A longtime tradition at the national conference is a lively panel discussion of forest landowners that covers markets, succession, regulatory and policy issues, and everything that helps landowners better manage, monetize, and enjoy their property. Forest Landowner magazine editor Pete Williams moderates this discussion, in which longtime landowners explore what it takes to succeed in a challenging, ever-changing world.

Making up for the lost demand for small-diameter wood and residuals is an existential threat to the forestry sector. While traditional timber markets remain stagnant, emerging opportunities in biomass, wood chips, and other residuals show real promise. During this panel discussion, we will explore new market opportunities and how we, as landowners, can assist in their development.

It’s often said that the further family members are from the land, the less connection they have. This is especially true with subsequent generations. In this panel, we show landowners how to record and preserve their family stories, sharing both the business and personal sides, so younger generations can better understand and connect with the land.

This panel showcases how the Forest Landowners Foundation is turning innovative ideas into real-world impacts across America’s working forests and the rural communities they support. From tackling emerging challenges posed by international policies like EUDR to investing in the next generation of forestry leaders to advancing solutions that strengthen markets for low-value wood, the Foundation is driving work that delivers measurable benefits for forests, the landowners who steward them, and the communities that depend on them. Hear directly from the leaders behind these initiatives as they share what’s underway, what’s working, and where the future of this critical work is headed.

FLA aggressively fights on behalf of private forest landowners in Washington, D.C. In this panel discussion, FLA’s Vice President of Government Affairs Craig Anderson and FLA consultant Palmer Schoening break down FLA’s policy priorities and progress while looking into their crystal ball at the November midterm elections.

Over the last 15 years, Pete Williams has visited more than 50 private forest landowners in 22 states for articles in Forest Landowner magazine. These folks have generously shared their stories, and it’s provided an education to Pete, himself a forest landowner. In this brief, photo-driven presentation, he explains what he’s learned.

State forestry associations serve as key strategic partners for the Forest Landowners Association. Though they represent a broader constituency than FLA, with its landowner-specific focus, the state associations share many common goals. In this panel, FLA VP of Government Affairs Craig Anderson examines the issues with the executive directors of three state forestry associations.