Journal of Forestry
| Autor: | Michael A. Gold, Kim Niewolny, James L. Chamberlain, John F. Munsell, Katie Trozzo |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
specialty forest products
Agroforestry 0211 other engineering and technologies 021107 urban & regional planning Forestry 02 engineering and technology Plant Science nontimber forest products 010501 environmental sciences 01 natural sciences agroforestry Geography forest owner typology Forest farming family forest owners 0105 earth and related environmental sciences |
| Popis: | Forest farming is an agroforestry practice defined as the intentional cultivation of nontimber forest products (NTFPs) underneath a forest canopy. Forest farming perspectives and preferences among family forest owners are generally understudied, particularly in Appalachia, where many marketable native NTFPs species are found. We surveyed Appalachian family forest owners in 14 Southwest Virginia counties about their interest in forest farming and likelihood of leasing land for this purpose. We also asked about the owner's residency and historical connection to the region as well as contemporary land uses, and identified the following types of uses: absentee and vacationers, newcomers, longtime farming residents, and longtime nonfarming residents. We mailed 1,040 surveys and 293 were returned (28.9%). Forty-five percent were interested or extremely interested in forest farming and 36% were likely or extremely likely to lease land. Rates of interest in forest farming and leasing were similar across owner types, suggesting broad appeal among family forest owners. Study Implications: Forest farming of nontimber forest products (NTFPs) and leasing forestland for this practice is broadly appealing across diverse family forest owners in Appalachia. Opportunities to scale profitable forest farming are on the rise, potentially improving family forest management and spurring regional economic development. Study results indicate there is a critical mass of family forest owners interested in forest farming who could potentially supply cultivated NTFPs. Forest management professionals and stakeholders would benefit from considering how they can assist family forest owners who are interested in forest farming. Mathews Foundation Published version We thank the family forest owners who participated in this study, as well as the counties that shared digitized parcel data. We also thank the Mathews Foundation for their support and Tiffany Brown and Stacey Webb for their assistance. Public domain – authored by a U.S. government employee |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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