AB695: Bill Text

LRB-4244/3

RNK:jld:pg

2001 - 2002 LEGISLATURE

2001 Assembly BILL 695

January 4, 2002 - Introduced by Representatives Friske, Ainsworth, Loeffelholz, Gard, Seratti, Ott, Montgomery, Vrakas, Gundrum, Gunderson, McCormick, Owens, Powers, Krawczyk and Hines, cosponsored by Senators Breske and Welch. Referred to Committee on Rural Affairs and Forestry.

AB695,1,3 An Act to amend 28.05 (1); and to create 28.045 of the statutes; relating to: educational requirements for foresters employed by the department of natural resources and persons authorized to designate trees for cutting in state forests.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires every forester who is employed by the department of natural resources (DNR) to have received a bachelor's or higher degree in forestry from a school of forestry with a curriculum accredited by the society of American foresters or an equivalent degree from a school located in another country. The educational requirements of this bill only apply to newly employed foresters. Current statutes do not require foresters employed by DNR to satisfy specified educational requirements.

Under current law, before a tree may be cut in a state forest, it must be marked by a forester who is in the professional series of the state classified civil service or by a DNR employee who is equally qualified due to having long, practical experience in marking trees for cutting. Under the bill, the marking must be done either by a forester employed by DNR or an individual who DNR determines to be qualified and who is under the supervision of a DNR forester.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB695, s. 1 Section 1. 28.045 of the statutes is created to read:

AB695,2,7 28.045 Educational requirements for foresters. (1) Every forester employed by the department on or after the effective date of this subsection .... [revisor inserts date], shall have received a bachelor's or higher degree in forestry from a school of forestry with a curriculum accredited by the society of American foresters or an equivalent degree from a school located in another country, as determined by the chief state forester.

AB695,2,10 (2) Notwithstanding s. 230.14 (3m), the department may require as a condition of application that an applicant for the position of forester has met the educational requirements specified under sub. (1).

AB695, s. 2 Section 2. 28.05 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB695,2,23 28.05 (1) Limitations. Cutting shall be limited to trees marked or designated for cutting by a forester in the professional series of the state classified civil service employed by the department or by a department-designated employee equally qualified by reason of long, practical experience an individual determined by the department to be qualified to do such marking or designating and who is under the supervision of a forester employed by the department. The department may sell products removed in cultural or salvage cuttings and standing timber designated in timber sale contracts, but all sales shall be based on tree scale or on the scale, measure or count of the cut products. The department may require that a person purchasing products or standing timber under a timber sale contract provide surety for the proper performance of the contract either directly or through a bond furnished by a surety company authorized to do business in this state.

AB695,2,24 (End)