From Forestry-Speak to Landowner-Speak

Words to use	Words to avoid	Notes and explanation
Woods, woodland, woodlot	Forest	Woodland owners refer to their forested land as woods, and it evokes a warm feeling. Forests bring to mind larger tracts of land, usually owned by governments or corporations.
Woodland owner or landowner	Family forest owner	See above. Landowner works because many woodland owners see their woods as part of an overall land-holding that includes a home, a farm, or pasture land.
Respecting the land, looking after the land	Technical terms like sustainable land management, stewardship, conservation, preservation	Be careful not to assume an environmentalist mindset. Many landowners, even those who want to take care of their land, don't identify with environmentalism.
Wildlife, critters	Animal population, specific animals (like deer)	Animal population is too sterile. Since landowners differ in what animals they regard as attractive or "pests," talking about attracting specific animals could backfire.
Recreation, enjoy the land	Hunting (which some people love but others hate)	Hunting is an issue on which landowners are sharply divided; it elicits strong emotions.
Harvesting trees	Logging, timbering	Harvesting implies a more thoughtful removal of trees with the health of the woods in mind.
Keeping woods healthy	Silviculture, forestry	Landowners don't want to learn technical terms.
Common names of flora and fauna	Technical names of flora and fauna	Landowners will be more likely to read the material and remember it.