Forest Legacy Program

The Forest Legacy Program in Wisconsin

In 1991, Governor Tommy Thompson designated the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource's Division of Forestry as the Lead Agency to implement a Forest Stewardship Program for the state. In 1998 the Forest Stewardship Committee studied and discussed participating in the Forest Legacy Program.

The Forest Stewardship Committee created a Forest Legacy Subcommittee in July 1998 to evaluate the potential benefits for Wisconsin of participating in the Forest Legacy Program (FLP).

The sub-committee met on a regular basis to share information. They gathered information from the USFS, other states, other agencies and other bureaus relating to the FLP.

In May of 1999, Governor Thompson requested that the Wisconsin DNR, Division of Forestry, be designated as the lead agency to conduct activities related to the establishing and developing of a Forest Legacy Program in Wisconsin. The USDA Forest Service granted the State funds to complete an Assessment of Need (AON) for the FLP.

As appropriate, periodic review and revision of this assessment will be made to meet the future needs of the forest resources on behalf of the citizens of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Forest Stewardship Program and its coordinator will advise the federal government of the on-going activities during the implementation of the Forest Legacy Program in the State.

Wisconsin will utilize the statewide AON to highlight environmentally important forestland in danger of being converted to non-forest uses in the next decade. The intent is to focus the combined resources of groups that regularly acquire interests in land on the problems of forest fragmentation and forest loss in Wisconsin. The Forest Stewardship Committee will provide oversight by helping to establish the priority of individual tracts of land and by providing overall philosophical guidance. Prioritization will be accomplished through the adoption of the ranking system described in this document.

The State Forest Stewardship Committee intends that any area identified in the Assessment of Need warrants conservation work. It is not necessary that these lands be designated as Forest Legacy Areas for conservation work to begin. It is the intent of the Committee that this Assessment will be used by the Department and other resource conservation groups to direct limited resources to areas defined by the public as in need of protection with or without Forest Legacy Funds. However, the Committee will direct resources for acquiring conservation easements obtained through the Forest Legacy Program only to those areas designated as Forest Legacy Areas.

The Forest Legacy Subcommittee developed the following mission statement, approved by the full Committee, as its guidance for developing the Forest Legacy Program in Wisconsin:

The Goal of the Forest Legacy Program in Wisconsin

To minimize fragmentation and conversion of significant forested areas to non-forest uses, through the wise administration of conservation easements, that focus on the sustainable use of forest resources.

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To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA Director, Office if Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity employer.