State Foresters by the Numbers: Data and Analysis from the 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Survey

Transcription

1 August 2012 State Foresters by the Numbers: Data and Analysis from the 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Survey A report prepared by QB Consulting and Straight Arrow Consulting on behalf of the National Association of State Foresters National Association of State Foresters 444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 540 Washington, DC Phone: Fax: nasf@stateforesters.org

2 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 2 Table of Contents 2010 Survey Overview Foreword...4 Part I: State, Local, and Private Forest Land in the United States...5 Forest Land Area Total Forest Ownership Forest Ownership and Centers of Population Private Forest Ownership Forest Lands Managed by State Forestry Agencies Part II: State Forestry Agency Employees and Expenditures... 8 Total Employment in 2010 Seasonal Employees in 2010 Employment Trends Total 2010 Expenditures Trends in Expenditures by Category Trends in Expenditures by Region Part III: State Forestry Agency Program Areas.. 12 Wildfire Protection Activities Community Capacity Building Landowner Assistance, Cooperative Forest Management & Forest Stewardship Plans Urban & Community Forestry (U&CF) Programs Watershed/Water Quality Protection/BMPs Forest Legacy Projects Forest Recreation Programs State Forest Nursery Programs Part IV: Demand for Services, Funding Sources, and Funding Challenges...16 Growing Demand for Services Funding Sources Funding Challenges Appendix I: NASF Regions and Regional Forest Land Ownership...19 Appendix II: Endnotes.. 22 Appendix III: References

3 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS Survey Overview o o o o Private forest lands make up 59 percent of the total forest land in the U.S.; state and local government make up 10 percent, and federal forest lands, 31 percent. Almost seven out of every 10 acres of forest land in the United States are in non-federal ownership. [page 5] State forestry agencies provided technical assistance to 229,179 forest landowners in 2010, an increase of 21 percent over State Forestry agencies are the primary source of forest management advice for family forest owners. [page 13] On average, state forestry agencies spend 75 percent of their budgets providing services for private and local government owned forest land and other wildland areas in their states. Three out of every four dollars spent by state forestry agencies are for services to lands not owned by the state. [page 10 and page 12] State forestry agencies manage 63.1 million acres of forest land in the U.S.; this is 21.4 million acres more than the total forest land managed by the forest industry. State Foresters support and promote sound forestry management practices on non-federal lands in addition to managing stateowned forest land. [page 7] o State Foresters face increasing demands for services at a time when funding sources for programs are vulnerable to budget cutbacks. The top five issues expected to take an increasing amount of attention for state forestry agencies in coming years are: 1) invasive species, 2) wildfire suppression funding, 3) pest infestation and disease outbreak, 4) water quality and quantity, and 5) forest fragmentation, conversion and development. [page16-18] o o Acres under wildfire protection by state forestry agencies in 2010 totaled 1.44 billion acres, and state forestry agencies trained 58,889 rural firefighters in NASF members also help provide funding for fire suppression equipment and assist with formation and expansions of volunteer fire departments. [page 12] Total program expenditures in 2010 for state forestry agencies were down 12 percent or 314 million from Largest decreases occurred with wildfire programs in the western states although spending cuts were experienced in all program areas except land management. [pages 10-11] o State forestry agencies provided technical assistance under Urban & Community Forestry to 9,389 communities in While this represents a decrease of 4 percent in the total communities served compared to 2008, it signifies a notable accomplishment since funding of Urban & Community Forestry programs decreased 19 percent over the same time frame. o State forestry agencies employed 23,654 individuals in The total number of employees decreased by 3,183 positions between 2008 and [pages 8-9]

