Bill Text: MN SF1701 | 2013-2014 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Minnesota sustainable forest resources act update
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-26 - Second reading [SF1701 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2013-SF1701-Introduced.html
1.2relating to natural resources; updating the Minnesota Sustainable Forest
1.3Resources Act;amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 89A.02; 89A.03,
1.4subdivisions 1, 6; 89A.04; 89A.05, subdivisions 1, 3; 89A.06, subdivisions 1,
1.52, 4; 89A.07; 89A.08, subdivisions 1, 2, 3; 89A.09; 89A.10; 89A.11; proposing
1.6coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 89A; repealing Minnesota
1.7Statutes 2012, sections 89A.05, subdivisions 2a, 4; 89A.06, subdivision 2a.
1.8BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.9 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.02, is amended to read:
1.1089A.02 POLICY.
1.11It is the policy of the state to:
1.12(1) pursue the sustainable management, use, and protection of the state's forest
1.13resources to achieve the state's economic, environmental, and social goals;
1.14(2) encourage cooperation and collaboration between public and private sectors in
1.15the management of the state's forest resources;
1.16(3) recognize and consider forest resource issues, concerns, and impacts at the
1.17site level and landscapelevels level; and
1.18(4) recognize the broad array of perspectives regarding the management, use,
1.19and protection of the state's forest resources, and establish and maintain processes and
1.20mechanisms that seek and incorporate these perspectives in the planning and management
1.21of the state's forest resources.
1.22Nothing in this chapter abolishes, repeals, or negates any existing authorities related
1.23to managing and protecting the state's forest resources.
1.24 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.03, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.1 Subdivision 1. Membership. The governor must appoint a chair and15 16 other
2.2members to the Minnesota Forest Resources Council. The Indian Affairs Council will
2.3appoint one additional member. When making appointments to the council, the governor
2.4must appoint knowledgeable individuals with an understanding of state forest resource
2.5issues whofairly reflect a balance of the various interests in the sustainable management,
2.6use, and protection of the state's forest resources in order to achieve the purpose and
2.7policies specified in subdivision 2 and section89A.02 . The council membership appointed
2.8by the governor must include the following individuals:
2.9(1) two representatives from organizations representing environmental interests
2.10within the state;
2.11(2) a representative from an organization representing the interests of management
2.12of game species;
2.13(3) a representative from a conservation organization;
2.14(4) a representative from an association representing forest products industry within
2.15the state;
2.16(5) a commercial logging contractor active in a forest product association;
2.17(6) a representative from a statewide association representing the resort and tourism
2.18industry;
2.19(7) a faculty or researcher of a Minnesota research or higher educational institution;
2.20(8) a representative from an association representing family forest woodlands who is
2.21an owner of nonindustrial, private forest land of 40 acres or more;
2.22(9) an owner of nonindustrial, private forest land;
2.23(10) a representative from the department;
2.24(11) a county land commissioner who is a member of the Minnesota Association
2.25of County Land Commissioners;
2.26(12) a representative from the United States Department of Agriculture Forest
2.27Service unit with land management responsibility in Minnesota;
2.28(13) a representative from a labor organization with membership having an interest
2.29in forest resource issues;
2.30(14) an individual representing a secondary wood products manufacturing
2.31organization;and
2.32(15) a chair; and
2.33(16) an individual representing the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council.
2.34 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.03, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
3.1 Subd. 6. Biennial report. The council must report to the governor and to the
3.2legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction over environment and natural
3.3resource policy and finance by February 1 of each odd-numbered year. The report must
3.4describe the progress and accomplishments made by the council during the preceding
3.5year two years.
3.6 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.04, is amended to read:
3.789A.04 PARTNERSHIP.
