(50) A Role for Woodland Owner Associations: Helping them Grow

Allyson B. Muth - Penn State School of Forest Resources, Natural Resources Extension
University Park, Pennsylvania

Concurrent Session: C3:  The Role of Extension in Community and Volunteer Programs - Part I

Pennsylvania’s forest landowners are expressing concerns over the legacy they’re leaving on the land – from recognizing the disconnect between decision-makers and the owners, to a heightened awareness of a loss of land to development, and resulting smaller forested parcels. Through Cooperative Extension programming, Pennsylvania is working to address these concerns. Our challenge is: How do we communicate effectively with landowners and begin to have them appreciate their role in providing benefits to themselves and others? We are finding that our more successful outreach efforts stem through the promotion of peer-to-peer teaching and learning.

Since 1992, Pennsylvania Natural Resources Extension has partnered with the Ruffed Grouse Society, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, and the USDA Forest Service to train a cadre of dedicated volunteers. Unlike other Coverts-type programs, we do not define the work of our Pennsylvania Forest Steward (PAFS) volunteers. Rather, we make suggestions and encourage them to “do good work.” The one challenge we do put before them is that they should belong to a woodland owners group or help to form one.

In 1980, the Natural Resources Extension Program sought to form a five-county cooperative in a heavily forested region. The cooperative never happened, but a group of people did come together to work and learn about their forests. Seeing the advantages of having people working in a place they know with people they know, we continued to promote the idea. Today, we boast 24 county and multi-county woodland owner associations which reach into 46 of the state’s 67 counties. The PAFS play a central role in these organizations and we continue to reach new owners, have a presence in many forestry-focused discussions, and build partnerships that are making a difference today for tomorrow.

James C. Finley
Penn State School of Forest Resources
Forestry Extension
320 Forest Resources Building
University Park, PA  16802
Phone: 814-863-0402
Fax: 814-865-6275
E-mail: fj4@psu.edu

Allyson B. Muth
Penn State School of Forest Resources
Forestry Extension
320 Forest Resources Building
University Park, PA  16802
Phone: 814-865-3208
Fax: 814-865-6275
E-mail: abm173@psu.edu