Econometric studies of non-industrial private forest management: a review and synthesis

Forest policies and management increasingly rely on economic models to explain behaviors of landowners and to project forest outputs, inventories and land use. However, it is unclear whether the existing econometric models offer general conclusions concerning non-industrial private forest (NIPF) management or whether the existing results are case-specific. In this paper, we systematically review the empirical economics literature on NIPF timber harvesting, reforestation, and timber stand improvements (TSI). We confirm four primary categories of management determinants: market drivers, policy variables, owner characteristics and plot/resource conditions. We rely on the most basic form of meta-analysis, vote counting, to combine information from many studies to produce more general knowledge concerning the key determinants of harvesting, reforestation and TSI within these four categories. Despite substantial differences in the variables used across models, the use of meta-analysis enables the systematic identification of the factors that are most important in explaining NIPF management. We conclude with some methodological and policy suggestions.