NWOS Short Form and State Intensifications First Mailing

_{NWOS First Cover Letter}

Dear Landowner:

We invite you to participate in the National Woodland Owner Survey conducted by the U.S. Forest Service. Your participation will help policy makers, land managers, and public and private service providers better understand and address the needs and concerns of America’s private landowners.

Whether you own one acre of trees, thousands of acres, or something in between, we are interested in hearing from you. You were identified as a landowner from public ownership records. We are contacting only a few owners in each state. Because of the limited number of owners contacted, your answers are especially important. This survey is conducted once every 5 years to understand new topics and changes over time. If you responded during the last cycle, we ask that you respond again.

This is an official U.S. Forest Service survey, but your participation is voluntary. Your answers will be confidential and will be combined with others. The results will only be used to determine patterns and trends. Completing the questionnaire takes, on average, 25 minutes.

If you do not currently own land, please return the questionnaire using the postage-paid return envelope and write on the cover “No Land Owned.”

If you would like to receive a copy of the results from this survey, write your name and address on the back of the return envelope.

We greatly appreciate your valuable assistance. If you have any questions, please call us toll-free at 1-855-233-3372, visit our website at www.fia.fs.usda.gov/nwos/, or write us at USDA Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey, 160 Holdsworth Way, Amherst MA 01003.

Brett J. Butler, Survey Director

NWOS: BASE Short Form Survey and State Intensification

OMB # 0596-0078

Expiration date: to be updated

Paperwork Reduction Act Notice

A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with an information collection subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 unless the information collection has a currently valid OMB Control Number. The approved OMB Control Number for this information collection is 0596-0078. Without this approval, we could not conduct this survey. Public reporting for this information collection is estimated to be approximately 25 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the information collection. All responses to this information collection are voluntary. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden to the U.S.D.A. Forest Service email address [email protected] and include the OMB Control Number in the subject line.

Instructions

• Please provide answers for all of the wooded land that you own in [STATE]. If you are part of more than one group that owns wooded land, please respond for the group that is listed on the outside of the envelope.

• The owner who makes most of the decisions about your wooded land in [STATE] should answer this survey.

• If this survey is received by a company or other organization, please have a person knowledgeable about the organization’s wooded land in [STATE] answer this survey.

General Questions About Your land

1. How many total acres of land do you currently own in [STATE]?

_______Acres of land in [STATE]

2. Wooded land covers XX% of [STATE]. Wooded land includes:

• Woods, woodlots, timberland, and forests

• Land at least 1 acre in size, 120 feet wide, and has at least 10% forest cover

• Land at least 1 acre in size, where trees were removed and trees will grow again

Wooded land does not include:

• Christmas tree farms, orchards, or nurseries

• Land that is mowed for lawn

How many acres of wooded land do you currently own in [STATE]?

_______Acres of wooded land in [STATE]

If you own any wooded land in [STATE], please complete this survey.

If you do not own wooded land in [STATE], please return this survey in the postage-paid envelope provided and write on the cover "No Wooded Land"

General Questions About Your Ownership

3. Which category below best describes your ownership?

Select only one.

• Individual

• Joint, with husband or wife

• Joint, such as with other family members or friends

• Family partnership or family LLC or LLP

• Family trust or estate

• Corporation or business (for-profit)

• Corporation or business (non-profit)

• Other (please specify):________________________________

4. How many people are a part of this ownership, including you?

_________Owners

5. Do you currently own more than one separate, unconnected property with wooded land in [STATE]?

• Yes

• No

6. Is your home (primary residence) on or within a mile of any of your wooded land in [STATE]?

• Yes

• No

• Not Applicable

7. Do you have a vacation home or cabin on or within a mile of any of your wooded land in [STATE]?

• Yes

• No

• Not Applicable

8. Do you own any land within a mile of any of your wooded land in [STATE] that is farmed or ranched?

For the purpose of this survey, a farm or ranch is a place where, in most years, $1,000 or more is earned from the sale of crops (other than forest products) or animals.

• Yes

• No

• Not applicable

9. Which of the following water body, if any, do you have on your wooded land in [STATE]?

Select yes or no for each item

Yes No

£ £ Pond/lake

£ £ River/stream/creek

£ £ Wetland/bog

£ £ Other (please specify):

Your Reasons for Owning Wooded Land

10. How important are the following as reasons for why you currently own your wooded land in [STATE]?

	Very Important	Important	Moderately Important	Of little Importance	Not important	Not applicable
To enjoy beauty or scenery
To protect nature or biological diversity
To protect water resources
To protect or improve wildlife habitat
For land investment
For privacy
To raise my family
To pass land on to my children or other heirs
For cultural/spiritual reasons
For firewood
For timber products, such as logs or pulpwood
For nontimber forest products, such as berries or maple syrup
For grazing/shade animals
For hunting
For recreation, other than hunting

The History of Your Wooded Land

11. a. How did you get your wooded land in [STATE]?

