Millions of acres of family-owned forest land, rangelands, and agricultural land in the U.S. will change hands in the next few years. Some forests and other rural lands may be converted to different uses because owners didn't take charge of the succession process in time. There are many reasons for this. Landowners may want to pass their land on to their children, but have not done the work to ensure it. Many landowners haven't talked to their children about who will care for the family forest after they're gone, or they wait for their children to take the initiative. Some owners' children may lack the skills to manage the family land or may not be interested in doing so. Other landowners assume that succession planning will be too expensive relative to the benefits or just don't know what to do next.

A 7-hour workshop titled "Ties to the Land: Your Family Forest Heritage" will help families learn more about planning for an orderly transition. This award-winning intergenerational family forest project involves presentations, video clips, and interactive exercises.

Pre-register at the University of Idaho Extension Office in Kootenai County by Friday, Nov. 18. A $35 registration fee covers refreshments, workbook and DVD. Additional family members are $10 each and additional workbooks are $25. Co-sponsored by University of Idaho Extension, Idaho Department of Lands and Idaho Tree Farm Program.