Upper Mississippi River Forest Partnership

The Upper Mississippi River Watershed Forestry Partnership is a cooperative venture of the USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-Division of Forestry, and the state foresters of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri. These groups recognize that the Upper Mississippi Watershed boundary marks the reasonable jurisdiction for effective management to address the pollution resulting from land-water interactions, and that forestry is a big part of the solution. They also understand that collective effort is the best approach to creating positive environmental change in the region.

Key Issues

Ever-increasing agricultural and urban development in the Upper Mississippi River Watershed has greatly reduced the lands under forest cover. Today, nearly 70 percent of the watershed's forestlands have been converted to agricultural and urban land uses, and more than 60 percent of the watershed as a whole is devoted to agriculture.

These land use changes have resulted in several environmental problems. Loads of pollutants, particularly sediments, phosphorus and nitrogen, to the Mississippi River have increased tremendously due to human activities. Large areas of critical migratory bird habitat have been lost. And as the remaining forests become more fragmented, their ability to provide clean water, wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities and economic benefits declines.

Mission and Objectives

The Upper Mississippi River Forestry Partnership's mission is to provide solutions to environmental problems in the watershed through targeted efforts in tree and forest restoration, protection and sustainable management.

Specifically, the partnership aims to:

• Increase collaboration on forestry issues in the Upper Mississippi River Watershed
• Use forestry practices and programs to improve water quality
• Restore floodplain forests, prairies and savanna
• Foster sustainable management on all forestlands

Staff members from the Wisconsin DNR-Division of Forestry are helping to lead the implementation of the partnership's action plan. To learn more, visit the USDA Forest Service Upper Mississippi River Forestry Partnership Web site (exit DNR), or contact Samuel Osinde or Darrell Zastrow.