| In the United States, there are 9.9 million private forest owners. These owners hold over half the productive timberland and provide half the raw material to the multi-billion dollar forest products industry. The Penn State School of Forest Resources conducted a national study of forest owner associations (FOAs). These special interest groups form at local, state, regional and national levels. The study addresses local and state level associations and their roles in shaping forestry-related public policy. Seventy-five national mail survey responses and evidence from five case studies describe FOA priority issues, lobbying methods, membership composition, and sources of funding. FOAs use face-to-face meetings with policy makers and letter writing to influence all governmental levels, but perceive themselves most effective at the state level. Success is largely based on relationships between government officials and FOA leaders and organizational credibility. A conclusion of the study is that FOAs perceive a need to improve communication among themselves and a need to recruit more members. |
