Recommended
publications for landowners:
Managing
Your Woodlands: A Guide for Southern Appalachian Landowners
Appalachian
Voices
www.appvoices.org
828-262-1500
Low-impact
Forestry: Forestry as if the future mattered
Maine
Environmental Policy Institute www.meepi.org/lif/
207-622-9766
Full
Vigor Forestry: Sustainable Forest Management from the Forest Owner’s
Point of View
Timbergreen
Forestry
www.timbergreenforestry.com
608-588-7342
Woodland Ecology: Environmental Forestry for
the Small Owner
Minckler, Leon S., Syracuse University Press, 1975
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