4 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 4 Foreword NASF is a non-profit organization that represents the directors of all 50 state forestry agencies, the eight U.S. territories (American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Northern Marianas Islands, Palau, Puerto Rico, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and the District of Columbia. This report uses states as an inclusive term for both states and territories. Every two years NASF conducts a survey of its 59 members to capture key information about the nonfederal forest lands in the United States and the role of State Foresters in enhancing their value, representing public interests, and protecting these lands from fire, disease, fragmentation and other resource threats. The survey includes information about forestry programs, agency budgets, and funding support pertinent to each state and territory. This report summarizes the responses received from members for fiscal year Part I of the report looks at forest land and forest land ownership; Part II at state forestry agency employment and expenditures; Part III at program delivery areas; and Part IV at demand for services and funding. In many cases, survey responses have been summarized by region. In addition to providing a national voice for state forestry agencies, NASF collaborates with three regional state forestry agency organizations. The geographical regions represented by these three organizations are described in Appendix I of this report. The 2010 survey was sent out to NASF members in July of 2011 with 50 of the 50 states, and the District of Columbia, providing responses. In this report, territories are not included due to limited response both in 2010 and in previous years. In order not to distort trends across years with different participation levels from the states, only those states reporting in the years of an identified trend (e.g., states that reported in both 2008 and 2010) were included in the year to year comparisons. Data from a few outside sources are also included in some of the analysis. References for the outside sources are provided in endnotes or Appendix III. The results from the 2010 NASF Forestry Statistics Survey and a complete database of results from previous year s surveys from 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002, and 1998 are available on the NASF Web Site ( This report was prepared for NASF by consulting foresters, Nancy Budge of QB Consulting and Tom Montzka of Straight Arrow Consulting.

5 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 5 Part I: State, Local and Private Forest Land in the United States Forest Land Area: Forests make up 821 million acres of the total 2.3 billion acres, or 36 percent of the total land area of the United States. Forest cover in individual states ranges from 90 percent of the state s total land area (Maine) to 2 percent (North Dakota). The forest lands of U.S. represent 7.5 percent of the world s forests and the U.S. ranks fourth in comparison with other countries in total forest area behind the Russian Federation, Brazil, and Canada (FAO, 2011). Survey Definition of Forest Land = Forest land is a contiguous predominantly vegetated land area that is at least 120 feet wide and 1 acre in size with at least 10 percent cover (or equivalent stocking) by live trees of any size, including land that formerly had such tree cover and that will be naturally or artificially regenerated within the next 10 years. (2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Survey) Percent Forest Area By State Highest 5/Lowest 5 % Forest Land of State Total Land Area 1 Maine 90% 2 New Hampshire 84% 3 West Virginia 78% 4 Vermont 78% 5 Alabama 71% 46 Kansas 10% 47 Iowa 9% 48 South Dakota 4% 49 Nebraska 3% 50 North Dakota 2% National Average 36% Median of U.S. States 42% & FIA(1) Total Forest Ownership: More than half of the nation s forests are held in private ownership; states hold 9 percent, and local public entities, such as counties and municipalities, own 1 percent; and the federal government, such as National Forests and Bureau of Land Management, own 31 percent. Almost 7 out of every 10 acres of forest land in the United States is non-federal. Non-federal forest land ownership is concentrated in geographic proximity to U.S. population centers and these are the lands where state forestry agencies focus their efforts. U.S. Forest Land Ownership Acres and Percent of U.S. Forest Land Acres Other Public 13 MM 1% Federal 253 MM 31% State 73 MM 9% Private 483 MM 59% Total U. S. Forest Land Acres = 821 MM

6 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 6 Forest Ownership and Centers of Population: Within the most populous 15 states, representing two-thirds of the nation's population, the amount of nonfederal forest land is over five times that of the federal forest land 2. State forestry agencies have influence over those areas closest to population centers and consequently greater responsibilities for interacting and informing the public. Protection and sustainable management of these forest lands have positive 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 66% impacts on water protection, air quality, wildlife habitat, renewable forest products for building, raw materials for paper and packaging products, jobs, and recreation. 16% Private Forest Ownership: Private forest land is composed of several owner groups: corporate, forest industry, non-industrial private, and Native American. The largest owner group within private is nonindustrial private, comprising 65 percent of the total private forest in The next largest group within private is the corporate ownership group at 23 percent. Corporate represents business owners without a wood processing plant within the state; many of these owners manage their forest properties as an investment. This group s share of the private forest has been climbing over the past three NASF surveys, from 14 percent in 2004 to 23 percent in The increase has been the result of forest industry owners selling their forest lands. Forest industry ownership in 2010 was 9 percent of the private forest, down from 12 percent of the private forest in the 2006 survey. The Native American ownership type, which is defined as forest land acres held in trust by the U.S. and administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) for Native American tribes, families or individuals, consists of 3 percent of the private forest land in % Most Populous 15 states 5% 52% 48% Least Populous 15 states U.S. Forest Land Ownership and Centers of Population 2010 Census Data Percent U.S. Population Percent of Federal Forest Land Percent of Non-Federal Forest Land Source: 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Survey, US Census Bureau, 2010 Census The state with the largest number of forest land acres owned by nonindustrial private individuals is Texas with 50.3 million acres. All 870,000 acres of private forest land located in Nevada is in nonindustrial private ownership. The state with the largest amount of private corporate ownership is Alaska due to the land holdings of native corporations. Louisiana has the largest number of acres owned by the forest industry. Arizona has the largest number of forest land acres held in trust for Native American tribes, families or individuals. Total by Private Ownership Type 2010 Private Individuals Corporate Ownership Forest Industry Native American Total Private Ownership Private MM Acres Acres MM % % % % % % States With Highest Acres & Percent by Private Ownership Type in 2010 State % of PVT Ownership State Private Individuals 50.3 Texas 100% Nevada Corporate Ownership 31.8 Alaska 89% Alaska Forest Industry 4.4 Louisiana 40% Idaho Native American 5.8 Arizona 78% Arizona

