ABSTRACT
Non-industrial private forests (NiPF) make up some 58 percent of the nation's commercial timberland. From a policy perspective, there are many issues concerning NIPFs. A very significant proportion of past NIPF research has been descriptive in nature, namely, relating fundamental landowner characteristics to landowner forestry objectives, management activities, and size of forestry holdings. Research concerning NIPFs has focused on management and harvest investment decisions. Various policy instruments are available to motivate NIPF owners to invest in forestry practices and harvesting activities. Programs designed to encourage timber production from NIPF lands in a direct fashion can take the form of technical assistance, education, cost-sharing, regulatory mandates, or some combination thereof. A complex relationship exists between the NIPF owner, the wood-based industry, consulting foresters, and various government organizations in terms of efforts to provide a stable supply of forest benefits from NIPF lands.
