Most of Kentucky’s forests (or woodlands) are family owned. A major educational effort of UK Forestry Extension is to raise the awareness and importance of sustainable woodland management among this population which includes encouraging them to work with a professional forester. Because of a wide diversity of tree species, past land use history, and varying objectives these family woodland owners, including many farm families, often need technical assistance and incentive programs to help them care for their property.

Feedback from family woodland owners attending UK Forestry Extension educational programs have increasingly indicated they are experiencing long wait times of up to two years before a forester would be able to meet with them. To address this situation, UK Forestry Extension partnered with the Kentucky Division of Forestry, and the Kentucky Natural Resources Conservation Service to develop a Regional Conservation Partnership Project. The goal of the $673,070 Increasing Farm Bill Participation and Benefits project is to develop a streamlined forest management template, increase the number of technical service providers, and harness new funds to support the development of woodland management plans. These plans are critical to facilitating Kentucky’s woodland owners’ participation in related Farm Bill programs that can help support their conservation practices. This project is just one example of UK Forestry Extensions solutions-based approach to ensuring the longevity of Kentucky’s woodlands and all those that depend upon them.