[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 56 (Friday, March 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15123-15124]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-5710]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Information Collection; National Woodland Owner Survey

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for comment.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Forest Service is seeking comments from all interested individuals and 
organizations on the reinstated information collection, National 
Woodland Owner Survey.

DATES: Comments must be received in writing on or before May 20, 2008 
to be assured of consideration. Comments received after that date will 
be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice should be addressed to Brett 
Butler, USDA Forest Service, 160 Holdsworth Way, Amherst, MA 01003.
    Comments also may be submitted via facsimile to (413) 545-1860 or 
by e-mail to [email protected].
    The public may inspect comments received at 160 Holdsworth Way, 
Room 303, Amherst, MA 01003 during normal business hours. Visitors are 
encouraged to call ahead to (413) 545-1387 to facilitate entry to the 
building. Additional comments can be viewed at www.fia.fs.fed.us/nwos.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brett Butler, Northern Research 
Station, (413) 545-1387. Individuals who use telecommunication devices 
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-
877-8339 twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year, including 
holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: National Woodland Owner Survey.
    OMB Number: 0596-0078 (reinstatement).
    Type of Request: Reinstatement.
    Abstract: The Forest Service's Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) 
program conducts the National Woodland Owner Survey (NWOS) to increase 
our understanding of:
     Who owns the forests of the United States;
     Why they own it;
     How they have used it; and
     How they intend to use it.


[[Page 15124]]


This information is used by policy analysts, foresters, educators, and 
researchers to facilitate the planning and implementation of forest 
policies and programs.
    The Forest Service's direction and authority to conduct the NWOS is 
from the Forest and Range Land Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 
and the Forest and Range Land Renewable Resources Act of 1978. These 
acts assign responsibility for the inventory and assessment of forest 
and related renewable resources to the Forest Service. Additionally, 
the importance of an ownership survey in this inventory and assessment 
process is highlighted in Section 253(c) of the Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 and the recommendations of 
the Second Blue Ribbon Panel on the Forest Inventory and Analysis 
Program.
    Previous iterations of the NWOS were conducted in 1978, 1993, and 
2002-2006. Approval for the last iteration of the NWOS expired on 
December 31, 2006. Between 2002 and 2006, the NWOS was implemented on 
an annual basis to provide more robust and current information and to 
conform with the overall FIA sampling protocols. As planned, approval 
for the information collection was allowed to lapse after 2006, to 
permit a full assessment of the program that has now been completed. If 
reinstated, the NWOS will operate for another 5-year cycle, with 
federal approval being sought as necessary to cover the full survey 
cycle, before the next full reassessment occurs. Information will be 
collected related to:
     The characteristics of the owners' landholdings;
     Ownership objectives;
     Forest use and management;
     Owners' concerns;
     Future uses of the forest land; and
     Landowner demographics.
    The NWOS provides widely cited benchmarks for the number, extent, 
and characteristics of private forest land owners of the United States. 
These results have been used to assess the sustainability of forest 
resources at national, regional, and state levels; to implement and 
assess forest land owner assistance programs; and to answer a variety 
of questions with topics ranging from fragmentation to the economics of 
private timber production.
    The respondents will be a statistically selected group of 
individuals, families, American Indian tribes, partnerships, 
corporations, nonprofit organizations, and other private groups that 
own forest land in the United States. Public records will be used to 
collect names and addresses for a systematic set of points identified 
as forest land. The number of forest-land owners to be contacted in 
each state will be determined by the number of private forest-land 
owners and the sampling intensity.
    The NWOS will utilize a mixed-mode survey technique involving a 
self-administered mail questionnaire and telephone interviews. First, a 
pre-notice letter or postcard will be sent to all potential respondents 
describing this information collection and explaining why the 
information is being collected. Second, a questionnaire with a cover 
letter and pre-paid return envelope will be mailed to the potential 
respondents. The cover letter will reiterate the purpose of this 
information collection and provide the respondents with all legally 
required information. Third, a reminder will be mailed to thank the 
respondents and encourage the non-respondents to respond. Those who 
have yet to respond will be sent a new questionnaire, cover letter, and 
pre-paid return envelope. Telephone interviews will be used for follow-
up with non-respondents.
    FIA personnel will administer the mail portion of this information 
collection. The telephone follow-ups will be conducted by the National 
Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Data 
will be compiled and edited by FIA personnel.
    FIA personnel will analyze the collected data. National, regional, 
and state-level results will be distributed through print and/or 
electronic media.
    This information collection will generate scientifically based, up-
to-date information about private forest-land owners in the United 
States. The results of these efforts will provide more reliable 
information on this important and dynamic segment of the United States 
population, thus facilitating more complete assessments of the 
country's forest resources, and improved planning and implementation of 
forestry programs.
    Estimate of Annual Burden: 20 minutes.
    Type of Respondents: Individuals, families, American Indian Tribes, 
partnerships, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and other private 
groups that own forest land.
    Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 7,500.
    Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 2,500 hours.

Comment Is Invited

    Comment is invited on: (1) Whether this 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; (2) the accuracy of the agency's 
estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) ways to enhance 
the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; 
and (4) 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.
    All comments received in response to this notice, including names 
and addresses when provided, will be a matter of public record. 
Comments will be summarized and included in the submission request 
toward Office of Management and Budget approval.

    Dated: March 14, 2008.
David A. Cleaves,
Associate Deputy Chief, Research & Development.
 [FR Doc. E8-5710 Filed 3-20-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P