America's Family Forests

Family forests in the United States account for an area of 259 million acres—thirty-seven percent of American forestland—and provide vital ecosystem services, including clean water, wildlife habitat, and carbon sequestration. Not incidentally, they also account for forty-two percent of America’s timber supply.

This information-packed book, part of the Forest History Society’s Issues Series, describes the legal origins of family forest ownerships and the development of federal and state policies that aim to ensure their continued contributions to society. One major challenge: these forests’ twenty million owners have varied goals for their properties. Most people consider the joys of nature the primary reward for forest ownership, even ahead of timber production. Another challenge: some large holdings are being subdivided, and as parcelization proceeds, properties can become too small to justify the costs of active forest management. Still other challenges to sustainable family forestry come from climate change, invasive pests, and wildfire.

What financial incentives and technical assistance best promote family forest retention and stewardship? How can policy makers craft programs that will be effective across the many different kinds of family forest holdings and owners? Are market-based approaches the way of the future? These are the questions that animate this book—and that need informed answers if America’s family forests are to thrive and remain productive.

In clear text and helpful graphs, Thomas Straka looks at what motivates family forest owners and how they decide to manage their land. The book includes profiles of forestland owners whose compelling stories help illustrate the breadth of variation in family forests.