[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 116 (Thursday, June 17, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32476-32477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15411]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; Request for Comments; National Woodland 
Ownership Study

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service announces its intent to reinstate, with change, a 
previously approved information collection. This information will help 
the agency evaluate the availability and sustainability of timber 
resources on private forest lands. Forest Service personnel will 
collect information from owners of private forest lands.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before August 16, 
1999.

ADDRESSES: All comments should be addressed to Thomas Birch, 
Northeastern Research Station, 5 Radnor Corp. Cntr., Suite 200, Radnor, 
PA 19087 or email tbirch/[email protected] or FAX: 610-975-4200.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Thomas Birch, 610-975-4045.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Forest and Range Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, the 
Forest and Range Land Renewable Resources Act of 1978, and the 
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998, 
section 253(c), require the Forest Service to collect information on 
the availability and sustainability of timber resources on private 
forest lands. Data gathered in this information collection will help 
the Forest Service evaluate the availability and sustainability of 
these lands and how well the agency disseminates information about its 
private forest land assistance programs. The agency will share this 
data with other government and university scientists, who will use the 
information to better understand private forest ownerships and the 
economics of timber production on private forest lands.
    Where, in previous years, this information collection had focused 
on private Forest land parcels, land tenure, forest land owner 
demographics, and ownership objectives, the new focus will be to 
identify issues that owners of private forest lands believe to be of 
importance and to gain knowledge of how owners of private forest lands 
manage or plan to manage their forested lands. The revised 
questionnaire also will provide the agency with improved information at 
the State and local level of government.
    Data gathered in this information collection is not available from 
other sources.

Description of Information Collection

    The following describes the information collection to be reinstated 
with change:
    Title: National Woodland Ownership Study.
    OMB Number: 0596-0078.
    Expiration Date of Approval: October 31, 1997.
    Type of Request: Reinstatement, with change, of a previously 
approved information collection for which Office of Management and 
Budget approval has expired.
    Abstract: The collected information will help the Forest Service 
evaluate the agency's private forest land programs. These programs 
focus on opportunities for sustainable management of private forests. 
Sustainable private forest lands are essential for public recreational 
use and timber production. There are almost 10 million private forest 
land ownerships in the United States.
    To gain knowledge of issues of importance to owners of private 
forest lands and of demographic data about owners of private forest 
lands, as well

[[Page 32477]]

as to support additional State and local government statistical 
requirements, the agency has expanded the questionnaire to include 
questions, such as why trees were or were not harvested, practices used 
to reforest following harvest, and recreational use of the forest.
    Respondents will be asked to answer questions that include how many 
acres of forest land they own; how many acres of forest land they 
bought or sold in the last 15 years; how many trees they harvested; the 
types of products that were produced from the trees that were 
harvested; the landowner's reforestation practices; if trees were not 
harvested, the reasons given for not harvesting; if landowners intend 
to harvest trees in the future; whether they have received any kind of 
forestry assistance and, if yes, the source of the assistance; if they 
have a written forest land management plan and, if yes, who prepared 
the plan; their reasons for owning the forest land; the benefits they 
expect to receive from owning the forest land; if they use the land 
used for personal recreational activities; if they allow the public to 
use the land for recreational purposes; how they receive information 
about State and Federal forest programs that focus on private forests; 
and the demographic information of the owners of private forest lands.
    Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis Staff will mail 
questionnaires to owners of private forest lands, who will return the 
completed form to the agency. Forest Service personnel will follow up 
with face-to-face and telephone interviews.
    Respondents will be individuals, business partnerships, 
corporations, trusts, and Native American corporations, tribes and 
Nations that own private forest lands.
    Data gathered in this information collections is not available from 
other sources.
    Estimate of Burden: 0.5 hours.
    Type of Respondents: individuals that own forestland, partnerships, 
corporations, trusts, and Native American corporations, tribes, and 
Nations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 12,292 per year.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 6,146 hours.

Comment Is Invited

    The agency invites comments on the following: (a) Whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the stated purposes 
and the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical or scientific utility; (b) 
the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clairity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize 
the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including 
the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Use of Comment

    All comments received in response to this notice, including name 
and address when provided, will become a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of 
Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: June 11, 1999.
Robin L. Thompson,
Associate Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry.
[FR Doc. 99-15411 Filed 6-16-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P