2003 Assembly Joint Resolution 18
ENROLLED JOINT RESOLUTION
Relating to: supporting the use of sound, scientific, and sustainable forest management harvest techniques in order to preserve and maximize the use and enjoyment of Wisconsin's forests.
Whereas, Wisconsin's 16 million acres of forests cover 46% of Wisconsin's total land area; and
Whereas, private nonindustrial landowners own 57% of Wisconsin's forests; and
Whereas, 68% of the wood fiber used in Wisconsin's forest products industry comes from private nonindustrial forests; and
Whereas, Wisconsin's forest products industry owns 1.1 million acres (7%) of Wisconsin's forest land that is open to the public for public hunting, fishing, and recreation; and
Whereas, the public benefits related to improved water and air quality, wildlife habitat, and recreation are far greater than the corporate benefits provided on industrial forest lands; and
Whereas, in addition to the recreational values, industrial forest lands provide unique ecological values found only in large blocks of forests in an unfragmented landscape; and
Whereas, Wisconsin's forest products industry is the second largest industry sector in the state with annual shipments valued at nearly $20 billion; and
Whereas, Wisconsin's forest products industry accounts for nearly 18% of the state's economic output; and
Whereas, Wisconsin's forest products industry directly employs over 100,000 people with good-paying jobs that support families, while another 200,000 jobs are created in support of this employment sector; and
Whereas, the Wisconsin forest products industry, through the American Forest and Paper Association, has developed a program to advance our timberland resources. This program is called the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. It promotes, educates, and monitors adherence to safeguard the state's resources for future generations. In order to be effective, this initiative needs the cooperation and support of all entities with responsibilities for management or ownership of woodlands in Wisconsin. This self-regulatory program offers an opportunity to strengthen our state; and
Whereas, the Forest Stewardship Council is a nonprofit organization that supports environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests; and
Whereas, Wisconsin's way of life is dependent on the long-term sustainable health and use and simultaneous regeneration of its forests; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the Wisconsin legislature expresses its support for the use of sound, scientific, and sustainable forest management harvest techniques in order to preserve and maximize the use and enjoyment of Wisconsin's forests, and for the attention and efforts of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative and the Forest Stewardship Council and other creditable sustainable forestry certification systems.
