Quick Links:
Foreseeable Risk/Council on Forestry Discussion
Status of SB 867
Importance of Conduit Contributions
Foreseeable Risk/Council on Forestry Discussion
In follow-up to the concerns of WAFO, Certified Plan Writers and others, Rep. Jeff Mursau requested that the Council on Forestry discuss DNR’s actions that require new plans to include identification of foreseeable risks.
With these actions, the DNR’s plan would prevent landowners from utilizing provisions that allow withdrawal from the MFL WITHOUT PENALTY if the land can no longer meet productivity requirements for environmental occurrences that are out of their control, but only if that risk was identified in the plan.
The Wisconsin’s Council on Forestry discussed the issue at their September 17th meeting with discussion led by Buddy Huffaker, Private Forest Landowner Representative, and Ken Price, who represents Certified Plan Writers. One of the DNR’s goals in carrying out these actions is to reduce their administrative workload as related to withdrawals. Price noted that landowners and Plan Writers were surprised by the DNR’s action. He felt that this plan would result in fewer acres of land being entered, leaving many of those acres unmanaged. Huffaker said he believed this approach uses a rather blunt instrument to address a potential problem and asked about the intent of the law. Representative Mursau asked that the COF continue discussion and believes there is a path to get this resolved. The 45 minute discussion was recorded.
Status of MFL Improvement Bill SB 867
Since passing out of Committee, Senate Bill 867 is still awaiting approval by the full Senate. Whether or not the Senate will come back to work on pending billsthis year is unknown. This bill includes allowing buildings needed for equipment storage to be located on lands in the MFL, allows landowners to meet the 20 acre minimum entry requirement by including unconnected parcels, broadens the ability to add new lands to existing contracts, and expands conditions which would allow withdrawals from the MFL without penalties.
The Importance of Conduit Contributions
Contributing to WAFO’s Conduit allows you to make either targeted or non-targeted contributions and doubles the impact of support. When we receive your check, we forward those funds from the Conduit to the candidate on your behalf. With the likelihood of our MFL improvement bill passing in the next session, it’s especially important that we keep our, and your, name in front of legislators.
Is it important that your contribution be made before the upcoming elections? The answer is NO. One of the beauties of having a Conduit is that we can make contributions at any time, including after the elections and during a budget session.
With a non-targeted contribution, when the time is right, we will recommend contributing your support to a legislator who is in the best position to help us further private woodland owner issues in the next session. For those of you have already made a contribution. Thank you!