Select yes or no for each item

Yes No

£ £ Purchased

£ £ Inherited

£ £ Received as gift

£ £ Other (please specify):

b. In what year did you, personally, first take ownership of your

wooded land in [STATE]?

_________Year

12.a. Have you ever sold or given away any of your wooded land in [STATE]?

• Yes

• No

Uses of Your Wooded Land

13.Who makes the management decisions, such as whether or not to harvest trees, for your wooded land in [STATE]?

Select yes or no for each item

Yes No

£ £ Me

£ £ My husband or wife

£ £ My children

£ £ My parents

£ £ Another family member

£ £ My business partner

£ £ My land manager or forester

£ £ Other (please specify):

14. A management or stewardship plan may be written in order to help the landowner meet their goals for their wooded land.

a. How familiar are you with these types of plans?

• Extremely familiar

• Moderately familiar

• Somewhat familiar

• Slightly familiar

• Not at all familiar

b. Do you have a written management or stewardship plan for any of your wooded land in [STATE]?

• Yes

• No

• Don't know

If no or don't know, skip to question 15

If yes, please answer c

c. Have you take actions to implement it?

• Yes

• No

15. a. What types of products, if any, were cut or removed from any of your wooded land in [STATE] since you have owned it?

Select yes or no for each item

Yes No

£ £ Firewood, for sale

£ £ Firewood, for personal use

£ £ Logs, for sale

£ £ Logs, for personal use

£ £ Wood chips or pulpwood, for sale

£ £ Wood chips or pulpwood, for personal use

£ £ Other (please specify):

b. Was a professional forester used to plan, mark, contract, or oversee any of the cuts?

• Yes

• No

• Don't know

• Not applicable

16. Which of the following have occurred on your wooded land in [STATE] in the past 5 years?

Select yes or no for each item

Yes No

£ £ Cut and/or removed trees for sale

£ £ Cut and/or removed trees for own use

£ £ Planted tree

£ £ Collected nontimber forest products, such as berries or ginseng

£ £ Reduced fire hazard

£ £ Controlled burn/prescribed fire

£ £ Eliminated or reduced invasive plants

£ £ Eliminated or reduced unwanted insects or diseases

£ £ Road construction or maintenance

£ £ Trail construction or maintenance

£ £ Improved wildlife habitat

£ £ Livestock grazing

£ £ Other (please specify):

17. Which of the following will likely occur on your wooded land in [STATE] in the next 5 years?

Select yes, no, or don’t know for each item

Yes No/Don’t know

£ £ Cut and/or remove trees for sale

£ £ Cut and/or remove trees for own use

£ £ Plant tree

£ £ Collect nontimber forest products, such as berries or ginseng

£ £ Reduce fire hazard

£ £ Controlled burn/prescribed fire Eliminate or reduce invasive plants

£ £ Eliminate or reduce unwanted insects or diseases

£ £ Road construction or maintenance

£ £ Trail construction or maintenance

£ £ Improve wildlife habitat

£ £ Livestock grazing

£ £ Other (please specify):

18.To encourage good woodland management, groups have created green certification programs to recognize landowners who comply with the groups’ standards. Examples include Tree Farm, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).

a. How familiar are you with green certification?

• Extremely familiar

• Moderately familiar

• Somewhat familiar

• Slightly familiar

• Not at all familiar

b. Is any of your wooded land in [STATE] currently green certified?

• Yes

• No

• Don't know

19. Some state and local governments have programs that defer, reduce, or eliminate property taxes for wooded land. In [STATE], there are the Tree Growth Tax Law and Open Space Tax Law programs.

1. How familiar are you with these programs?

• Extremely familiar

• Moderately familiar

• Somewhat familiar

• Slightly familiar

• Not at all familiar

2. Is any of your wooded land in [STATE] currently enrolled in one of these programs or a similar one?

• Yes

• No

• Don't know

20. Development rights for land can be sold or voluntarily given away. This is usually in the form of a conservation easement.

a. How familiar are you with this concept?

• Extremely familiar

• Moderately familiar

• Somewhat familiar

• Slightly familiar

• Not at all familiar

2. Have development rights been sold or voluntarily given away on any of your wooded land in [STATE] by either you or a previous owner?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

22. Cost-share/financial assistance programs provide landowners with money to help them establish or otherwise manage their wooded land. Examples include the Conservation Reserve Program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, and various state funded programs.