7 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 7 Forest Lands Managed by State Forestry Agencies: State forestry agencies manage 63.1 million acres of forest lands. This number includes public land where the state forestry agency has a silvicultural role such as planning and implementing treatments for forest establishment, growth and health 3. While most of the forest lands managed by state forestry agencies are in the West, seven of the ten agencies managing the most state forest land are in the Northeast and South. (See Appendix I for further information on NASF regions and regional land ownership.) Forest Land Acres, millions Acres and Percent of Forest Land in Region Managed by State Forestry Agencies % 17.0 MM 2010 U.S. Total = 63.1MM Acres 3.4 MM 1% 42.7 MM 11% - Northeast South West 12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% Percent of Forest Land in Region Over 12.6 million green tons of forest products were harvested from state-owned forest lands in Fourteen states reported in 2010 that 17.1 million acres of state-owned forest lands have been independently certified as sustainably managed under the independent/joint certification standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (10 states), Sustainable Forest Initiative (9 states), and the American Tree Farm System (4 states). Forest Lands Managed by State Forestry Agencies Top Ten Forestland Managed States by by State Forestry Total Acreage Agency 1 Alaska 35,000,000 2 Minnesota 5,633,900 3 Michigan 3,999,000 4 Pennsylvania 2,200,000 5 Washington 2,100,000 6 New Mexico 1,477,200 7 Florida 1,071,197 8 South Carolina 1,025,415 9 Idaho 974, New York 948,683 Median U.S. 166,897

8 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 8 Part II: State Forestry Agency Employees and Expenditures Total Employees in 2010: State forestry agencies employed 23,654 individuals in The largest category of permanent employees consists of foresters. In addition to foresters, other professionals employed at state forestry agencies include staff with college and advanced degrees in recreation, fire and fuels management, environmental/ land use planning, conservation, watershed, wildlife, information technology, finance, and accounting. The technical category includes employees who provide a wide range of support services including working in the nurseries, driving heavy equipment and those who provide technical support to the resource professionals. Two thirds of the state forestry agencies have cooperative programs to work with private consulting foresters to provide additional capacity when needed. In addition, half of the state forestry agencies receive administrative, professional or other categories of support from allocated personnel from other agencies in the state. Adm/Clerical 1,364 State Forestry Agency Employees Total Number of Employees 2010 = 23,654 Seasonal 9,237 Technical 4,957 Foresters 6,183 Other Professional 1,913 Seasonal Employees in 2010: Seasonal employees make up the largest number of positions in state forestry agencies. Seasonal jobs at the agencies make key contributions to field work in areas such as fire control, fire prevention, nursery, recreation, monitoring, and other land management activities. These seasonal jobs provide important economic support in rural communities across the states and the nation. Regional Profile of Seasonal Employees Number of Employees by Major Function Fire Control Fire Prevention Nursery Tree Planting Recreation Education & Outreach State Land Management Co-op Forestry Programs Administrative Other Northeast South West 0 1,500 3,000 4,500 6,000 Number of Seasonal Employees

