Private forest landowners: Estimating population parameters

Private forest landowners (PFLs) own the majority of eastern US forests, which provide a range of benefits including clean air, watershed protection, wildlife habitat, timber production, and recreational opportunities. Research on this population has been conducted for many years but little has been done to standardize sampling methods or procedures for estimating population parameters, thus frustrating comparisons among studies and longitudinal explorations. This article explores the sampling and estimation methods used by the USDA Forest Service to produce estimates of PFL population parameters. The Forest Service estimation equation is reviewed, its functionality is established given broad application, and modifications are suggested to achieve unbiased estimation and provide methodological standardization for future PFL research.