A detailed draft Forest Action Plan put together by the state's forestry community is available for public review and comment. DNR Forestry Division spokesperson Amanda Koch says the 10-year document is a strategic plan for the forestry community. She says it identifies priority issues.
She says each state is required to submit a plan to the federal government to qualify for funding under the U.S. Farm Bill...
"One of the main purposes of the Forest Action Plan is to provide long-term, coordinated strategies to help the forestry community refine how it collectively invests state, federal and partner resources in order to address these major management and landscape priorities..."
While the plan has proposed goals, Koch says they also need public input...
"There is currently a review period open and you can find the current draft along with current information and my contact information(AmandaA.Koch@wisconsin.gov) by visiting dnr.wi.gov and search the key words forest action plan..."
As an example of the impact of Wisconsin's forests, statewide, the forest industry in Wisconsin provides more than 64,000 jobs and has an output of $24.7 billion in that one segment, not counting tourism and other sectors.