9 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 9 Employment Trends: State forestry agency employment decreased by 3,183 positions between 2008 and 2010 which represents a 12 percent drop in size of the workforce over the two year period. Declines occurred in every staff category with the most in the number of foresters at 1,564 lost positions. Other professional jobs decreased by 899 and the seasonal category dropped 517 positions. In the forester category, the greatest losses were experienced in field foresters down 1,009 positions and entry-level foresters down 600 positions. As a result of the reductions in authorized expenditures, these positions are not being filled as quickly as individual foresters move up in their organizations to fill vacancies requiring more experience. State Forestry Agencies Staffing Changes Foresters Other Professional Technical Admin/Clerical Seasonal Employees 1,913 1,453 1, to ,812 5,071 4,957 6,183 7,747 9,754 9, ,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 Number of Employees Source: 2008 & 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Surveys, change between surveys based on states responding in both years 2008 Survey 2010 Survey State Forestry Agencies Staffing Changes Forester Positions 2008 to 2010 State Forester /Director Regional or Staff Foresters District Foresters or Fire Program Mgrs ,559 1, Survey 2010 Survey Service or Field Foresters 3,189 4,198 Entry-level Foresters 661 1, ,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 Number of Employees Source: 2008 & 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Surveys, change between surveys based on states responding in both years

10 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 10 Total 2010 Expenditures: State forestry agency expenditures in 2010 totaled $2.4 billion. The majority of these expenditures, 59 percent, were related to fire control, prevention, education, protection, and management. Most of these wildfire related expenses are incurred on nonstate lands and this is a significant budget item for every NASF member. Land management includes funds spent on managing public lands controlled by the state forestry agency. Outreach and education expenditures include cooperative forest management landowner assistance programs, forest products utilization and marketing programs, forest health, Urban & Community Forestry, nursery programs, forest recreation, and Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA). Forest practices oversight includes enforcement of watershed and water quality protection measures State Forestry Agencies Expenditures Millions of Dollars and Percent of Total Spending 2010 Total Expenditures = $2,423 Million Other % Outreach & Education % Wildfire Programs 1,433 59% Millions of Dollars Land Management % Forest Practices Oversight 33 2% State Forestry Agency Spending v 2010 Trends in Expenditures by Category: Total expenditures in 2010 were down 12 percent or 314 million from Spending decreased for wildfire programs by over $246 million or 15 percent. Significant reductions were also found in the outreach and education category for Cooperative Forestry Management Assistance programs (down 22 million or 12 percent), Urban & Community Forest Programs (down 10 million or 19 percent), and Forest Recreation Programs (down 4.4 million or 10 percent). Millions of Dollars 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1, ,679 1,433 Wildfire Programs Land Management Forest Practices Oversight Outreach & Education 280 Other 247 2,738 Total 2,423 Source: 2008 & 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Surveys, change between surveys based on states responding in both

11 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 11 Trends in Expenditures by Region: A regionally focused review of expenditures shows both different distributions of funds across program areas as well as different trends over time. The northeastern region on a proportionate basis has spent more on outreach education programs than the other two regions (35 percent of total expenditures on average in 2010). These include programs such as Cooperative Forest Management and Urban & Community Forestry, both of which receive higher percentages of total agency budgets than in other regions. Total expenditures in the Northeast were down 1 percent between 2008 and 2010 with decreased spending in Land Management expenses offset by increased spending in Outreach & Education as well as Wildfire programs. The southern region dedicates higher percentages of agency budgets on wildfire related programs (53 percent on average for 2010) compared to the Northeast but still apportions considerable amounts in outreach and education programs (21 percent on average for 2010). Total expenditures in the South were down $34 million between 2008 and 2010 and most of this decrease occurred in the Cooperative Forest Management and Forest Health programs. Millions of Dollars Millions of Dollars 2,000 1,800 1,600 1,400 1,200 1, State Forestry Agency Spending by Region Millions of Dollars v 2010 The western region spent 71% of their total budgets on wildfire related programs, which totaled over $1 billion in The West experienced a decrease of $276 million in total expenditures ($248 million in wildfire programs) in , ,510 Northeast South West Source: 2008 & 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Surveys, change between surveys based on states responding in both years 1,800 1,600 1,400 1,200 1, State Forestry Agency Wildfire Programs Millions of Dollars by Region, 2008 vs ,319 1,071 1,679 Northeast South West TOTAL Regions Source: 2008 & 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Surveys, change between surveys based on states responding in both years 1,433

