A qualitative study of Minnesota forestry based on logger experiences and the development of county land departments

Abstract

I use mixed social science methods to explore the Minnesota forest economy through two distinct but related parts. In part one I explore Minnesota logger challenges and adaptation strategies and find that Minnesota loggers face difficulties which are structural, including rising equipment costs, reduced business profitability, and timber market uncertainty. However, the actors within the forestry supply chain can improve market functioning through discretionary choices that promote individual and collective stability of the forest economy. In part two I explore the history and development of Minnesota county land departments to understand what policy choices over time have shaped the retention versus disposal of county land and how the decentralization of natural resource management has been implemented in Minnesota county forests. I found that local forestry will not work in all places and can take decades to flourish. Such programs require among other things long-term support and capacity building and markets to make the retention of the resource financially viable and compelling to local leaders. However, once developed, such programs can provide enduring benefits to under-resourced communities and may be an asset to state and regional economies. Collectively, this research will interest natural resource practitioners and policymakers who care about logger livelihoods and the fate of timber-dependent workers, as well as those seeking to improve the effectiveness of local forestry programs.