3.8It is the policy of the state to encourage forest landowners, forest managers, and
3.9loggers toestablish maintain a partnership in which the implementation of council
3.10recommendations can occur in a timely and coordinated manner across ownerships. The
3.11partnership shall serve as a forum for discussing operational implementation issues
3.12and problem solving related to forest resources management and planning concerns,
3.13and be responsive to the recommendations of the council. This partnership shall also
3.14actively foster collaboration and coordination among forest managers, landowners, and
3.15landowners loggers in addressing landscape-level operations and concerns. In fulfilling
3.16its responsibilities as identified in this chapter, the partnership may advise the council.
3.17Nothing in this section shall imply extra rights or influence for the partnership.
3.18 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
3.19 Subdivision 1. Development and revision. The council shall coordinate the
3.20development and periodic revision of comprehensive timber harvesting and forest
3.21management guidelines based on the information derived from forest resources, practices,
3.22implementation, and effectiveness monitoring programs, and other information deemed
3.23appropriate by the council. The guidelines must address the water, air, soil, biotic,
3.24recreational, cultural, and aesthetic resources found in forest ecosystems by focusing
3.25on those impacts commonly associated with applying site-level forestry practices. The
3.26guidelines must reflect a range of practical and sound practices based on the best available
3.27scientific information, and be integrated to minimize conflicting recommendations while
3.28being easy to understand and implement.By June 30, 2003, the council shall review the
3.29guidelines and identify potential revisions. If deemed necessary, the council shall update
3.30the guidelines by June 30, 2005. Changes to the guidelines shall be peer reviewed prior
3.31to final adoption by the council.By December 1999, the council must undertake a peer
3.32review of the recommendations in the forest management guidelines adopted in December
3.331998 for protecting forest riparian areas and seasonal ponds.
4.1 Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.05, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
4.2 Subd. 3. Application. The timber harvesting and forest management guidelines
4.3are voluntary.Prior to their actual use, The council must develop and periodically assess
4.4guideline implementation goalsfor each major forest land ownership category that will
4.5sustain forest resources. If the information developed as a result of forest resources,
4.6practices,compliance implementation, and effectiveness monitoring programs conducted
4.7by the department or other information obtained by the council indicates the implementation
4.8goals for the guidelines are not being met and the council determines significant adverse
4.9impacts are occurring, the council shall recommend to the governor additional measures to
4.10address those impacts. The council must incorporate the recommendations as part of the
4.11council's biennial report required by section89A.03, subdivision 6 .
4.12 Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.06, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
4.13 Subdivision 1. Framework. The council mustestablish maintain a framework that
4.14will enable long-range strategic planning andlandscape coordination to occur, to the
4.15extent possible, across all forested regions of the state and across all ownerships. The
4.16framework must include:
4.17(1) identification of the landscapes within which long-range strategic planning of
4.18forest resources can occur, provided that the landscapes must be delineated based on
4.19broadly defined ecological units and existing classification systems, yet recognize existing
4.20political and administrative boundaries and planning processes;
4.21(2) a statement of principles and goals for landscape-based forest resource planning;
4.22and
4.23(3) identification of a general process by which landscape-based forest resource
4.24planning occurs, provided that the process must give considerable latitude to design
4.25planning processes that fit the unique needs and resources of each landscape; reflect a
4.26balanced consideration of the economic, social, and environmental conditions and needs
4.27of each landscape; and interface and establish formats that are compatible with other
4.28landscape-based forest resource plans.
4.29 Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.06, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
4.30 Subd. 2. Regional forest resource committees. To foster landscape-based
4.31forest resource planning, the council mustestablish maintain regional forest resource
4.32committees. Each regional committee shall:
4.33(1) include representative interests in a particular region that are committed to and
4.34involved in landscape planning and coordination activities;
5.1(2) serve as a forum for landowners, managers, and representative interests to
5.2discuss landscape forest resource issues;
5.3(3)identify and implement an open and public process whereby landscape-based
5.4strategic planning of forest resources can occur;
5.5(4) integrate itsreport landscape planning efforts with existing public and private
5.6landscape land management planning efforts in the region;
5.7(5) facilitate landscape coordination betweenexisting regional landscape planning
5.8efforts of land managers in the region, both public and private;
5.9(6) identify and facilitate opportunities for public participation inexisting landscape
5.10planning and coordination efforts inthis the region;
5.11(7) identify sustainable forest resource goals for the landscape andstrategies
5.12 objectives to achieve those goals;and
5.13(8) periodically recommend that the council undertake revisions of the region's
5.14landscape plan; and
5.15(8) (9) provide a regional perspective perspectives to the council with respect
5.16to council activities.
