Engaging Landowners without a Management Plan: A Social Marketing Approach

Abstract

Dombrowski, Amelia. Natural Resources, Assessment and Analysis. Engaging Landowners without a Management Plan: A Social Marketing Approach Recent statistics from the National Woodland Owner Survey indicate that only 25% of North Carolina woodland landowners have received management advice and only 9% currently have forest management plans. The NC Division of Forest Resources is utilizing research information to improve communication between woodland landowners and the natural resource professionals that serve them. Their goal is twofold: 1) inform landowners of the associated benefits and opportunities for forest stewardship and/or management, and 2) increase landowner’s engagement to seek management advice and to become more active land managers. A social marketing approach was implemented to identify prime prospect landowners in North Carolina most likely to be receptive to stewardship practices and actively engage in DFR services. Perspective candidates were identified and a detailed communication plan was created with specific targeted messages. An engagement plan survey was then sent to natural resource professionals in order to gain insight and perspective. The survey revealed that social marketing training and proper materials were needed to engage natural resource professionals with prime prospects in North Carolina. Materials and tools were prepared for professionals to enroll landowners into US forest service programs and developing an active management plan on their land.