12 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 12 Part III: State Forestry Agency Program Areas This section reports on survey data gathered for programs delivered by state forestry agencies. State forestry agency impact on the nation's natural resources is greater than generally thought, not only through the management of state-owned forestlands but also through technical assistance to private forest land owners, monitoring and oversight of forest and best management practices on private lands, and wildland wildfire suppression and prevention for all types of ownerships. Wildfire Protection Activities: Wildfire related programs take a majority of the budget and staff resources of most state forestry agencies, particularly in the West (and the South. Acres under wildfire protection by state forestry agencies in 2010 totaled to 1.44 billion acres. Over half of these acres are located in wildland areas other than forest land such as rangeland and unincorporated areas surrounding communities. State forestry agencies were also involved in fuel treatment programs. In 46 of the 50 member states, state forestry agencies managed 9.4 million acres of prescribed fire in Community Capacity Building: NASF members help communities prioritize their preparedness and 233 MM mitigation efforts through the development of Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs). 0.0 These planning efforts are an outcome of the enactment of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) in Through 2010, 5,757 communities have been covered by a CWPP with the assistance of state forestry agencies 4. State forestry agencies help communities develop preparedness and response capabilities through rural firefighter training supported by the federal State Fire Assistance and Volunteer Fire Assistance programs. NASF members also help provide funding for fire suppression equipment and assist with formation of and expansions of volunteer fire departments. Millions of Acres Millions of Acres 1,600 1,400 1,200 1, Wildland Protected by State Forestry Agencies 1, , State Forestry Agency Scope Forest Management and Wildfire Protection 402 MM Forest Management 1,435MM Wildfire Protection 1.44 Billion Acres in MM Additions to Local Fire Suppression Capacity U.S Total Firefighters Trained 58,889 Funding Provided for Upgraded or New Fire Suppression Equipment Private wildland Other Public wildland State wildland Federal wildland 22 MM Formation fo New Volunteer Fire Department or Expansion of an Exisiting Department Source: NASF Communities at Risk Report, June 2011 Private - BMP monitoring only Private - Mgmt assist & BMP monitoring State- managed forest land State Forestry Agencies' actitvities and responsibilities to either directly or indirectly manage and protect natural resources impact 64% of the nation's land area. 1,006 MM Federal State Other Public Private Ownership Classes $18 MM 44

13 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 13 Landowner Assistance, Cooperative Forest Management, and Forest Stewardship Plans: State forestry agencies offer professional forestry assistance, answer technical questions, and provide other services for landowners concerning their forest lands. State forestry agencies are the primary source of forest management advice for family forest owners 5. This may include advice on timber marketing, fuels management, insects and disease, seedling purchase, tree planting, implementation of Forest Stewardship Plans and participation in Cooperative Forest Management cost share programs. State forestry agencies reported technical assistance to 229,179 landowners in 2010, an increase of 21 percent over 2008; the cumulative acres under Forest Stewardship Plans increased by 16% from 2008 to These increases occurred across all regions in spite of decreases in spending on cooperative forest management programs in the South and West. Urban & Community Forestry (U&CF) Programs: Another program with decreased expenditures in 2010 is Urban & Community Forestry. All 51 respondents show their state forestry agency with the lead role in administering the Urban & Community Forestry program in their respective states. This program maintains, restores, and improves parks, street trees, and landscaped boulevards. Spending on Urban & Community Forestry decreased 19 percent, or $10 million in 2010 compared to Communities receiving state forestry agency technical assistance for this program in 2010 totaled 9,389 with the majority of these in the Northeast. Number of Technical Assists, thousands Private Landowner Technical Assists 2008 vs Northeast South West TOTAL Regions Source: 2008 & 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Surveys, change between surveys based on states responding in both years Millions of Dollars Urban & Community Forestry Program Expenditures, 2008 vs Northeast South West TOTAL Regions Source: 2008 & 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Surveys, change between surveys based on states responding in both years Communities Receiving State Forestry Agency Technical Assistance For Urban & Community Forestry Programs Total % of Total Northeastern Region 5,668 60% Southern Region 1,592 17% Western Region 2,129 23% Total 9, %

