The Significance of Private Forests in the U.S.  

Home > Table of  Contents > Module 10 > Answer Key

Teacher's Answer Key

Worksheet 1: Family Owned Forest Facts - Answers

Table 1: Area and number of family owned forests in the Unites States* by size of forest landholdings, 1993.

Size of Forest Landholdings (Acres)

Area (Acres) Thousands

Area (Percent)

Ownership (Number) Thousands

Ownership (Percent)

1-9

16,509

7.0

5,603

60.3

10-49

57,342

24.2

2,534

27.3

50-99

42,729

18.0

642

6.9

100-499

78,461

33.1

472

5.1

500-999

17,532

7.4

29

0.3

1000-4999

17,797

7.5

13

0.1

5000+

6,872

2.9

3

<0.1

Total

237,242

100.0

9,296

100.0

* Numbers above are for the continental U.S. and exclude Alaska and Hawaii.

Table 2 : Area and number of family owned forests in the Unites States* by size of forest landholdings, 2004.

Size of Forest Landholdings (Acres)

Area (Acres) Thousands

Area (Percent)

Ownership (Number) Thousands

Ownership (Percent)

1-9

20,069

7.7

6,570

61.4

10-49

61,681

23.6

2,970

27.8

50-99

41,815

16.0

632

5.9

100-499

82,747

31.6

473

4.4

500-999

20,349

7.8

32

0.3

1000-4999

24,724

9.4

14

0.1

5000+

10,254

3.9

1

<0.1

Total

261,639

100.0

10,692

100.0

* Numbers above are for the continental U.S. and exclude Alaska and Hawaii .

These tables come from the USDA Forest Service, National Woodland Owner Survey and are draft figures. Designed for review purposes.

 

  1. See red numbers in chart above. 

  2. in 1993? 60.3% , in 2004? 61.4%

  3. in 1993? 7.0% , in 2004? 7.7%

  4. The majority of private forestland owners (61.4 percent) in the U.S. own only 7.7 % of the private forestlands in the U.S.

  5. There has been a small increase in the percentage of private forestland owners owning 1-9 acre plots in the U.S. From 60.3% in 1993 to 61.4% in 2006.

  6. in 1993? 100-499 , in 2004? 100-499

  7. in 1993? 5.1% in 2004? 4.4%

  8. There has been a small decrease in the percent of landowners owning 100-499 acres since 1993…from 5.1% in 1993 to 4.4% in 2004.

  9. It appears that more people own smaller amounts of forestland (1-9 or 10-49 acres) since 1993. Therefore the trend seems to be for people to own smaller acres of forestland rather than the larger 50 acres or more plots of forestland. It also appears that once you get into ownership of much larger portions of forestland (500 or more acres) that the trend for ownership of these lands has remained constant since 1993.
  10. Some possible answers may include.
  • Owners may be selling part of their land to developers and keeping part for themselves, thereby increasing fragmentation of the forest.
  • Owners may be selling part of their land to other individuals for a home site or other purposes, thereby decreasing the size of ownership.
  • Owners may be leaving their property to more than one child in their wills, thereby increasing the number of owners and decreasing the size of ownership.

Teacher FYI: (Actually having a larger acreage makes it easier to invest in managing forestland)

However, any reasonable answer may be accepted.

Worksheet 2: Keywords
Answers will vary depending on the words the students selected. Students may use highlighted words from the essay and the definitions provided in the essay, just make sure the “you define” answer sounds like it is in their own words.

Worksheet 3: Reason to Own Family Forestland (Answers)

  1. See PDF graph – Wksht 3, #1, 2006
  2. See PDF graph – Wksht 3, #2, 2006
  3. “Aesthetic,” “Family Legacy,” and “Privacy”
  4. “Aesthetic,” “Part of home or cabin,” and “Privacy”
  5. Answers will vary as this is an opinion question.
  6. Nature Protection, Privacy, Non-timber forest products, Firewood production, Hunting or Fishing, changed recreation into other recreation, and they separated Part of farm or home into two choices, Part of home or cabin, and Part of farm.
    Answers will vary but might include: The USDA Forest Service might have received feedback from local forestland owners that they owned their land for a reason not listed and therefore when they conducted the 2006 survey they added more options. Or the USDA Forest Service was looking for more specific information so they added more options.
    Teacher FYI: The USDA Forest Service actually made these changes and increased the number of reasons to reflect a few new interests (i.e. Non-timber Forest Products) and because of their desire to get a more refined understanding of some of the other topics (for example: separating Recreation into two choices - Hunting and fishing and Other recreation and dividing Part of farm or home into two choices - Part of home or cabin and Part of farm.