1. How familiar are you with cost-share/financial assistance programs?

• Extremely familiar

• Moderately familiar

• Somewhat familiar

• Slightly familiar

• Not at all familiar

2. In the past 5 years, have you used a cost-share program to help you establish or manage your wooded land in [STATE]?

• Yes

• No

• Don't know

22. Have you leased any of your wooded land in [STATE] in the past five years for the following

Select yes or no for each item

Yes No

£ £ Logging

£ £ Hunting

£ £ Recreation (other than hunting)

£ £ To graze/pasture livestock

£ £ Solar/wind

£ £ Oil/gas

£ £ Other (please specify):

23. In efforts to reduce the impacts of climate change, public programs and private markets have been created that pay owners of wooded land for capturing or sequestering carbon.

a. How familiar are you with carbon capture programs or markets?

• Extremely familiar

• Moderately familiar

• Somewhat familiar

• Slightly familiar

• Not at all familiar

b. Is any of your wooded land in [STATE] currently enrolled in one of these carbon capture programs or markets?

• Yes

• No

• Don't know

Recreation on Your Wooded Land

24 a. Who, with your permission, has hunted, hiked, or otherwise recreated on your wooded land in [STATE] in the past 5 years?

Select yes or no for each item

Yes No

£ £ Me and/or my husband or wife

£ £ My children

£ £ Other family members

£ £ Friends

£ £ Neighbors

£ £ The general public for free

£ £ The general public for a fee

£ £ The general public as part of an access program

£ £ Other (please specify):

25. What activity, if any, is posted to restrict access and/or use by the general public on any of your wooded land in [STATE]

Select yes or no for each item

Yes No

£ £ Trespassing

£ £ Hunting

£ £ Motorized vehicles

£ £ Other (please specify):

Sources of Information

26. Have you talked with anyone or received information/advice about

the care, management, or protection of your wooded land in [STATE] in the past 5 years?

• Yes

• No

Concerns

27. Please indicate your level of concern about each of the following topics for your wooded land in [STATE].

	Great concern	Concern	Moderate concern	Of little concern	No concern	Not applicable
Air pollution
Climate change
Damage from animals
Development of nearby lands
Drought or lack of water
Damage or noise from off-road vehicles
Government regulation
High property taxes
Invasive plants
Keeping land intact for future generations
Misuse of wooded land, such as vandalism or dumping
Trespassing or poaching
Unwanted insects or diseases
Water pollution
Wildfire
Damage from storms
Weak timber markets

The Future of Your Wooded Land

28. a. How likely is it that you will sell, give away, or otherwise transfer any of your wooded land in [STATE] in the next 5 years?

• Extremely likely

• Likely

• Undecided

• Unlikely

• Extremely unlikely

29. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements about the future of your wooded land.

Select one box for each item

	Strongly agree	Agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Disagree	Strongly disagree
I want my wooded land to stay wooded
I would sell my land if I was offered a reasonable price

Additional State Specific Questions

*Note – In questions throughout the West Texas and West Oklahoma surveys, we will ask landowners about their rangeland or woodland. In addition, ‘fenceposts’ are added in these surveys wherever appropriate. Only select questions will be added to the NWOS Short Form, depending on State needs, and not to exceed 25 minutes.

General Questions About Your Ownership

1. Which category best describes your ownership?

Select only one.

• Individual or family, including trusts, estates, and family partnerships

• Corporation

• Non-governmental conservation/natural resource organization

• Unincorporated local partnership, association, or club

• Other (please specify): ________________________

2. Is this property owned by a legal entity? Select only one.

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

|à If yes, answer b. |à If no or don’t know, go to XX.

b. If yes, what is the business form/structure? Select only one. Sole proprietorship

• Non profit (501 3c, others)

• Partnership

• Corporation

• C Corporation

• S Corporation

• REIT

• Estates/trusts

• Limited Liability Company (LLC)

• Other (please specify): ___________________

3. A. Who are the people associated with this ownership? Select yes or no for each item.

Yes No
  Me

  Spouse

  Children

  Parents

  Other family

  Friends

  Business Partner(s)

  Other (please specify):________

b. How are the involved? Select yes or no for each item.

Yes No

  Joint tenancy

  Solo tenancy

  Tenancy in common

  Tenancy by the Entirety

  Other (please specify):________

1. If this is a business, what is the structure? Select yes or no for each item.

Yes No

  Sole Proprietorship

  Non profit (501 3c, others)

  Partnership

  Estates/Trusts

  C Corporation

  S Corporation

  REIT

  Limited Liability Company (LLC)

  Other (please specify):________

4. What is the tax classification of your ownership?

• Personal use or hobby

• Investment

• Trade or business

• How is the owning entity taxed?On individual return

• As a pass-through entity (e.g., S Corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship)

• As an estate or trust

• As a C Corporation

5. What is the legal organization of the owning entity?

• No special legal organization (such as sole ownership or co-ownership with a spouse or other family members)

• Sole proprietorship

• Partnership

• Limited Liability Company (LLC)

• Corporation

• Trust

• Estate

• Other:_________

General Questions About Your Land

1. Is any of your woodland in <STATE> near public forest, parks, or wildlife areas?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

If yes, please answer a.