14 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 14 Watershed/Water Quality Protection/BMPs: Most state forestry agencies are the lead agency for water quality protection related to forest silviculture on forest lands within their states. To this end, state forestry agencies have been involved in the development and field monitoring of best management practices (BMPs). Emerging issues with anadromous fish habitat, invertebrate habitat, enforcement, and BMP effectiveness have resulted in higher state forestry agency workload in this area. However, in 2010, total expenditures decreased 11 percent from The hardest hit was the southern region with a 20 percent drop in program expenditures. The loss of capacity in the state forestry agencies indicated by this decrease could have ramifications for water quality. Millions of Dollars Watershed / Water Quality Protection / BMPs Program Expenditures, 2008 vs Northeast South West TOTAL Regions Source: 2008 & 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Surveys, change between surveys based on states responding in both years Forest Legacy Projects Cumulative Forest Legacy Acres through 2010 = 2.5 million Forest Legacy Projects: State forestry agencies are extensively involved with the Forest Legacy program (FLP). The cumulative total number of projects reported by NASF members grew from 473 in 2008 to 573 in 2010, or 21 percent. The cumulative acres in the program total over 2.5 million. These numbers show the program is continuing to grow as rapidly as the availability of funding from sources such as the U.S. Forest Service's State and Private Forestry (SPF) budget. It helps states to protect working forest lands that are threatened by development or other land uses, either through outright (fee simple) purchase or conservation easements. Landowner participation in FLP is completely voluntary. Landowners who choose to put a conservation easement on their lands must have a Forest Stewardship Plan prepared with technical assistance from the state forestry agency. South 10% West 26% s # Projects Northeast 64% Forest Legacy Projects Total Cumulative Number of Projects Northeast South West TOTAL Source: 2008 & 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Surveys, change between surveys based on states responding in both years

15 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 15 Forest Recreation Programs: Forest Recreation is a program to provide public recreational opportunities in state and other non-federal forests. Spending on Forest Recreation programs decreased 10 percent, or $4.4 million in 2010 compared to Millions of Dollars Forest Recreation Program Expenditures, 2008 vs Northeast South West TOTAL Regions Source: 2008 & 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Surveys, change between surveys based on states responding in both years State Forest Nurseries Program Expenditures, 2008 vs State Forest Nursery Programs: Expenditures on state forest nursery programs have steadily decreased over the past ten years. The numbers of state nursery operations and seed orchards dropped significantly during this time. Expenditures for state forest nursery programs decreased $3 million or 8 percent in 2010 compared to Annual seedling production dropped by over 18 million during this time period. The reductions in state nursery programs may have implications for long-term reforestation capacity. Some losses in state forestry seedling production occurring in the South are being replaced with private nurseries in that region. Other states are keeping their nursery programs and making them more competitive with updated on-line sales and shipping. Millions of Dollars Northeast South West TOTAL Regions Source: 2008 & 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Surveys, change between surveys based on states responding in both years State Forest Nurseries Annual Tree Seedling Production, 2008 vs Millions of Seedlings Northeast South West TOTAL Regions Source: 2008 & 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Surveys, change between surveys based on states responding in both years 14 13

16 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 16 Part IV: Demand for Services, Funding Sources, and Funding Challenges Growing Demand for Services: The 2010 NASF State Forest Statistics Survey shows decreasing numbers of employees and decreasing expenditures at the same time the demand for services from state forestry agencies is escalating. High density population centers continue to expand in proximity to the non-federal forest lands for which services from state forestry agencies are utilized. Total area in private, noncorporate ownership is growing resulting in forest fragmentation and smaller average tract size. Consequently, the resources required for state forestry agencies to conduct outreach with education and technical forest management expertise will be stretched to a greater degree. Millions of Acres Tree Mortality Caused by Insects and Disease U.S. Acres This is occurring at a time when wildland acres burned, while recently Source: USDA, Forest Service Major Forest Insect and Disease Conditions in the United States: 2010 Update. FS-988. Washington DC. 32 p. down from recent mid-decade highs, when compared to the historical record since 1960 are reaching record numbers. This trend is compounded by mortality from insects and disease, which are occurring more often and on more acres than in the past. The top five issues expected to take an increasing amount of attention for state forestry agencies in coming years are: 1) invasive species, 2) wildfire suppression funding, 3) pest infestation and disease outbreak, 4) water quality and quantity, and 5) forest fragmentation, conversion and development Total Wildland Acres Burned U.S Millions of Acres Source: U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

