Northern catalpa Hackberry species Persimmon American beech White ash Black ash Green ash Blue ash Honey locust Kentucky coffeetree Butternut Black walnut Sweetgum Yellow-poplar Osage-orange Red mulberry Water tupeio American sycamore (Buttonwood) Eastern cottonwood Bigtooth aspen Swamp cottonwood Quaking aspen Black cherry White oak* Swamp white oak* Scarlet oak Southern red oak Cherrybark oak** Overcup oak Bur oak* Swamp chestnut oak* Chinkapin oak* Water oak Pin oak Willow oak Chestnut oak Northern red oak** Shumard oak** Post oak Black oak Black locust Willow species Sassafras Basswood Winged elm American (white) elm Slippery elm Rock elm * Select white oaks. * Select red oaks. Catalpa bignonioides C. speciosa Celtis spp.

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research forester, received his bachelor's degree in forestry from the University of New Hampshire in 1961 and his master's degree in forest economics from the same university in 1963. He joined the Northeastern Forest Experiment Station in August 1962. He is presently a resource analyst in the Experiment Station's Forest Survey unit.

To gain a deeper understanding of the interests and motivations of retired West Virginia forest landowners, the focus group interview technique was used with four groups of retired resident owners. This group discussion technique provided a deeper understanding of how this important group of forest landowners think. The results show that these owners display a strong sense of stewardship toward the land and a concern for their families, society as a whole, and for future generations that is not evident from the results of mail questionnaire surveys. They tend to downplay the financial aspects of timber production. A land ethic is clearly implied by their comments. They desire a sense of security and well-being from the ownership of forestland and evidence a deep feeling for nature. The results of this study show that focus group interviewing is a viable technique for gaining an understanding of important segments of the land owning population that goes beyond the information provided by mail canvasses. North. J. Appl. For. 5:198-200, Sept. 1988.