If no, skip to question XX.

1. Does the closeness of your wooded land to public forestland increase your concerns about insects, wildfires, or trespassing?

• Yes

• No

2. Do you have a fish-bearing stream or creek on or abutting your property?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

3. Which of the following describes the stream(s) on your wooded land in [STATE]?

• I have stream(s) that flow year-round on my property.

• I have seen fish in my stream.

• Water from the road/ditch flows into my stream

• In high water flows, the stream flows over my road

• Dirt from the edge of road falls into the stream

4. a. Do you have roads on your wooded land in <state>?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

If no or don’t know, skip to question X.

If yes, please answer b, c and d.

2. Which of the following describes the road(s) on your wooded land in <state>?

• There are large cracks on one or more of my roads.

• There are sinkholes (not a pothole, but a hole you can't drive over) on one or more of my roads

• Soil from the uphill side of the one or more of my roads keeps falling onto my road(s).

3. Do you provide routine road maintenance, (road grading, filling potholes, removing washboards, resurfacing, etc.) on any of the roads in your wooded land in <state>?

• Yes

• No

4. Are you familiar with the <state statute/regulation> for Road Maintenance and Abandonment?

• Yes

• No

Uses of Your Wooded Land

Management Plans and Management Decisions

5. [To be included as a sub-question under question 13 in the short form]
   What percentage of your wooded land in <STATE> is covered by a management plan or stewardship plan?

______%

6. [To be included as a sub-question under question 13 in the short form]
   Which of the following topics are included in your written management plan?

• Beauty or scenery

• Recreation

• Roads or trails

• Timber production

• Water protection

• Wildlife habitat

• Other (please specify):__________________

7. Do you plan to update your written management plan in the future?

• Yes

• No

8. Would you consider having a written stewardship or management plan in the future?

• Yes

• No

9. Do you actively manage your wooded land in <STATE>?

• Yes

• No

If yes, please answer a.

If no, please skip to question XX.

1. How important are the following as reasons for why you currently manage your wooded land in <STATE>?

	Very important	Important	Moderately important	Of little importance	Not important
To enjoy beauty or scenery
To protect nature or biological diversity
To protect water resources
To protect or improve wildlife habitat
For land investment
For privacy
For firewood
For timber products, such as logs or pulpwood
For nontimber products, such as logs or pulpwood
For nontimber forest products, such as berries or maple syrup
For hunting
For recreation, other than hunting
Other
Please specify:

1. Do you currently have a written grazing management plan for your wooded land in [STATE]?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

If yes, please answer question b.

If no, please answer question c.

2. Who wrote your livestock grazing management plan?

Select Yes or No for each item

Yes No
  I did

  Private consultant

  Federal/State/local government employee

  Other (please specify):___________

3. If you don’t have a livestock grazing plan, are you interested in having one?

• Yes

• No

10. How interested would you be in having a community-wide written management plan, one that covers your wooded land and other parcels of wooded land in your community?

• Extremely interested

• Moderately interested

• Somewhat interested

• Slightly interested

• Not at all interested

11. Which, if any, of the following management practices would you be willing to cooperate with your neighbors on?

Select Yes or No for each item

Yes No
  Cutting or removing trees for sale

  Cutting or removing trees for own use

  Reducing fire hazard

  Controlled burns/prescribed fires

  Eliminating or reducing invasive plants

  Eliminating or reducing unwanted insects or diseases

  Road construction or maintenance

  Trail construction or maintenance

  Improving wildlife habitat

  Livestock grazing

  General forest health

12. Do you know a forester who works with private owners of wooded land in your area?

• Yes

• No

13. Do you know of a land trust that works with private owners of wooded land in your area?

• Yes

• No

14. Have you worked with a forestry professional on your wooded land in <STATE>?

• Yes

• No

If yes, answer a.

If no, skip to question XX.

1. How satisfied were you with your experience working with a forestry professional on your wooded land in <STATE>?

• Extremely satisfied

• Moderately satisfied

• Somewhat satisfied

• Not very satisfied

• Not at all satisfied

Harvesting Trees or NTFPs

15. Have you ever received an unsolicited offer from someone asking to buy trees/timber from your wooded land in <STATE>?

