Seeing the Forests Through Landowners’ Eyes
The Family Forest Research Center studies the values, behaviors, decisions, and needs of private forest owners—because their choices will determine the future of America’s forests.
A partnership of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and USDA Forest Service
Collecting and Analyzing Data to Support Forest Conservation
Most of the forests in the United States are privately owned—and the majority of those belong to families and individuals. The Family Forest Research Center studies family and other private forest owners to deepen the understanding of these important groups. Our goal is to empower leaders with data so that they can make informed decisions that improve forest conservation and support the needs of society.
The data matter, because forests matter.
Forests in the United States provide economic, social, and environmental benefits, from clean water and timber to recreation and biodiversity. Each year, forest products contribute nearly $300 billion to the U.S. economy. Forest inventory data helps drive economic growth, guide investments, and inform conservation decisions that shape the future of our forests.
>150
Peer-reviewed journal articles and reports published
>100
Partners and collaborators nationwide and internationally
>50,000
Private forest owners surveyed
Explore Our Research
Learn about our current projects studying private forest owners in the United States.
Publications
Find the latest journal articles and results from our research.
Resources
Looking for data in a different format? Access factsheets, visuals, brochures, interactive tools, and more.
Resources for Landowners
Want to learn more about managing your land? Find a public or other professional forester in your state and discover forest management resources.
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