How Family Forestry Issues Fared in 2009: Performance Rated from 'A' to 'D' Overall Grade for Year: 'B-'

摘要

The Top Ten Family Forestry issues were rated in the Autumn 2009 issue of National Woodlands. Here is how these issues affected you over the last 12 months. In spite of a tough economy, private landowners fared reasonably well. Timber Markets, Biomass& Fair Trade This issue has risen in priority among woodland owners in recent years and gained first place in the 2009 balloting. This year's jump from #2 is can be traced to the intense debates raging over access to woody biomass markets for fuels andelectricity. There is an apparent fear that family landowners will devastate their woodlands as a source of money during a period of depressed timber markets. Some conservative environmental groups with connections in Congress are pushing the exclusion of naturally regenerated forests (including almost all hardwoods and seed tree pine regeneration) from qualifying as an approved feedstock for biomass mills that have received a federal subsidy. Family woodland owners and tree farmers would be hurt the most.