LEARN ABOUT YOUR LAND, CENTRAL WISCONSIN

SITUATION
Almost 60% of Wisconsin’s 16 million acres of forested land is family owned. This acreage is being parcelized and length of ownership is declining, thus there is an influx of new landowners needing information about their land. Landowners often cite aesthetics, recreation or wildlife as primary reasons for owning forestland. However, the state depends on timber harvests as an important part of our economy. Traditionally only a small percentage of woodland owners have been engaged in learning events and only about 25% have a management plan for their forests. Engaging this unreached population is critical if Wisconsin’s forests are to be managed sustainably. The DNR has identified the engagement of these family forest owners as a top priority and this effort is to reach that audience.

RESPONSE
Expanding on a model developed by a colleague, UWEX Basin Educators Kris Tiles (Central WI) and Chad Cook (Upper Fox/Wolf) collaborated to design and deliver 6 seminars for woodland owners in 5 counties in central Wisconsin. Sessions lasted 2 hours on weekday evenings and were within an hour drive from nearly every location in each county. The steering team consisted of DNR staff, CNRED & ANRE Educators, Cook and Tiles. Forestry-related topics were identified that would appeal to landowners with a range of knowledge levels. Tiles co-chaired the steering committee, developed 4 of the presentations, taught one session, ran registration, and assisted with the evaluation. UWEX Evaluation Specialist Jake Blasczyk helped develop a landowner profile designed to collect information about our audience and several evaluation pieces that were administered throughout our program. The Publications Unit at UWEX’s Environmental Resources Center developed a brochure that was mailed to 15,000 households. UWEX & DNR publications were provided to all attendees and attempts were made to link forestry professionals to landowners through our selection of speakers. Attendees paid for each class they attended and the overall budget was supplemented by funding provided by the DNR.

RESULTS
Approximately 430 individuals attended the 30 sessions.

• Only 25% had a written management plan.
• 80% of attendees had not attended a woodland owner event in the last 2 years.
• 38% attended 6-7 of the classes.
• Over 75% plan to attend woodland conferences, workshops, or classes during the next year. This should further increase woodland owners’ interest in and knowledge of their woodlands.
• Over 75% of attendees reported that both their knowledge of their woodlands and their interest in management increased either “somewhat” or “a lot”. This should lead to the landowner viewing their woodlands as a resource rather than solely a commodity.
• 71% were thinking more about what they might do on their woodlands as a result of the class.
• Almost 30% contacted a forester as a result of attending. This increases the chances a landowner will develop a management plan.
• 73% indicated that they would seek the advice of a professional forester as they engage in management activities in the next five years. This will lead to landowners conducting more sustainable harvests.
• 13 attendees developed management plans as a result of attending a session.

EVIDENCE
A landowner profile was distributed to each individual that attended a session. A session-specific evaluation was distributed at the end of each session to rate interest and knowledge gained from each topic. The profile and session evaluations had response rates in excess of 85%. In October 2008, a follow up mail survey was sent to all households (238) that attended. The Dillman Tailored Design Method was used and a response rate of 81% achieved. It focused on what specific impacts the sessions had on the attendee’s level of involvement in their woodlands and what actions had occurred as a result of attendance.

Kris Tiles, Central WI Basin Educator - 2008 Success Story

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