17 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 17 Funding Sources: Overall funding support for state forestry agency programs came from state government (67 percent), revenue (17 percent), federal government (12 percent), and county/ municipal government (4 percent). The West receives a greater percent in state based funding and the Northeast a greater percent in revenue, which includes product sales and royalties, land sales and leases, permit sales, and service charges,. Federal funding represents only 9 percent of total funding for the western region while representing 18 percent of total funding for both the northeastern and southern regions. State Forestry Agencies Funding Sources 2010 Percent Funding by Source U.S. Total State 67% Federal 12% Revenue 17% County & Municipal 4% s Funding Challenges: Total funding support decreased by $176 million in 2010 compared to 2008, a drop of 6 percent. The reduction was broad-based with 30 of the 51 agencies reporting funding reductions between 2008 and The agencies reporting funding decreases collectively fell by a total of 16 percent. Revenue, declined the most in dollars, down $148 million, or 25 percent, due in large part to lower stumpage prices and levels of demand for wood products. Revenue funding declined for 28 agencies between 2010 and Southern states were hardest hit with 85 percent of the states from this region reporting declines in revenue sources between 2008 and County and municipal government support declined $93 million, or 48 percent, due to the economic conditions that strained local funding sources. The majority of this reduction occurred in California where support from county and municipal government dropped by $89 million. State Forestry Agencies Funding Sources 2, , , , , , vs ,750 1, Federal State Other Government Source: 2008 & 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Surveys, Total Revenue

18 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 18 Increases in federal and state funding made up for about one quarter of the funding decreases from reductions in revenues and local government support. The federal increase was $43 million and the state increase was $22 million. These funding sources were bolstered by special projects funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Despite the overall increase in state funding, more states experienced reductions in spending than increases: between 2008 and 2010, 22 states experienced increases in state funding while 27 had decreases. The underlying trend shows ongoing federal and state government austerity measures are shrinking available funding from these sources. State forestry agencies continue to seek new partners to enable them to cope with the challenging fiscal environment while still providing important products and services to their stakeholders. Changes in State Funding 2008 to Number of States State Funding Dollars Increased Decreased Sources: 2008 & 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Surveys

19 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 19 Appendix I: NASF Regions and Regional Forest Land Ownership Regional Forest Ownership: NASF works with three regional organizations the Northeastern Area Association of State Foresters (NAASF), the Southern Group of State Foresters (SGSF), and the Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) to support forest management practices and policies unique to the regional characteristics of U.S. forests. The Northeast and South have predominately private ownership of their forest lands while the West has high federal ownership. The different ownership profiles impact priorities and work for the state forestry organizations. Northeastern Region Partner Organization: Northeastern Area Association of State Foresters (NAASF) States & Territories Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Illinois Indiana Iowa Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri New Hampshire New Jersey New York Ohio Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont West Virginia Wisconsin Northeastern Region Forest Land Ownership Millions of Acres and Percent of Northeastern Forest Land Acres Other Public 8 MM 5% Federal 14 MM 8% State 23 MM 13% Private 129 MM 74% Northeastern Region Total Forest Land Acres = 174 MM

20 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 20 Southern Region Partner Organization: Southern Group of State Foresters (SGSF) States & Territories Alabama Arkansas Florida Georgia Kentucky Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina Oklahoma Puerto Rico South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virgin Islands Virginia Southern Region Forest Land Ownership Millions of Acres and Percent of Southern Forest Land Acres Federal 23 9% Other Public 3 1% State 9 3% Private % Southern Region Total Forest Land Acres = 266 MM

21 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 21 Western Region Partner Organization: Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) States & Territories Alaska American Samoa Arizona California Colorado Guam Hawaii Idaho Kansas Marshall Islands Micronesia Montana Nebraska Nevada New Mexico North Dakota Northern Marianas Oregon Palau South Dakota Utah Washington Wyoming Western Region Forest Land Ownership Millions of Acres and Percent of Western Forest Land Acres Private % Federal % State 41 11% Western Region Total Forest Land Acres = 380 MM Other Public 1 0%

