Green Horizons
Volume 11, Number 3Summer 2007
Rachel McCoy, University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry
MU Forestry Extension, with the help of the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Forestry Division, has begun an effort to form a Missouri Woodland Owners Association. Nearly all Midwestern states (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH and WI) have such an organization in place, some of which are quite structured while others are loose associations. Several individual forestland owners here in Missouri, as well as individuals in various organizations and state agencies, have expressed similar desires in seeing an association form.
The proposed association would be for both owners and supporters of Missouri’s family forests. Its primary mission would be to encourage sustained forest management on Missouri’s 350,000+ family-owned forests. All Missouri Woodland Owners Association (MWOA) members would become members of the National Woodland Owners Association (NWOA) at no additional cost and receive the NWOA’s quarterly National Woodlands magazine. For more information about NWOA, go online www.woodlandowners.org.
MWOA would not necessarily be affiliated with existing forestry-related groups, such as Tree Farm, Walnut Council and Forestkeepers.
In an effort to collect more data, we ask our Green Horizon subscribers who own land in Missouri to fill out the following survey and send it back to us. We will present the results of the survey in the next issue of GH along with our future plans.
On a scale of 1 (not interested) to 4 (very interested), please indicate your level of interest to each of the following questions.
| 1. | What services would you expect from a state woodland owners association? | ||||
| Periodic newsletters | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Regional field days / workshops | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Annual state conference | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Hands-on training opportunities | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Coordinate coop workdays where neighbor helps neighbor with activities like tree planting, TSI, etc. | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| Representing your interests in Jefferson City | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 2. | If the association provided the information or services you identified above, would you be interested in joining? | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 3. | In your opinion, what would be a fair annual state membership fee? | $20 | $30 | $40 | $50 |
| 4. | Would you be interested in a family rate? | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5. | Would you become a full-fledged member of NWOA? | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
The $45 annual National NWOA dues would be in addition to any state association dues, but would entitle you to these additional benefits: subscription to National Forestry magazine, Woodlands Report newsletters, hunter and vacant land liability insurance group rates, and representation in Washington, D.C.