• Yes

• No

16. [To be included as a sub-question under question 14 in the short form]

5. Was a professional forester used to do any of the following activities?

Select Yes or No for each item

Yes No
  Plan a cut

  Mark trees before they were cut

  Contract a cut

  Oversee a cut

5. Was a certified or master logger used for any of the cuts?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

• Not Applicable

5. Did you receive multiple bids for your timber?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

• Not Applicable

17. [To be included as an additional under question 14 a - What types of products were harvested? in the short form]

• Fence posts

18. Have you experienced any theft of non-timber forest products, such as <REGIONAL EXAMPLES>, on your wooded land in <STATE> in the past 5 years?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

19. Have you experienced any theft of trees/timber products on your wooded land in <STATE> in the past 5 years?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

20. Do you manage any of the nontimber forest products on your wooded land to enhance their productivity through reseeding, vegetation control, or other approaches?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

Activities – Past and Future

21. Are gas or oil extracted from your wooded land in <STATE>?

• Yes

• No

22. Are gas or oil extracted from neighboring lands?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

23. How familiar are you with following agroforestry practices?

	Extremely familiar	Moderately familiar	Somewhat familiar	Slightly familiar	Not at all familiar
Silvopasture -- combining trees with grazing livestock
Alley cropping -- planting crops between rows of trees
Forest farming -- growing/collecting crops under trees
Windbreaks -- growing trees to shelter crops, animals, buildings or soil from wind, snow, dust, or odors
Riparian buffers -- growing trees along rivers and streams to filter runoff and prevent erosion
Other
Please specify:

24. Which, if any, of the following agroforestry practices have occurred on any of your wooded land in <STATE> in the past 5 years?

Select Yes or No for each item

Yes No
  Silvopasture -- combining trees with grazing livestock

  Alley cropping -- planting crops between rows of trees

  Forest farming -- growing/collecting crops under trees

  Windbreaks -- growing trees to shelter crops, animals, buildings or soil from wind, snow, dust, or odors

  Riparian buffers -- growing trees along rivers and streams to filter runoff and prevent erosion

25. Have livestock grazed on any of your wooded land in <STATE> in the past 5 years?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

If yes, please go to a.

If no, skip to question XX.

26. Which, if any, of the following management practices have occurred on your wooded land in <STATE> in the past 5 years?

Select Yes or No for each item

Yes No
  Commercial thinning

  Pre-commercial thinning

  Marked trees for sale

  Planted seedlings

  Pruned trees

  Monitored for invasives

  Other (please specify):_________________

27. Which, if any, of the following activities have occurred on your wooded land in <STATE> since you have owned it?

Select Yes or No for each item

Yes No
  Cut brush

  Reduced or removed invasive plants

  Planted trees or seedlings

  Used herbicides

  Used prescribed fire

28. Which, if any, of the following activities will likely occur on your wooded land in the next 5 years?

Select Yes or No for each item

Yes No
  Cut brush

  Reduced or removed invasive plants

  Planted trees or seedlings

  Used herbicides

  Used prescribed fire

29. Which of the following statements best describes your thoughts about [MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] for sale on your wooded land in the future? [NOTE: Management practice to be inserted could include cutting trees for sale, planting, herbicides, prescribed fire]

Select Yes or No for each item

Yes No

  I am planning to [MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] in the next year

  I am planning to [MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] more than a year from now

  I am not planning to [MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] on my wooded land

  I have not made a decision about [MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] on my wooded land

  I have not considered [MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] on my wooded land

30. What is your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statements about [MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] on your wooded land?

	Strongly agree	Agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Disagree	Strongly disagree	Not applicable
[MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] can increase wildlife habitat on my wooded land
[MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] can increase the variety of plants and animals on my wooded land
[MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] can increase the future timber quality on my wooded land
[MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] can hurt my wooded land
[MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] can look ugly
[MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] can earn me money
[MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] is common in my area
[MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] requires a lot of my time
[MANAGEMENT PRACTICE] is expensive
It is difficult to find a logger
I don't have enough information to make a decision about [MANAGEMENT PRACTICE]

31. The pictures below show a range of cutting intensities. Which of these would you be willing to accept on your land, with the understanding that new trees will grow back after the cutting? [INSERT PHOTOS OF CUTTING INTENSITIES]

Select Yes or No for each item

Yes No
  No cutting

  Cutting a few trees per acre

  Cutting many trees per acre

  Cutting many trees per acre, clustered together

  Cutting most trees per acre

  Cutting all trees per acre  

Specific Species Questions

32. These questions are about your thoughts about [TREE SPECIES]. How common are [TREE SPECIES] on your land?

• No [TREE SPECIES]

• Uncommon

• Somewhat common

• Very common

• Extremely common

• I don't know

33. Would you like more [TREE SPECIES] on your land?

• Yes

• Indifferent

• No

34. Upland woods are any wooded area that is not by a river bottom or in a wetland. What is your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statements?

I think upland woods where [TREE SPECIES] are common:

	Strongly agree	Agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Disagree	Strongly disagree	I don’t know
provide good scenery
produce profitable timber
provide good turkey, deer, and other game habitat
provide good habitat for non-game wildlife
provide good recreation opportunities
are vulnerable to insects and disease
are prone to wildfire
are at risk of declining

35. The following questions are about your familiarity with different types of trees. Please select the [TREE SPECIES] leaves by selecting them. Select all that apply. [Example leaves below]

36. Please select the [TREE SPECIES] leaf by clicking on it. [Example leaves below]

Programs and Policies

37. How familiar are you with the following services provided by state agencies to private owners of wooded land in <STATE>?