5.17 Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.06, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
5.18 Subd. 4. Report. By November 1 of each even-numbered year, each regional
5.19committee must report to the council its work activities and accomplishments.
5.20 Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.07, is amended to read:
5.2189A.07 MONITORING.
5.22 Subdivision 1. Forest resource monitoring. The commissioner shallestablish
5.23 maintain a program for monitoring broad trends and conditions in the state's forest
5.24resources at statewide, landscape, and site levels. The council shall provide oversight and
5.25program direction for thedevelopment and implementation of the monitoring program.
5.26To the extent possible, the information generated under the monitoring program must
5.27be reported in formats consistent with the landscape regions used to accomplish the
5.28planning and coordination activities specified in section89A.06 . To the extent possible,
5.29the program must incorporate data generated by existing resource monitoring programs.
5.30The commissioner shall report to the council information on current conditions and recent
5.31trends in the state's forest resources.
5.32 Subd. 2.Practices and compliance Implementation monitoring. The
5.33commissioner shallestablish maintain a program for monitoring silvicultural practices
5.34and application of the timber harvesting and forest management guidelines at statewide,
6.1landscape, and site levels. The council shall provide oversight and program direction for
6.2thedevelopment and implementation of the monitoring program. To the extent possible,
6.3the information generated by the monitoring program must be reported in formats
6.4consistent with the landscape regions used to accomplish the planning and coordination
6.5activities specified in section89A.06 . The commissioner shall report to the council on the
6.6nature and extent ofsilvicultural practices used, and compliance with the implementation
6.7of the timber harvesting and forest management guidelines.
6.8 Subd. 3. Effectivenessmonitoring evaluation. The commissioner council, in
6.9cooperation withother research and land management organizations, shall evaluate the
6.10effectiveness of practices to mitigate impacts of timber harvesting and forest management
6.11activities on the state's forest resources.The council shall provide oversight and program
6.12direction for the development and implementation of this monitoring program. The
6.13commissioner shall report to the council on the effectiveness of these practices.
6.14Subd. 4. Other studies and programs. The council shall monitor the
6.15implementation of other programs, formal studies, and initiatives affecting Minnesota's
6.16forest resources.
6.17 Subd. 5. Citizen concerns. The council shallfacilitate the establishment of
6.18 administer a public concerns registration process to accept comments from the public on
6.19negligent timber harvesting or forest management practices.
6.20 Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.08, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
6.21 Subdivision 1. Establishment. The council chair shall appoint a Forest Resources
6.22Research Advisory Committee and a chair of that committee.Notwithstanding section
6.2315.059, the council does not expire. The committee must consist of representatives of:
6.24(1) the College ofNatural Resources Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource
6.25Sciences, University of Minnesota;
6.26(2) the Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota, Duluth;
6.27(3) the department;
6.28(4) theNorth Central Forest Experiment Northern Research Station, United States
6.29Department of Agriculture Forest Service; and
6.30(5) other organizations as deemed appropriate by the council.
6.31 Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.08, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
6.32 Subd. 2. Purpose. The purpose of the advisory committee is tofoster the
6.33identification identify and undertaking of initiate priority forest resources research
6.34activities by encouraging:
7.1(1) collaboration between organizations with responsibilities for conducting forest
7.2resources research;
7.3(2) linkages between researchers in different disciplines in conducting forest
7.4resources research;and
7.5(3) interaction and communication between researchers and practitioners in the
7.6development and use of forest resources research; and
7.7(4) communication with the legislature on funding the council's priority forest
7.8resources research activities.
