Characteristics of Virginia's Private Forest Landowners and Their Attitudes toward Harvesting

Nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) landowners own 62 percent of Virginia's forestland and determine the likelihood of its harvest and utilization. As many studies have found, NIPF landowners are diverse in management goals, and many factors can affect a landowner's willingness to harvest. Although many landowner surveys have been conducted, adequate information regarding the characteristics of NIPF landowners and their willingness to harvest in Virginia is lacking. Given new markets for wood in the state, there is considerable interest in examining fiber supply availability to determine the sustainability of an expanded forest and renewable energy industry. Landowners and their willingness to supply timber play a vital role in future resource availability. During 2014, a survey was mailed to 3,000 NIPF landowners who owned at least 10 acres of wooded land. Using a base question of willingness to harvest, groups across the state were compared to determine factors that affect their behavior. We found that the variables income, age, forested acres owned, and forest management were all significant and positively related to willingness to harvest. Knowledge of the characteristics of forest landowners and their attitudes toward harvesting can guide efforts to engage more landowners.