	Extremely familiar	Moderately familiar	Somewhat familiar	Slightly familiar	Not at all familiar
Technical assistance
Management assistance
Information/advice
Cost-share programs
Other
Please specify:

38. a. An ecosystem service market is an organizational structure for buying and selling units of environmental benefits called credits. These benefits could include carbon, water quality, biodiversity, or wetlands. Examples include California Climate Registry, <REGIONAL EXAMPLES>. How familiar are you with ecosystem service markets in <STATE>?

• Extremely Familiar

• Moderately Familiar

• Somewhat Familiar

• Slightly Familiar

• Not at all Familiar

1. Have you participated in an ecosystem service market in <STATE> in the past 5 years?

• Yes

• No

2. How likely are you to participate in an ecosystem services market in <STATE> in the next 5 years?

• Extremely likely

• Likely

• Undecided

• Unlikely

• Extremely unlikely

• Not applicable

39. [This question will follow question 18 in the short form questionnaire]
    Please answer the following questions about your familiarity with the <STATE EXAMPLE> program in your <STATE>.

1. What is the minimum acreage requirement to enroll?
   ___ acres

• Don’t know

1. What is the minimum enrollment period?
   ___ years

• Don’t know

3. Is there a withdrawal penalty?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

4. Does it require owners to have a written management or stewardship plan?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

5. Does it require timber management?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

6. Does it require owners to open their land to the general public?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

40. [This question will follow question 18 in the short form questionnaire]

If yes, please answer c and d.

If no, skip to question 19.

3. Would you use a private forester if the tax program no longer required it?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

3. Would you have a forest management or stewardship plan if the tax program did not require it?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t know

41. How familiar are you with the following state programs, opportunities, and resources for private owners of wooded land in <STATE>?

	Extremely familiar	Moderately familiar	Somewhat familiar	Slightly familiar	Not at all familiar
<STATE PROGRAM 1>
<STATE PROGRAM 2>
<STATE PROGRAM 3>
<STATE PROGRAM 4>
<STATE PROGRAM 5>
Other
Please specify:

42. How likely would you be to carry out the following activities on your wooded land in <STATE> if you received money from a publicly funded cost-share program?

	Extremely likely	Likely	Undecided	Unlikely	Extremely unlikely
Eliminate or reduce invasive plants
Repair woods roads or trails
Create/maintain wildlife habitat
Family legacy planning
Climate change adaptation
Reduce or eliminate unwanted insects or diseases
Develop a written management plan
Reduce wildfire risks
Other
Please specify:

43. Are you a member of a natural resource or landowner organization?

• Yes

• No

If no, skip to question X.

If yes, please list which organization(s) you a part of.

44. Each survey participant has been assigned a random scenario. Please read the hypothetical scenario below and answer the following question.

You have learned about a new program in your area to help landowners increase [animal] habitat on their land. A local wildlife and forestry organization will send a professional to visit your land and, if it is a good fit, will help plan and cut trees. The cutting will be focused on creating good habitat for [animal] through promoting the growth of [TREE SPECIES]. They will also conduct additional mechanical or herbicide treatments to promote new growth. The organization will provide financial support, so that there will be no net cost to you for participating. Would be you in participating in this hypothetical program?

• Yes

• No

45. How certain are you of your response to the question above?

• Completely certain

• Certain

• Moderately certain

• Somewhat certain

• Not at all certain

46. How interested would you be in cooperating with the following organizations to manage your wooded land, if they were available?

	Very interested	Interested	Moderately interested	A little interested	Not at all interested	I don’t know
Federal government conservation agency, like those within USDA
Government conservation organization
Non-governmental conservation organization
Local hunting and fishing group
Private, consulting forestry or wildlife professionals
Forest products companies
University or extension department

Sources of Information and Assistance

47. In general, how do you prefer to receive news and information?

Select Yes or No for each item

Yes No
  Internet

  Newspaper

  Radio

  Television

  Other (please specify):___________________

48. Have you talked with anyone or received information/advice about the care, management, or protection of your wooded land in <STATE> in the past five years?

• Yes

• No

If yes, please answer a.

If no, skip to question XX.

