David C. Young of Natchitoches was elected to the board of directors of the National Network of Private Forest Landowners, a coalition of individuals and organizations interested in issues affecting private forest landowners in the 50 states.

At the organizational meeting, the Network drafted bylaws, a mission statement, and objectives.

James Malone, Mobile, Alabama, chair of the Alabama Treasure Forest association, and member of several other forest-related organizations, heads the National Network as chairman. Other officers are Jill Cornell, New York, vice chair; Marisol Green, Arizona, secretary; and Gene Meyers, Texas, treasurer. Other founding members are Bill Lawhon, Ohio; Thorn Liechty, Montana; Joan Malone, Alabama; Tim Pexton, Wyoming; and Frank Taylor, Mississippi.

A statement from the Network said, "The Network will provide a forum and a voice for private forest landowners across the nation to discuss issues relevant to ownership. Fifty percent of our nation's forested lands are privately owned by ten million people. The Network will facilitate sharing information and act as a clearing house for technical support, tax information, and incentive program data to assist landowners with managing their 332 million acres of forest land."

In a telephone interview from his Mobile, Alabama office, Malone told The Piney Woods Journal the Alabama Treasure Forest association was founded in the 1970s to promote forest stewardship with private landowners. Most states have some form of forest stewardship program, he said, and conduct various programs of landowner education on forestry issues. Malone said the Network is making plans to develop an interactive web site with links to appropriate agencies, to national, state, and regional forest landowner associations. Also in the works are plans for annual national conferences for forest landowners.

Louisiana's Forest Stewardship Program, coordinated by the LSU AgCenter Cooperative Extension Service, identifies stewardship as "the wise use and management of resources that maintain and enhance the value of the forests for present and future generations." Landowners manage for multiple use, based on their long-term objectives for timber, wildlife, recreation, aesthetics, and environmental enhancement.

Patrick Beard is State Stewardship Coordinator in the Louisiana Office of Forestry in Baton Rouge.

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