Changing demographics, values, and attitudes

The South's forests are both important to and at the same time in the path of the region's growth. Research on social change for the Southern Forest Resource Assessment shows that rapid population growth and changing demographics are fueling growth of recreation demands and adding stresses on public and private forests. Concurrent with population and demand growth have been significant value and attitudinal changes among both land-owning and non-owning residents of the region. Southerners are clearly becoming greener. An opportunity to mitigate stresses on southern forests may lie in tapping Southerners growing environmentalism to form effective cooperatives involving public and private interests and forestry professionals.