Native American Nonindustrial Private Forest Landowners in Southeastern Oklahoma

Abstract

This study attempts to characterize the Native American forest landowners in a three-county area of southeastern Oklahoma through a mail-out landowner survey. The total forestland owned by the survey respondents totaled to 12,211 ac with a mean of 140 ac. However, 56% of the respondents own less than 80 ac. More than one-half of the Native American respondents live on or adjacent to their forestland and only 17% are absentee landowners. Almost 60% of the landowners indicated personal reasons as their primary reason for owning their forestland followed by 19% for economic uses and 17% for recreational uses. Over one-half of these landowners indicated they have harvested their forest sometime in the past. Of the 45% that have not harvested their forest in the past, 31% indicated that either stumpage prices were too low or that their trees were not mature yet. Although most Native American forest landowners are involved in managing their forestland, lack of knowledge on forest management and harvesting strategies is an impediment to more effective, active management.