 

Assessment 1: Application and Integration (Investigative Report)


Reports will vary, however, students should answer all questions for full credit.

Assessment 2: Test

1.) Private Forestlands in the U.S. :

  • Provide the majority of the country's forest products and services
  • Help protect the main watersheds for many cities
  • Provide wildlife habitat
  • Provide recreational areas
  • Help prevent land erosion in some areas

(Students should provide at least 3 answers similar to the above answers.)

 

2. Answers will vary but may include some of the following: lumber, cardboard, furniture, paper, pencils, picture frames, desks, fence posts, siding, firewood, and Christmas trees. (Students should list at least 6 items)

 

3. Ecosystem Services (students should name at least 3):

  • Flood Damage Control: Forests help catch, store, absorb and slowly release excess water -runoff waters. Forests also help lessen the height & duration of flood waters, and help protect residential areas from feeling greater impacts of flooding.
  • Help reduce Global Warming: Forests remove Carbon Dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere. Remove other air pollutants. Trees produce Oxygen. Trees act as giant filters that clean the air we breath.
  • Water Purification: Forests help purify water. Excess nutrients, sediments, & contaminants are removed from water as it moves through the forest ecosystems. This natural water purification process provides clean water for drinking, recreation, wildlife habitats, & industrial use.
  • Other Forest Benefits: Help reduce noise pollution. Provide wildlife habitats. Provide recreation. Can increase property values. Act as windbreaks. Provide shade and help regulate temperatures in both summer & winter.

 

4. c. 71% Almost 71% of forestland in the U.S. is owned by private landowners or companies.

 

5. Answers will vary but may include: forestry consultants, lawyers, accountants, bankers, state forestry associations, State and Private Forestry branch of the USDA Forest Service, and the American Tree Farm System . (Students would need to name at least three sources)

 

6. Tree farming is a term that might be used by any forestland owner to describe their practice of growing and harvesting timber.

Or

Tree farming is growing crops of trees and trying to keep forested lands productive over time. (Or some variation of one of these answers.)

 

7. The American Tree Farm Association has a set of 9 standards for Tree Farm Certification. Students should list at least 3 of the 9 Standards below:

Standard 1: Ensuring Sustainable Forests
Standard 2: Compliance With Laws
Standard 3: Commitment to Practicing Sustainable Forestry
Standard 4: Reforestation
Standard 5: Air, Water and Soil Protection
Standard 6: Fish, Wildlife and Biodiversity
Standard 7: Forest Aesthetics
Standard 8: Protect Special Sites
Standard 9: Wood Fiber Harvest and Other Operations

8. Answers will vary, but should pertain to information discovered from the Interview Activity.

9. Answers will vary.

Assessment 3: Reflective Exercise (Forest Products Industry in Your State)

1) Define Timber Forest Products.

Timber Forest Products are any raw material yielded by forest trees, including cellulose, chemicals, and wood.

 

2)  What Timber Forest Products are created in your state?

Answers will vary

 

3)  Is the Timber Forest Product Industry a leading industry in your state?

Answers will vary (if your state is listed in #5 then the answer should be YES)

 

4)  What are the leading industries in your state economy?

Answers will vary use the 50 states web site for assistance (http://www.50states.com/ )

 

5)  In how many states is the forest products industry a leading industry (in the top ten)? *Bonus Question: Name the states.

17 states (including paper product), 10 not including paper product industry

Alabama , Alaska (paper products), Arkansas , Delaware (paper products), Georgia (paper products), Idaho , Louisiana (paper products), Maine , Mississippi , Montana , Oregon , South Carolina (paper products), South Dakota , Vermont (paper products), Washington , Wisconsin (paper products), Wyoming

6)  Would you like to own forestland in the future?

Opinion response...answers will vary.

7)   If you owned forestland, what would you own it for?

Opinion response...answers will vary.


Essay / Worksheet 1 / Worksheet 2 / Worksheet 3 Teacher Instructions / Worksheet 3 / Worksheet 4 Interview Teacher Instructions / Worksheet 4 - Family Forest Story / Worksheet 4 Interview Student Directions / Worksheet 4 Checklist / Worksheet 4 Permission Form / Application Teacher Instructions / Application / Test / Reflective Exercise / Answer Key