22 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 22 Appendix II: Endnotes 1. Forest Inventory Assessment (FIA) Web citation: Miles, P.D. Wed Mar 14 17:18:34 CDT Forest Inventory EVALIDator web-application version St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. [Available only on internet: 2. The change in this chart from the 2008 NASF State Foresters by the Numbers Report is due to the 2010 Census showing Indiana replacing Arizona in the list of most populous 15 states; Indiana has a larger ratio of non-federal forest land to federal forestland than Arizona. See table. Ranked by Population MM Acres State Non Federal Forestland Federal Forestland Total Forestland Population California ,253,956 Texas ,145,561 New York ,378,102 Florida ,801,310 Illinois ,830,632 Pennsylvania ,702,379 Ohio ,536,504 Michigan ,883,640 Georgia ,687,653 North Carolina ,535,483 New Jersey ,791,894 Virginia ,001,024 Washington ,724,540 Massachusetts ,547,629 Indiana ,483,802 Arizona ,392,017 Tennessee ,346,105 Missouri ,988,927 Maryland ,773,552 Wisconsin ,686,986 Minnesota ,303,925 Colorado ,029,196 Alabama ,779,736 South Carolina ,625,364 Louisiana ,533,372 Kentucky ,339,367 Oregon ,831,074 Oklahoma ,751,351 Connecticut ,574,097 Iowa ,046,355 Mississippi ,967,297 Arkansas ,915,918 Kansas ,853,118 Utah ,763,885 Nevada ,700,551 New Mexico ,059,179 West Virginia ,852,994 Nebraska ,826,341 Idaho ,567,582 Hawaii ,360,301 Maine ,328,361 New Hampshire ,316,470 Rhode Island ,052,567 Montana ,415 Delaware ,934 South Dakota ,180 Alaska ,231 North Dakota ,591 Vermont ,741 District of Columbia ,723 Wyoming ,626

23 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS The following terms are defined in the 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Survey as follows: Land managed by state forestry agency is public land where state forestry agency has a silvicultural role. This includes both lands where the silvicultural role is primary in terms of jurisdiction as well as where the silvicultural role is secondary. Silvicultural role refers to the planning and implementation of silvicultural treatments on forest land. Primary role refers to where the state forestry agency has lead jurisdiction over the property. Secondary role refers to situations where another state agency has lead jurisdiction over the property. Silviculture is the art and science of controlling the establishment, growth, composition, health, and quality of forests and woodlands to meet the diverse needs and values of landowners and society on a sustainable basis (Society of American Foresters definition 4. For more information on community capacity building, Communities at Risk, and the development of Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPS), please go to the following links on the NASF web site: Communities at Risk Report FY2010: Communities at Risk Report FY2011: Briefing paper from NASF prepared by the Forest Fire Protection Committee on Communities at Risk and prioritizing risk reduction strategies: 5. Between 2002 and 2006, the U.S. Forest Service conducted surveys of the estimated 10 MM family forest owners in the United States. The published results (Butler, Brett, 2009) showed that family forest owners account for 92 percent of the private forest owners and 62 percent of the private forestland. When asked if they received advice about their forestland, 14 percent of the family forest owners, who own 37 percent of the family forest land, said yes and that the most common source of advice was from state forestry agencies. Where Private Landowners Go for Forest Management Advice State Forest Agency 26% Private Consultant 17% Federal Agency Logger Another Landowner Extension 12% 10% 13% 11% Percent Owners Percent Acres Forest Industry Other State Agency 2% 4% Source: Butler, Brett, 2009 Other 5% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

24 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS The top four issues expected to take an increasing amount of attention for state forestry agencies in coming years were determined by the answers to a question in the 2010 NASF State Forestry Statistics Survey where each member was asked to list the three highest impact issues facing their agency. High Impact Issue was defined as: an issue which is drawing an increasing amount of attention in your state and one which is likely to have significant impact on your state forestry agency in the coming years. A chart of the full range of response is below: High Impact Issues Affecting State Forestry Agencies Rankings based on State Selection of Top Three High Impact Issues High Impact Issues Invasive Species Wildfire Suppression Funding Pest Infestation/Disease Outbreak Water Quality / Quantity Forest Fragmentation / Conversion/Development Forest Markets Reducing Risks of Wildfire Impacts Federal Appropriations Economic Development / Timber Supply Urban & Community Forestry Biomass Energy Professional Recruitment and Demographics Statewide Forest Resource Assessments & Strategies Creating Jobs in the Forestry Sector Forest Inventory and Analysis Sub-Surface Resources Reforestation Effects of Climate Change Outsourcing Soil Conservation Rights of Way Issues Recreation Use Privatization Carbon Offset/Credit Projects and Markets Number 1 Issue Number 2 Issue Number 3 Issue Issue Score based on Weighted Rankings by State

25 STATE FORESTERS BY THE NUMBERS 25 Appendix III: References Butler, Brett J Family Forest Owners of the United States, Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-27. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 72 p. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), State of the World s Forests, Rome, p.