Review of Managed Forest Law Program in Wisconsin

1. Wisconsin Legislative Council Study on the Managed Forest Law An Overview of the Wisconsin Council on Forestry Report to the Legislature

2. Wisconsin Council on Forestry • Governor Doyle appointed 19 people who represent: • Institutions of higher learning • State government • Logging, lumber and paper industries • Conservation organizations and • Private landowners, professional foresters, and public WI Legislative Council Special Committee on Review of the Managed Forest Law Program

3. Council’s Role – Advisory on Forestry Issues • The protection of forests • The practice of sustainable forestry • Forestry research • Reforestation and forestry genetics • Marketing and use of forest products • Management and protection of urban forests • Increasing the public's knowledge and awareness of forestry issues • Increasing the economic development of the forestry industry and employment in the forestry industry. • Legislation that impacts on the management of forest lands in this state • Staffing and funding needs for forestry programs conducted by the state WI Legislative Council Special Committee on Review of the Managed Forest Law Program

4. Report Contents – Background and Importance • Background • Supports a legislative study on Managed Forest Law (MFL). • To further identify needs of a forest law program enabling Wisconsin to continue having a successful management incentive program for private landowners. • That provides a wide array of benefits to the public. • Importance of the Current MFL Program • Economic Importance • Two-thirds of the wood harvested in WI originates from family forestlands to support forest products industry; one of the top three industries in the state • Forest based recreation and tourism; significant contributor to rural economies • Environmental Importance – clean air, water, habitat for wide array of plants and animals and store carbon. WI Legislative Council Special Committee on Review of the Managed Forest Law Program

5. Report Contents – List of Study topics(1) • Contractual Language - The MFL program is not a contract between the state of Wisconsin and the landowner and is subject to change; most landowners assume that the agreement is a binding contract on both the landowners and the state. • Leasing - The inability to lease lands under the current MFL program may discourage some forest landowners, especially those with small acreages, to enter the program despite the fact that it offers reduced taxes on forestlands. • Involvement of Local Government - Both counties and townships have little input regarding which lands are entered into the MFL program. • Technical Assistance - DNR technical assistance is limited to 24 hours per year with the MFL plan preparation done by certified plan writers; a private forest law program needs an adequate technical support program to retain existing forest landowners enrolled in a program and to attract new forest landowners to the program. WI Legislative Council Special Committee on Review of the Managed Forest Law Program

6. Report Contents – List of Study topics(2) • Parcelization and Fragmentation of Forestland – Parcels entered into MFL are getting smaller, and the majority of landowners elect to enter the closed acre category. • Narrow Scope of MFL – Suggest that the scope of the current MFL be examined and that consideration be given to expanding the scope of a managed forest law whose purpose is not only to promote the continual flow of wood, wood fiber and providing recreation, but also promotes ecosystem services provided by forestlands, such as clean water and clean air, among other services. • Tax Levels - Suggest a re-examination of forestland taxation. Forestland traditionally uses few community services, e.g., police and fire protection, and garbage collection. Yet, it is taxed extremely high by local assessors reflecting only the sale value of the land. WI Legislative Council Special Committee on Review of the Managed Forest Law Program

7. Report Contents – List of Study topics(3) • Idle Agricultural Farmlands - MFL does not address afforestation of idle farmlands. Entries might be enhanced by adding idle farmland to the application with the intent that the forestland owners plant those acres to trees or other woody biomass while still meeting entry requirements. • Program Obsolescence - Encourage the study committee to carefully consider the consequences now and in the future of proposed changes, modifications, additions and deletions to MFL that would necessitate a premature review as a result of the program becoming obsolete. • Public Access – Lands in the “open” designation of MFL allow unrestricted access for nature-based recreational purposes. This needs to be re-examined if the trend to “close” acres continues. If not, a quality and safe recreational experience will be in jeopardy. • Rollover - Automatic roll-overs may eliminate the need for creating a new management plan whose cost is born by both the forest landowner and the DNR. WI Legislative Council Special Committee on Review of the Managed Forest Law Program