Segment Comparison Chart

PDF »	Woodland Retreat Owners	Working the Land	Supplemental Income	Uninvolved
Orientation to Woodland	Own woodland primarily for its beauty and recreational value Many love nature and animals and appreciate ecological benefits of woods	Tend to be pragmatic; value aesthetic and recreational benefits of woodland but also see woods as a financial asset	Tend to own land primarily for timber income and investment	Tend not to care about woods; assign low importance to their financial, recreational, or aesthetic benefits
Prevalence	40% of woodland owners; own 35% of woodland	30% of woodland owners; own 37% of woodland	8% of woodland owners; own 12% of woodland	22% of woodland owners; own 16% of woodland
These landowners are seeking information about...	Land improvement (trails, ponds, streams, etc.) How to attract wild life Keeping the woods healthy, beautiful and good for wildlife How to choose reliable loggers and other service providers Financial assistance for improving or maintaining their land	Timber market trends and rates How to choose reliable loggers and other service providers Protecting woods from natural and human threats Entrepreneurial activities like cultivating NTFPs (to garner extra income from woods)	Timber markets Government programs, especially tax incentives and cost share programs How to protect their legacy; estate transfer issues How to maintain the long term health and value of the land Emerging threats and invasive species	Ways to minimize land maintenance and management costs Estate planning and land transfer
Current stewardship behaviors	Despite their stewardship orientation, WR owners have some of the lowest rates of good land management behaviors like having a management plan, consulting foresters, getting green certifications, or putting their land in conservation easements	The second-most likely segment to: participate in a cost-share program (12%), or have a management plan (9%) Very few are enrolled in a certification program or have a conservation easement	Most likely of all segments to participate in cost share programs, have management plans or conservation easements (but still small proportions) Most likely to have worked with a forester, typically for timber sales	Along with WR owners, least likely to have a management plan or participate in a cost-share program Even smaller proportions have an easement or participate in a certification program
Main motivators of stewardship actions	Stewardship ethic Natural beauty and wildlife protection Enjoyment of woods with family members, e.g., walking, hiking, camping and fishing	Maximizing ongoing returns from woods without damaging the land ecologically or financially Ethic of respectful and judicious land use Fiercely possessive of land; reject any restrictions on land use Enjoy recreation on land (including hunting); also enjoy tending their woods	Want to maximize financial benefit from woodland Concerned with long-term health of land (mainly to ensure it stays financially productive) Want to keep land intact for heirs Especially concerned about fire, pests and other threats that can damage vast tracts of land	Want to reduce taxes and land management hassles Want to minimize problems on the land (e.g. vandalism, trespassing) Many in "holding pattern" until they can figure out what to do with the land or pass it on to the next generation Want to keep land intact for heirs
Main barriers to good stewardship	Lack of knowledge about what actions to take Perception that woods manage themselves--many believe minimal human activity and interference is best way to promote woodland health Many have small parcels of land, making some land management activities less practical or more expensive Financial constraints	Fixed ideas about what is good for woods; feel they know best Mistrust of outside authority and expertise (e.g., fearful of getting swindled by loggers and consultants) Wary of any limitations imposed on them (big barrier to participation in conservation easements or even tax relief schemes or cost share programs)	Skeptical of most programs that impose restrictions on land use; might try to "work around" program requirements or do the minimum necessary Need to be convinced that stewardship behaviors are cost-effective, at least in the long run; altruistic or environmental reasons are a harder sell	Lack interest and/or knowledge to improve/manage their woods Opposed to any restriction on land use rights
How to reach this segment	Give them specific, easy, low-cost actions to achieve their objectives (e.g. attracting wildlife) Challenge their belief that woods are best left alone Help them understand the ecological significance of all woods (even small parcels) Appeal to their sense of responsibility and stewardship	Affirm their outdoorsy lifestyle and simple, traditional values Give them information but don't tell them what to do--accept their independence and cautiousness They actively seek information on land management; most like getting information is through word of mouth, relevant publications and direct mail also work	Emphasize ways to enhance financial gains or maintain land value for future generations Ready to learn more about land management--especially if it yields immediate or long-term financial benefits Most keyed to the forest industry and "forestry" community, including landowner associations, trade publications, and events	Not an easy target for conservation or woodland management campaigns Messages should identify direct financial benefits, preferably without too much effort on their part May be more receptive to incentives and programs that benefit both farms and woods Can be reached by direct mail and traditional channels to reach farming community
Demographic and situational factors	Education and income levels similar to all private woodland owners More likely to be service or white collar workers Tend to be younger than SI or UN owners	Education and income levels similar to all private woodland owners Tend to be more farmers or blue-collar workers, people who are used to manual labor	Better educated and with higher income levels than other segments Oldest segment, over half are retired; most others in professional or white-collar jobs Have the largest plot sizes	Education and income levels are similar to all private woodland owners Tend to be older than WR or WTL owners Most likely to have a farm attached to their woods; 1 in 7 is a farmer