Issue: Strong Forest Economy

Wisconsin's forest-based economy has long been a national leader, supporting employment opportunities, investing in forest improvement practices, and generating strong revenues for landowners. Wisconsin is #2 in the nation for the number of employees working in the forest products sector. The enrichment of sustainable forestry practices on all forest ownerships directly benefits the Wisconsin economy and environment across the state.

It is important for communities to consider the importance of forestland to their communities. How much of your local economy is tied to the forest products industry? Forests are increasingly in demand for a mix of uses, and therefore are increasingly managed for multiple economic and other benefits. For example, many forest areas can support both forest products and recreation.

As more people move into rural areas, more development follows, affecting how the forest is used and impacting the ecology of many of these areas. Communities must make tough decision on what types of land to protect. With recent pushes to preserve dwindling agriculture lands forests are being turned to more to provide the land needed to meet development needs.

Use the model implementation language below to develop goals, objectives, and policies that address this issue.

• Model Implementation Language
• Fact Sheet (PDF, 318K)

Consider the Issue by Element

Agricultural, Natural and Cultural Resources
Economic Development
Land Use
Transportation
Utilities and Community Facilities

Trends related to Maintaining a Strong Forest Industry

Demand for forest products is increasing.
There is an increasing demand for wood and wood products globally, including the products that Wisconsin's forests provide. Paper, timber, furniture, crates --even syrup and wild mushrooms --are experiencing an increased demand. This increase in demand can be met in a number of ways. Increased importation, increased production through forest management, shifting harvests to other states and/or countries, shifting harvest to other species, increased efficiency in production, recycling, reuse of products, shifting demand to non-forest products, and reducing demand together form the range of alternatives, all of which have environmental, economic, and social consequences.

Sustainable management certification is emerging.
The forest product economy is a global one. High value veneer timber is likely to be shipped around the world, while wood for lumber and pulpwood is usually processed in the same region in which it grew. An outgrowth of the global marketplace has been the call for "green certification" of forest products. The stamp of certification is meant to assure the buyer that the product came from sustainably managed forestland. There is currently a wide range of certification systems, including Forest Stewardship Council, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, American Tree Farm, and International Standards Organization (ISO) 1400. Several Wisconsin lumber and paper producers are choosing to become certified.