SC’s
Family Forests: The Future is in Their Hands
By: Tim Adams,
Resource Dev. Forester, SC
Forestry Commission
and Brett Butler,
Research Forester,
USDA
Forest
Service
Family
forest owners control the majority of
South Carolina
’s 12.4 million acres of forestland according
to the recently completed National Woodland Owner Survey for
South Carolina
. Completed
jointly by the USDA – Forest Service and the SC Forestry Commission,
this survey updates earlier surveys completed in 1978 and 1994.
The survey goal is to document trends in landownership patterns and
identify owners’ management goals and objectives.
Landowner’s number one planned
activity within the next five years is to transfer land to their heirs.
n A total
of 357,400 family forest owners control 7.1 million acres (57%) of forestland
in
South Carolina
.
Therefore the fate of much of the State’s forest resources depends
upon what this diverse group of landowners does with their land.
In particular, the needs, desires, and limitations of the144,900 family
forest owners who each own between 10 and 5,000 acres and collectively control
6.6 million acres must be fully considered when assessing the forest resource.
n There is
diversity among forest landowners in terms of both race and gender.
By gender, 75% of the family forests are managed by males and 25% are
managed by females with an average size ownership of 50 and 35 acres,
respectively.
Owners were divided among six different categories of race or ethnicity
with African-American (4.5%) and Native American (2%) being the predominant
minority owners.
Minority owners control 3% of family forestland in
South Carolina
.
n Heritage
plays a key role in explaining how family forest owners feel about their land.
In fact, family legacy was the primary reason given for owning
forestland.
Likewise, landowner’s
number one planned activity within the next five years is to transfer land to
their heirs. In addition, family
legacy or the landowner’s ability to pass their land on to future
generations is one of the landowners’ primary concerns.
Family forest owners are mature (72% are 55 or older) and most (77%)
have held their land for over 10 years.
Sixty-nine percent of family forest owners have a primary or secondary
residence on the property.
357,400
family forest owners control 7.1 million acres of forestland in
South Carolina
.
n Many
family forest owners are active managers of their land.
Eighty percent of the family forestland is owned by people who have
harvested trees on their land and 33% of these owners have conducted harvests
within the past five years.
Private recreation, fire hazard reduction, and road/trail maintenance
were all common activities.
Family forest owners are mature
(72% are 55 or older) and most (77%) have held their land for over 10 years.
While only 8% of family forest owners have a written management plan,
28% have sought land management advice.
Over the past five years, SC Forestry Commission foresters and private
forestry consultants were relied upon for advice by 12% and 10% of family
forest landowners, respectively. Clemson
Extension, industrial foresters, federal agencies, and loggers were each
sought for advice by 5% of landowners.
Summary
The future of family forestland is
critical to the health of
South Carolina
’s environment and the forest products
industry. Well-managed forests
have been shown to provide the cleanest water for downstream users.
Also, the predominance of family forests makes them critical to the
long-term viability of the forest products industry.
Strong ties to the land help make South
Carolina
’s family forests stable.
However, the age of many family forest owners indicates significant
acreage may change ownership in the near future.
Legal and financial hurdles must be
identified and resolved before this transfer of land occurs.
Likewise,
healthy markets for timber and non-timber products are essential for family
forestlands to remain productive in the future.