1. How satisfied were you with the advice you received?

• Extremely satisfied

• Moderately satisfied

• Somewhat satisfied

• Not very satisfied

• Not at all satisfied

49. Which, if any, of the following information/advice topics would be helpful to you?

Select Yes or No for each item

Yes No
  Caring for property

  Family legacy planning

  Developing a written forest management plan

  Timber markets

  Markets for nontimber forest products, such as <REGIONAL EXAMPLES>

  Markets for ecosystem service, such as <REGIONAL EXAMPLES>

  Climate change impacts on wooded land

  Planting seedlings

  Shelterbelt management

Concerns

50. How concerned are you about the following items?

	Great concern	Concern	Moderate concern	Of little concern	No concern	Not Applicable
Damage from [ANIMAL]
General health of your wooded land

The Future of Your Wooded Land

51. In 50 years, do you expect your land will be wooded?

• Yes

• No

• I don’t know

52. In 50 years, do you expect your land will still be one continuous property?

• Yes

• No

• I don’t know

53. In 50 years, do you expect yourself or people in your family to still own your land?

• Yes

• No

• I don’t know

54. [To be added as additional options under short-form question 27 - Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements.]

	Strongly agree	Agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Disagree	Strongly disagree
I believe my wooded land benefits/improves the environment.

55. How likely is it that you will ever transfer or give away any of your wooded in <STATE> to your children or another family member?

• Extremely likely

• Likely

• Undecided

• Unlikely

• Extremely unlikely

• Not applicable

If likely or extremely likely, answer a.

If undecided, unlikely, or extremely unlikely, skip to question XX.

1. Which, if any, of the following will you use to transfer or give away your wooded land?

Select Yes or No for each item

Yes No
  Limited liability company

  Trust

  Will

  Other (please specify):___________

General Questions about You

56. How much, if at all, would you describe yourself in the following ways?

	Extremely	Very	Moderately	Slightly	Not at all
Conservationist
Hunter
Birder
Wildlife viewer

Additional Questions/Sections

Psychological Distance

1. On average, how long does it take you to travel to your wooded land in <STATE>?

____Minutes

2. How frequently do you visit your wooded land?

• 20+ times per year

• 10-20 times per year

• 5-10 times per year

• <5 times per year

3. How frequently do you make management decisions about your land?:

• One or more times per week

• one or more times per month

• one or more times per year

• once every few years.

4. How often do you think about your land?

• One or more times per week

• one or more times per month

• one or more times per year

• once every few years

5. Do you belong to a landowner association or other landowner group?

• Yes

• No

• I don’t know

6. I am confident that I know the effects of my management decisions on my woodland:

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Neither agree nor disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

7. I am confident that I have the right information and am making the right decisions about my woodland

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Neither agree nor disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

8. I am confident that I understand the likely future of my woodland

• Strongly Agree

• Agree

• Neither agree nor disagree

• Disagree

• Strongly Disagree

Use/Access of Other Peoples' Forest Land

1. How often do you visit or use woodland other than your own – in other words, National Forests or Parks, State-owned land, or woods owned by other private individuals or companies?

• Often

• Occasionally or rarely

• Never

Personal Values: The Short Schwartz Value Survey (SSVS) (Lindemann and Verkasalo 2005)

1. Please rate the importance of the following values as a life-guiding principle for you. Use the 7-point scale in which 1 indicates that the value is opposed to your principles, 2 indicates that the value is not important for you, 5 indicates that the values is important, and 7 indicates that the value is of supreme importance for you.

	Opposed to your principles	Value is not important			Value is important		Value is of supreme importance for you
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Power, that is social power, authority, wealth
Achievement, that is success, capability, ambition, influence on people and events
Hedonism, that is gratification of desires, enjoyment in life, self-indulgence
Stimulation, that is daring, a varied and challenging life, an exciting life
Self-Direction, that is creativity, freedom, curiosity, independence, choosing one’s own goals
Universalism, that is broad-mindedness, beauty of nature and arts, social justice, a world at peace, equality, wisdom, unity with nature, environmental protection
Benevolence, that is helpfulness, honesty, forgiveness, loyalty, responsibility
Tradition, that is respect for tradition, humbleness, accepting one’s portion in life, devotion, modesty
Conformity, that is obedience, honoring parents and elders, self-discipline, politeness
Security, that is national security, family security, social order, cleanliness, reciprocation of favors.

Conservation Awareness Index

1. How much would you say you know about the Massachusetts’ Chapter 61 current use programs (61, 61A and 61B)? Circle a number from the scale below:

Not heard of	Nothing at all	Some	Quite a lot	A great deal
1	2	3	4	5

2. Please indicate whether the following statements are true or false by circling T or F. If you do not know, circle

Don’t know:

A. Chapter 61 programs permanently limit development on my land.	T	F	Don’t know
B. My town has the right of first refusal on Chapter 61 land that is being developed for houses.	T	F	Don’t know
C. Chapter 61B prohibits commercial harvesting of trees on my land.	T	F	Don’t know
D. Chapter 61 programs reduce my property taxes.	T	F	Don’t know

