Assisting Landowners
Supporting Private Forest Landowners
It is imperative that private landowners, who own 86% of all forest land in the South, receive adequate support and resources to keep their forests and woodlands intact.
Technical Assistance Programs
Some landowners, especially if they are new to land ownership, need help identifying and accomplishing their land management goals. Many state agencies offer this service at little to no cost. The provision for technical assistance is supported by a variety of federal programs, including:
- Forest Stewardship Program
- Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
- Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Forest Land Retention and Conservation
SGSF advocates for federal tax provisions that encourage forest retention, reforestation and ongoing private investment in forest management.
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- Conservation easements allow landowners to maintain rights to manage their forests for timber, as well as other personal and financial benefits, while ensuring the land remains forested into the future. SGSF supports initiatives, such as the Forest Legacy Program, which provide this benefit.
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- Heirs’ Property issues have been a major driver of African American land loss in the United States. SGSF supports work to address forestland retention issues in rural African American and other similarly impacted communities.
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- SGSF advocates for federal tax provisions which encourage reforestation and an ongoing private investment in forest management.
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- SGSF encourages updates to federal programing and tax policy to ensure landowners are compensated and given incentive to replant and recover their forests after a natural disaster.
