Cooperatives and Small Woodlands 



attitude of woodland owners toward 

 forest management, cooperatives, and 

 marketing problems. Experience has 

 demonstrated that a poll of woodland 

 owners' attitudes can supply useful in- 

 formation. Such a poll can also shed 

 light on the availability of the forest 

 resources of the area. A surprising pro- 

 portion of the resource has generally 

 been found in such small individual 

 holdings that operations would be im- 

 practical for anyone except an owner 

 who can spend his own time in harvest- 

 ing the few products. Timber in estates, 

 tied up by legal restrictions and timber 

 reserved for recreational use and for 

 other special purposes may not be 

 available. Some owners may not be in- 

 terested in forest management or may 

 be antagonistic toward cooperatives. 



The preliminary surveys will show 

 whether a marketing organization is 

 really needed and wanted, and whether 

 adequate timber and a sufficient vol- 

 ume of business are in prospect to make 

 a go of it. 



In most cases of record, groups in- 

 terested in the formation of forest co- 

 operatives have found public assist- 

 ance available in making the necessary 

 preliminary surveys. The Department 

 of Agriculture has given help. 



No categorical answer can be given 

 to the question of the type of coopera- 

 tive to organize. The preliminary sur- 

 veys will indicate the type needed. 

 Financial and legal limitations will fur- 

 ther influence a choice. 



Several cooperatives in the past have 

 been able to get loans from Federal 

 agencies. Such loans have been sup- 

 plemented by local financing through 

 the sale of stock. Several cooperatives 

 have had only local financing. 



The legal steps and organizational 

 procedures are well understood and 

 much has been written on the subject. 

 Most States have agricultural coopera- 

 tive-marketing laws that apply to for- 

 est products. 



The minimum size of organization 

 that should be considered is one that 

 would support one full-time forester- 

 manager. Cooperatives that have tried 



to operate below this minimum have 

 had little success. There is probably a 

 practical limit as to the size that a co- 

 operative might eventually reach, but 

 the best advice seems to be to start 

 small and grow as much as possible. 

 Opinions have differed about the 

 ownership of processing equipment. It 

 seems this is a matter governed by local 

 conditions and what is needed to make 

 the forestry program work. If equip- 

 ment is needed and it is the only an- 

 swer to the problem, then it should be 

 planned for. Where satisfactory proc- 

 essing facilities are already available, 

 fair-pricing practices are followed, and 

 the type of cooperation can be had that 

 will promote better forestry on the 

 lands of members, then it may be that 

 the cooperative need only supply tech- 

 nical and marketing services. 



THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT of 



forest cooperatives is warranted, I be- 

 lieve, because they have demonstrated 

 enough success in obtaining better 

 markets and in stimulating interest in 

 better woodland management. Inter- 

 est now is reviving in areas where co- 

 operatives were being considered just 

 before the war, and a number of new 

 groups are studying the prospects of 

 organizing. 



The experience records cover a wide 

 enough variety of types of forest co- 

 operatives to meet the situation in most 

 areas where there are problems per- 

 taining to ownership of small wood- 

 lands. Experiences of those already 

 working with cooperatives can prevent 

 those venturing into the field from 

 making many of the same mistakes if 

 they will but seek advice and help. 



Forest cooperatives should not be 

 looked upon as a solution to small 

 wood-lot management problems as a 

 whole, or even to all of the wood-lot 

 problems in an area where a successful 

 cooperative operates. Under the most 

 favorable conditions, it is improbable 

 that more than 25 percent of the own- 

 ers in any one area will become mem- 

 bers of a forest cooperative. With 

 encouragement, most members will 