3. Have you or someone you know had experience with any Chapter 61 program? Circle Yes or No in the boxes below. If you do not know, circle Don’t know:

A. I have considered enrolling in a Chapter 61 program.	Yes	No	Don’t know
B. I am or have been enrolled in a Chapter 61 program.	Yes	No	Don’t know
C. Someone I know has considered enrolling in a Chapter 61 program.	Yes	No	Don’t know
D. Someone I know is or has been enrolled in a Chapter 61 program.	Yes	No	Don’t know

4. Do you know a State Service Forester? Check Yes or No and provide any additional information that you can:

Yes: Specify their name(s):

No: How would you find out about one:

SECTION 2: Conservation Restrictions

5. How much would you say you know about Conservation Restrictions? Circle a number from the scale below:

Not heard of	Nothing at all	Some	Quite a lot	A great deal
1	2	3	4	5

6. Please indicate whether the following statements are true or false by circling T or F. If you do not know, circle

Don’t know:

A. Conservation Restrictions permanently limit development on my land.	T	F	Don’t know
B. Conservation Restrictions must apply to my entire property.	T	F	Don’t know
C. Conservation Restrictions require public access to my land.	T	F	Don’t know
D. Land trusts hold Conservation Restrictions on private land.	T	F	Don’t know

7. Have you or someone you know had experience with Conservation Restrictions? Circle Yes or No in the boxes below. If you do not know, circle Don’t know:

A. I have considered a Conservation Restriction for my land.	Yes	No	Don’t know
B. I have a Conservation Restriction on my land.	Yes	No	Don’t know
C. Someone I know has considered a Conservation Restriction for their land.	Yes	No	Don’t know
D. Someone I know has a Conservation Restriction on their land.	Yes	No	Don’t know

8. Do you know a local land trust? Check Yes or No and provide any additional information that you can:

Yes: Specify their name(s):

No: How would you find out about one:

SECTION 3: Timber Harvesting

9. How much would you say you know about the process of selling timber? Circle a number from the scale below:

   Not heard of	Nothing at all	Some	Quite a lot	A great deal
   1	2	3	4	5

10. Please indicate whether the following statements are true or false by circling T or F. If you do not know, circle Don’t know:

A. A forester cuts trees and brings them out of the woods.	T	F	Don’t know
B. It’s my legal responsibility that timber harvests on my land meet all environmental regulations.	T	F	Don’t know
C. Loggers are required to have a license on commercial timber harvests.	T	F	Don’t know
D. A State Service Forester will give me free advice about my land.	T	F	Don’t know

11. Have you or someone you know had experience with selling timber? Circle Yes or No in the boxes below. If you do not know, circle Don’t know:

A. I have considered selling timber from my land.	Yes	No	Don’t know
B. I have sold timber from my land.	Yes	No	Don’t know
C. Someone I know has considered selling timber from their land.	Yes	No	Don’t know
D. Someone I know has sold timber from their land.	Yes	No	Don’t know

12. Do you know a private forester? Check Yes or No and provide any additional information that you can:

Yes. Specify their name(s):

No. How would you find out about one:

SECTION 4: Estate Planning

13. How much would you say you know about the process of developing an estate plan to decide the future of your land after your death? Circle a number from the scale below:

Not heard of	Nothing at all	Some	Quite a lot	A great deal
1	2	3	4	5

14. Please indicate whether the following statements are true or false by circling T or F. If you do not know, circle Don’t know:

A. An estate plan is a single document.	T	F	Don’t know
B. Estate planning can help either avoid or reduce the taxes for which an estate may be responsible.	T	F	Don’t know
C. Only wealthy land owners benefit from estate planning.	T	F	Don’t know
D. All estate planning professionals are knowledgeable about land conservation.	T	F	Don’t know

15. Have you or someone you know had experience with estate planning? Circle Yes or No in the boxes below. If you do not know, circle Don’t know:

A. I have considered developing an estate plan to decide the future of my land after my death.	Yes	No	Don’t know
B. I have developed an estate plan to decide the future of my land after my death.	Yes	No	Don’t know

C. Someone I know has considered developing an estate plan to decide the future of their land after

Yes No Don’t know

their death.

D. Someone I know has developed an estate plan to decide the future of their land after their death. Yes No Don’t know

16. Do you know an estate planning professional who is familiar with land conservation? Check Yes or No and provide any additional information that you can:

Yes: Specify their name(s) and profession(s):

No: How would you find out about one:

SECTION 5: Background Information

17. How many acres of woodland do you own in Massachusetts?

18. In what year did you personally get/buy/inherit your woodland in Massachusetts?

19. How far do you live from your Massachusetts woodland? Please circle an option below:

A. I live on it. B. Less than 10 miles away. C. 10-100 miles away. D. More than 100 miles away.

20. What is the main reason that you own woodland in Massachusetts?