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Louisiana Forested Easements: 2020 Survey of Conservation Easements

Jerrod Penn, Gutierrez-Castillo, Ana L.

MISC369_LAForestedEasementsSurveyNEW_AI0521JPennpdf thumbnail

In February of 2020, the LSU AgCenter, with the support of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), surveyed landowners enrolled in conservation easement programs that aim to protect and restore wetlands and wildlife habitat, including the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Wetland Reserve Easement (ACEP-WRE) and Emergency Watershed Protection Program-Floodplain Easement (EWPP-FPE). This infographic reports the findings of landowners of Louisiana forested easements and their management characteristics.


292 Survey Participants

39% of total WRP, ACEP-WRE and EWPP-FPE restored acreage in Louisiana is owned by these survey participants.

They are enrolled in:

  • 97% WRP
  • 1% ACEP-WRE
  • 2% EWPP-FPE

411 acres is the average easement size.

4 acres is the minimum. 4,700 acres is the maximum.


Ownership Reasons

  • 51% Family heritage
  • 30% Long-term investment
  • 49% Protect/improve wildlife habitat
  • 61% Personal recreation
  • 12% Provide fee-based recreation


Easement Acquisition

CapturePNG


Management Activities Landowners Are Interested In Adopting

  • 17% Reestablish vegetation
  • 18% Thinning
  • 3% Prescribed burning
  • 18% Control invasive species
  • 47% Mowing and disking


Reasons For Managing The Easement

  • 41% Restore forest health
  • 32% Restore environmental functions
  • 24% Habitat for nongame species
  • 64% Increase game species population
  • 36% Improve aesthetics


Thinning Preferences

Capture2PNG

Are willing to conduct thinning in the forested easement

Capture3PNG

Believe thinning improves forest health and wildlife habitat

Capture4PNG

Prefer thinning the forest for less money if it means protecting wildlife habitat

Previous Forestry Experience

Capture5PNG

Have hired a consulting forester


Capture6PNG

Have worked with a logger

Management Plans For The Next 10 Years

  • 22% Leave the forested easement as it is; no activity
  • 45% Seek forest management advice from a specialist
  • 50% Conduct management activities
  • 7% Sell some or all the forested easement
  • 13% Give some or all the forested easement to heirs


Natural Disturbances

29% of easements experienced extreme natural disturbances that damaged the forest

Capture8PNG


Participation In Outdoor Activities (13+ Times A Year)

Capture9PNG53% Wildlife watching

Capture10PNG29% Fishing

Capture11PNG17% Camping

Capture12PNG3% Horseback riding

Capture13PNG64% Hunting

Capture14PNG38% Hiking


Demographics

Gender

Female 6%
Male 91%
Other 3%

Age

< 44 44%
45 - 64 39%
65 < 54%
5/6/2021 4:40:30 PM
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