Forest Information Topic: Who Owns Idaho's Forests?
A land of many owners
And many objectives
Federal, state and local governments own and or manage the majority of forest lands in Idaho. A smaller portion of Idaho’s forest lands are owned by thousands of private businesses, Native American tribes, families and individuals. Forest lands in Idaho and throughout the West present unique challenges because of the large influence of federal ownership and management. Whomever the owner, each entity has different objectives for the land — sometimes environmental and, when possible, economic. But when it comes to how the forest is managed, the landowner must balance their objectives for the land with legal requirements.
FOREST FACT: National forests occupy nearly 40% of Idaho’s land mass, more than any other state.
FOREST FACT: Of the 21.5 million acres of total forestlands in Idaho, 16.5 million acres are designated as timberland. Of that number, only 9.3 million acres are available for harvest.
Links:
Click here to learn more about Idaho’s family forests owners from the University of Idaho.