Reaching the Future Forest Owners Reaching the Future Forest Owners of Pennsylvaniaof Pennsylvania

USDA Forest ServiceLandowner Assistance MeetingCharleston, SC

Allyson MuthSchool of Forest ResourcesThe Pennsylvania State University

What We’ll CoverWhat We’ll Cover

► Concerns Over LegacyConcerns Over Legacy► Engaging Current PA Engaging Current PA

LandownersLandowners Extension ProgrammingExtension Programming Woodland Owners Woodland Owners

AssociationsAssociations PA Forest StewardsPA Forest Stewards

► Changing Our Changing Our ApproachApproach

Concerns Over LegacyConcerns Over Legacy

► Mercer County, PennsylvaniaMercer County, Pennsylvania Disconnect between Decision-Makers and Private Forest Disconnect between Decision-Makers and Private Forest

Landowners (PFLs) Landowners (PFLs)

► Northeastern PennsylvaniaNortheastern Pennsylvania Heightened awareness of loss to developmentHeightened awareness of loss to development

► Southeastern PennsylvaniaSoutheastern Pennsylvania PFLs noticing that parcels getting smallerPFLs noticing that parcels getting smaller

Engaging Current Pennsylvania PFLsEngaging Current Pennsylvania PFLs

►Extension ProgrammingExtension Programming►Woodland Owners AssociationsWoodland Owners Associations►Pennsylvania Forest StewardsPennsylvania Forest Stewards

Extension ProgrammingExtension Programming

►Stewardship for the Future, 2004Stewardship for the Future, 2004 In-Service Training for VolunteersIn-Service Training for Volunteers

►Land HistoryLand History►Engaging Future GenerationsEngaging Future Generations►Stewardship PlanningStewardship Planning

►What Will Become of My Forest?What Will Become of My Forest? Program offered in Mercer County in Program offered in Mercer County in

20062006►Estate Planning Options and Conservation Estate Planning Options and Conservation

EasementsEasements►Getting Started on Your Estate PlanGetting Started on Your Estate Plan

Woodland Owners AssociationsWoodland Owners Associations►Best Practices for WOAs ConferencesBest Practices for WOAs Conferences

Creating a Stronger WOA, November 12, 2005Creating a Stronger WOA, November 12, 2005►Recruiting and Retaining MembersRecruiting and Retaining Members►ProgrammingProgramming►Structural and Organizational IssuesStructural and Organizational Issues

Getting Your Message Out, November 4, 2006Getting Your Message Out, November 4, 2006►Knowing Your Audience – Results of Statewide SurveyKnowing Your Audience – Results of Statewide Survey►Reaching Your Audience – PublicityReaching Your Audience – Publicity►Engaging Your Audience – Going Beyond WorkshopsEngaging Your Audience – Going Beyond Workshops

Pennsylvania Forest StewardsPennsylvania Forest Stewards

►Ruffed Grouse Society’s Coverts ProgramRuffed Grouse Society’s Coverts Program Focus on private forest stewardshipFocus on private forest stewardship

►Training in exchange for outreach effortsTraining in exchange for outreach efforts►431 volunteers trained since 1991; 349 431 volunteers trained since 1991; 349

still active.still active.► Increase in “legacies” coming through Increase in “legacies” coming through

the program.the program.

Marketing the Stewardship MessageMarketing the Stewardship Message

►Landowner Contact ProgramLandowner Contact Program►Peer MentoringPeer Mentoring►Regional LiaisonsRegional Liaisons►Help New/Naïve Landowners Help New/Naïve Landowners

Determine:Determine: ObjectivesObjectives Resources neededResources needed Where to get helpWhere to get help

Changing Our ApproachChanging Our Approach► Discovering Collaborative Learning: A Discovering Collaborative Learning: A

WorkshopWorkshop Goal: Create a cadre of resource Goal: Create a cadre of resource

professionals able to engage forest professionals able to engage forest stakeholders in new ways.stakeholders in new ways.►FacilitationFacilitation►Collaborative LearningCollaborative Learning►DialogueDialogue

Changing Our ApproachChanging Our Approach► Discovering Collaborative Learning: A Discovering Collaborative Learning: A

WorkshopWorkshop Seven contact days over 6 monthsSeven contact days over 6 months

►How to: Collaborative learning and dialogue.How to: Collaborative learning and dialogue.►How to: Work with groups and help people find How to: Work with groups and help people find

common ground.common ground.►Assignment: Create a collaborative learning Assignment: Create a collaborative learning

resource group.resource group.►Document impacts and refine training Document impacts and refine training

curriculum.curriculum.