Interesting Your Family by Rich Merk

Maine Woodland Owners is committed to helping small woodland owners develop succession plans so they can know their life’s work will be passed on to someone who will continue their stewardship efforts. We present another topic to stimulate landowner efforts to develop and improve their plans.

One of the hardest parts of succession planning is finding out if your children have any interest in the family land. They may not want to talk about the subject because it forces them to acknowledge that someday you will not be there. Or they may not want you to think they’re just waiting for you to pass on. Here are some ideas of how to initiate that difficult discussion.

1. Consider asking family members individually if they have any interest in your woodlands after you can no longer manage them. If they express interest, ask how they would use the land or what they would do with it. Discuss their ideas enough so you can decide if they will be appropriate stewards

2. Create an event at the woodlot that involves the land and see which family members participate. Try to make it so all can participate if they want. During the event, it might be opportune to ask family members how they feel about the land. Some future interest might be expressed that you can then pursue.

3. Disclose to your family members that you (and spouse) are developing a succession plan for your land. See what their responses are and possibly expand conversations about your plans and their interests.

4.  Have a meeting of your family members and tell them about your plans. Explain that you are planning now while you still have time to prepare the next stewards of the land. Explain options you are considering for the future of the land. See if any of the next generation has an interest. If you decide on a family meeting, be sure to use all the suggestions of how a family meeting should be set up. An outline is available through Maine Woodland Owners or Ties to the Land.