Federal, state, and local laws and legal systems impact forest management. Laws restrict forest management decisions and impose requirements on forest managers. Forest managers’ decisions are reviewed within the institutional constraints of legal systems by judges for compliance with laws.

Researchers have investigated the impacts of various levels and kinds of laws, such as the federal Endangered Species Act, state prescribed burn laws and right-to-practice forestry laws, and local government timber harvesting ordinances. Others have investigated how the legal system impacts forest management, such as how judges review natural resource agency decisions.

This session is designed to assemble researchers conducting forest law research. The session will begin with participants discussing their current research projects and/or research interests. We will then discuss future research needs and opportunities.

Participants will meet colleagues interested in forest law research and learn about the current state of forest law research, as well as needs and opportunities for future research. The session is designed for researchers and students conducting or interested in conducting forest law research. Conference attendees with an interest in how laws and the legal system affect forest management and with ideas on forest law research will also benefit from attendance at this session.