Public recreation on private forests: no more guarantees

Abstract

Studies across the U.S. have found that nontraditional ownership of Non-Industrial Private Forest-land (NIPF) ownership, centered on residential and recreational rather than timber production objectives, is gaining prevalence. Recent NIPF conversion in the Northern Forest of Northern New England and New York came under scrutiny by the Northern Forest Lands Council. A study conducted by the University of Vermont to determine ownership factors associated with conversion of Vermont NIPF found that generational turnover in ownership drives much of the change in ownership objectives to residential and recreational use. The new generation of owners, undertaking conversion at greater rates, were dominated by middle-aged, affluent professionals having these coexistent objectives. Recreation-centered owners converted NIPF parcels at rates higher than the average for all new owners. Owners purchasing with nature preservation objectives, and engaging in wildlife management activity, exhibited a pronounced increase in conversion activity. The study concluded that this generational turnover of Vermont NIPF to owners with recreational/residential objectives is contributing to the parcelization and privatization of this land, affecting the current and future availability of public, open recreation mace in Vermont.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the 1997 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium

Citation

McPhee, Barry. 1998. Public recreation on private forests: no more guarantees. In: Vogelsong, Hans G., comp, ed. Proceedings of the 1997 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium; 1997 April 6 - 9; Bolton Landing, NY. Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-241. Radnor, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Forest Experiment Station. 25-29.