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Introduction

The South’s 215 million acres of forest land are among the most productive in the Nation. About 201 million acres of this land are classed as timberland, capable of producing at least 20 cubic feet of industrial wood each year and not withdrawn from timber utilization. Private holdings account for about 89 percent of the total timberland acreage. The major private owner groups are NIPF owners and forest industry owners. NIPF owners alone control 79 percent of the total private timberland acreage. How the South’s private forests are used and managed will have important impacts on future supplies of forest-resource-related goods, services, and benefits. Identifying and understanding the characteristics of private owners and the major factors that may influence land use and management will be important to the development of effective owner assistance programs, as well as for predicting future resource conditions.