The Families Keeping Forestland, Forestland

对于美国东南部拥有林地的家庭来说，爱护加拿大28回水木是一种生活方式. 这是一种支持生态系统和为子孙后代保护美丽的承诺. To them, it’s just the right thing to do.

So when challenges arise that might convince them to sell the land — like hurricanes, invasive species, or expensive upkeep — they aren’t easily persuaded. According to forestry consultant Will Leonard, who cares for clients’ forests in the Florida panhandle, 这是因为他们对森林的热爱根植于比金钱更深层的东西.

“这些土地所有者大多是几代同堂的家庭和土地所有者，”他说. “This is property that’s been in families at least two generations, and you have a deep sense of place and connection to the land. 这是一种与他们所认识和所爱的人的联系，他们是这片土地的好管家.”

Whether they own 20 acres or 2,000, what all landowners have in common is a love for the land, its history, and its wildlife. Chances are, they either grew up on family forestland, or their family taught them to appreciate trees starting in childhood.

PRESERVING NATURE'S BEAUTY AND WONDER

伯克·海耶斯(Burke Hayes)是佛罗里达州的一位森林所有者，他不记得自己什么时候不在森林或森林附近.

“We've been in the woods all our life. 我还记得和祖父一起开车兜风，去加拿大28回水林里玩, and he loved to fish,” he says. “他在管理那片土地，所以我很小的时候就能进入那些加拿大28回水林. My father taught me to drive down in those woods. I have good memories of that.”

Now, his property is home to him and his wife. About a mile away, his adult son is raising a family on the same land. 家族财产的新一代守护者已经在成长.

Stelling Nelson, whose forest has been in the family for four generations, also has a deep affection for all the beauty the trees offer. Deer, turkey, quail, and even the occasional bear roam his property, enhancing an ecosystem lovingly cared for by Nelson and his family, a private forester, two wildlife biologists, and the Georgia Forestry Commission. 对他来说，为野生动物做正确的事情是至关重要的——即使代价高昂.

Owning a forest is often a labor of love. On top of managing the forest and its wildlife, 业主通常从事全职工作，以支付聘请专业人员进行可持续管理的费用, 还有日常开销，比如防虫防病和围栏. 一名专业人员进行一次仅100英亩的可控燃烧可能要花费数千美元. 这种程度的个人财务承诺使林业所有权从爱好变成了生活方式.

"It really is another full-time job,” says Nelson. “The land is not where you're going to make a living. You are doing it because of the passion and love of the land.”

这些土地所有者对他们的森林了如指掌，甚至对他们的古老历史也了如指掌. 东南部的森林生长在3500万年前标志着海洋尽头的地方. 如今，在河床中发现奇怪的鲨鱼牙齿或化石并不罕见.

对于那些没有继承森林的自然爱好者来说，购买森林是他们一生的梦想. Newton Jennings had always been an avid outdoorsman, 2021年，当他有机会为家人购买林地时, he jumped at it.

“我们买下它作为一块土地，在那里我们可以进行野生动物保护管理, habitat management. It was a financial stretch for us, but we jumped in with both feet and said, ‘if this this is doable, we’re going to make it work.’”

詹宁斯已经把环保观念传给了他的三个十几岁的儿子, as his own family did for him. 他们已经(在安全距离外)跟踪乔治亚州林业委员会的专业人员，这些专业人员负责管理该物业的可控燃烧. Someday, Jennings wants to pass the land onto them.

“This is a little piece of God’s earth. 如果我能维持一个区域，让它保持野性和自由，我想这样做，”他说.

For Annie Dawson, 小时候看到父亲拥有一片森林，激发了她有朝一日拥有一片森林的愿望. After retiring from teaching, 她终于找到了一个绝佳的机会——在她父母拥有土地的地方附近. 这里有鱼塘、葡萄园和丰富的野生动物，这是她一直想要的一切.

“我从来没有想过我能得到这样一块房产. It’s quiet. It’s serene. 我宁愿去那里，坐在门廊上荡秋千，这只是放松，”她说.

GROWING A LEGACY

在美国东南部，拥有一片森林意味着邮箱里装满了购买它的报价. For townhomes. Businesses. Cropland.

But the land would suffer. Natural biodiversity would fall to urbanization. 一个长期重新造林的重要区域可能会被清除.

For landowners, the money doesn’t matter. Even when disastrous hurricanes tear through the area, the work gets challenging, or money starts to run low. 当面对一个充满挑战的世界时，任何人都可以减少损失，继续前进, they’re staying rooted.

The Arbor Day Foundation works with local, 经过彻底审查的合作伙伴为东南部的土地所有者提供保留林地所需的财政支持, forestland. 它使土地所有者能够坚持自己的价值观，使森林能够代代相传.

“The money doesn’t matter to me. I’m not interested in selling anything. 上帝不会创造更多的土地，所以如果你有什么，你最好抓住它. 只要把它留在自然栖息地，把它传给你的孩子就行了，”道森说.

For Hayes, he thinks anyone making offers is short-sighted. They don’t understand the legacy growing in family forests.

“他们认为每个人都在试图摆脱土地，因为大多数人没有长远考虑. 我在想，我希望我的孙子们长大后能接管它，”他说. “我告诉他们，‘有一天，如果幸运的话，你们也会为你们的孙辈做这件事.’”