Policy for Sustaining Forests
One of the primary roles of the MFRC is to identify and address key policy issues realted to the sustainable management of Minnesota's forests. We spent considerable time in 2011 updating and refining our focus in the policy arena. Reviewing MFRC accomplishments regarding priority policy issues and utilizing input from around the state, we developed a strategic policy focus for the next three years (2012- 2014), which identified the following three priority areas:
- Forest health, quality and productivity;
- Health of the forest products industry; and
- Water quality and forests.
Within the context of these issues, the MFRC will refine its focus to address specific topics like invasive species policy and management, promotion of forest products jobs and awareness of the connections between forested landscapes and water quality.
The MFRC will also address private forestland retention, public forest managment structures, climate change, bio-energy, and other emerging topics as well as consider changing societal views about forest management.