Twenty years of price reporting to NIPF owners: A progress report

Abstract

A 2000 survey of stumpage price reporting services was compared with surveys conducted in 1980 and 1990 to determine whether the information provided to nonindustrial private forestland owners had improved. Slightly fewer states issue reports today than in 1990, but private reports are now available for Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The quality of most reports has changed little since 1990. Although market reporting can help landowners make intelligent management decisions, most NIPF owners do not participate in timber markets, and few who do participate engage professional foresters-a source of market information. The most pressing need in the market reporting system is transferring the information to the millions of land-owners. The Internet is becoming a vehicle, but more outreach to NIPF owners is needed.