Reaching Beyond the Choir To Underserved Private Forest
Reaching Beyond the Choir: To Underserved Private Forest Landowners Adam K. Downing Forestry & Natural Resources Agent, Northern District
Situation Fig 1. Virginia’s land use distribution. Water 2% Wetland 4% Fig 2. Forestland ownership in Extension’s Northern District. Residential 3% Transitional 1% Agriculture 24% Forest 68% 120, 000 landowners, 2. 4 million acres • A relatively rapid rate of ownership turnover. • Need to continually attract new and unreached landowners to educational opportunities.
Goals • Reach Forest landowners – “bring them into the fold” • Educational objectives: – As a result of attending an all day conference, participants will…. • Identify one or more specific stewardship actions to take on their land. • Network with other landowners. • “Get connected” with public and private natural resource professionals.
Methods & “keys” • 2 day-long conferences – mix of session types: general & concurrent – Accessible location – Time of year and Saturday – Mix of material: large & small acreage owners • silviculture, invasive control, fish ponds, wildlife habitat, alternative income opportunities, tree id, backyard birding, forest history, forest future, myths, planning, cost share programs, selling timber, etc.
Methods & “keys” - continued • Planning Committee – Broad representation: natural resource related agencies, landowners, associations, etc. – Keep it “nimble” – Meet once to brain storm topics, identify a good balance (acreage)
Methods & “keys” – continued • Marketing – Take advantage of “WILDLIFE” – “Couple” friendly registration – Exciting word choice
Methods & “keys” - continued • Promotion – Quad-fold brochure – Posters – E-mail notices – Newsletter announcements – Press releases
Methods & “keys” • $ support – First year = grant – Subsequent years = sponsors – 2 forest industry sponsors at $200. 00 each • Increases “buy-in” • Helps the budget • Looks good on faculty reports
Impacts • 684 individual participants. ~ 66% each year are new to Nat. Res. Education • ~ 80% each year identify at least one action to take • 1 -year follow-up: – 89% indicated they had put into practice something on their land – 78% identified more than one action they had taken Keep up the good work; best use of my tax dollars I can think of! Thank you for providing an opportunity to enhance my property’s usefulness and future. Super opportunity to network with all the various agencies.
Impacts Attendee distribution from 2005
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