Sixty percent of family forest ownerships (6.2 million) in the United States are between 1 and 9 acres. These small-area ownerships often do not have the same access to government assistance programs or professional services as larger-area ownerships, yet their forest land is important for providing forest-based benefits to the landowners and society.

Northern Research Station scientists and colleagues used data from the National Woodland Owner Survey to understand characteristics and land management behaviors of small-area family forest ownerships (1-9 acres) and compare them to larger area family forest ownership (>10 acres). While small-area ownerships were found to be less likely than larger-area ownerships to have conducted a commercial timber harvest, 60 percent had undertaken at least one of the following activities in the previous 5 years: harvesting trees for personal use, treating invasive plants, reducing fire hazard, and reducing unwanted insects/diseases. Most ownerships in both area size classes have recreated on their forest land in the previous 5 years, particularly hiking and hunting activities. While ownerships across both area classes are not likely to have received professional advice about their forest land in the previous 5 years, the percentage of small-area ownerships who have done so is half that of larger area ownerships (10 percent versus 20 percent). A majority of both ownership area classes value their forest land for the wildlife habitat it supports, although small-area ownerships are less likely to have undertaken a wildlife habitat improvement project compared to the larger area ownerships. Both ownership size classes agree that they would like their forested land to remain forested in the future. Research, outreach, and assistance are needed to help family forest owners, across the continuum of size holdings, achieve this goal and continue to deliver important forest-based goods, services, and values. Information from this study will be helpful to the professional forestry community as they think about how to best assist and interface with small-acreage family forest ownerships.