7.9 Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.08, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
7.10 Subd. 3. Research assessment. The advisory committee shall periodically
7.11undertake an assessment of strategic directions in forest resources research. The
7.12assessment must be based on input provided by administrators, researchers, practitioners,
7.13and the general public, and include:
7.14(1) an assessment of the current status offorestry forest resources research in the state;
7.15(2) an identification of important forest resource issues in need of research;
7.16(3) an identification of priority forest research activities whose results will enable
7.17a better understanding of site-level and landscape-level impacts resulting from timber
7.18harvesting and forest management activities; and
7.19(4) an assessment of the progress toward addressing the priority forest resources
7.20research needs identified.
7.21The forest resources research assessment must be made widely available to the
7.22research community, forest managers and users, and the public.
7.23 Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.09, is amended to read:
7.2489A.09 INTERAGENCY INFORMATION COOPERATIVE.
7.25 Subdivision 1. Establishment. The dean of theUniversity of Minnesota, College of
7.26Food, Agricultural and NaturalResources Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota,
7.27shall be is encouraged to coordinate the establishment of maintain an Interagency
7.28Information Cooperative. Members of the cooperative that must include members from:
7.29(1) theUniversity of Minnesota, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural
7.30Resources Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota;
7.31(2) theUniversity of Minnesota, Natural Resources Research Institute, University of
7.32Minnesota, Duluth;
7.33(3) the department;
7.34(4) the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office;
8.1(5) the Minnesota Association of County Land Commissioners;
8.2(6) the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service; and
8.3(7) other organizations as deemed appropriate by the members of the cooperative.
8.4 Subd. 2. Purpose. The purposes of the cooperative are to:
8.5(1) coordinate the development and use of forest resources data in the state;
8.6(2) promote the development of statewide guidelines and common language to
8.7enhance the ability of public and private organizations and institutions to share forest
8.8resources data;
8.9(3) promote the development of information systems that support access to important
8.10forest resources data;
8.11(4) promote improvement in the accuracy, reliability, and statistical soundness of
8.12fundamental forest resources data;
8.13(5) promote linkages and integration of forest resources data to other natural
8.14resource information;
8.15(6) promote access and use of forest resources data and information systems in
8.16decision-making by a variety of public and private organizations; and
8.17(7) promote expanding the capacity and reliability of forest growth, succession,
8.18and other types of ecological models; and.
8.19(8) conduct a needs assessment for improving the quality and quantity of information
8.20systems.
8.21 Subd. 3. Report. By November 1 of each even-numbered year, the information
8.22cooperative shall report to the council its accomplishments in fulfilling the responsibilities
8.23identified in this section.
8.24 Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.10, is amended to read:
8.2589A.10 CONTINUING EDUCATION; CERTIFICATION.
8.26It is the policy of the state to encourage timber harvesters and forest resource
8.27professionals toestablish maintain continuing education programs within their respective
8.28professions that promote sustainable forest management, including the Minnesota Logger
8.29Education Program and the University of Minnesota Sustainable Forests Education
8.30Cooperative, respectively.The council shall, where appropriate, facilitate the development
8.31of these programs.
8.32 Sec. 16. [89A.105] IMPLEMENTATION.
8.33Implementation of this chapter is subject to biennial appropriations of the legislature.
9.1 Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.11, is amended to read:
9.289A.11REPEALER SUNSET.
9.3 Sections89A.01 ;
89A.02 ;
89A.03 ;
89A.04 ;
89A.05 ;
89A.06 ;
89A.07 ;
89A.08 ;
9.489A.09
;
89A.10 ;
89A.105 ; and
89A.11 , are repealed June 30, 2017 2021.
9.5 Sec. 18. REPEALER.
9.6Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 89A.05, subdivisions 2a and 4; and 89A.06,
9.7subdivision 2a, are repealed.
1.3Resources Act;amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 89A.02; 89A.03,
1.4subdivisions 1, 6; 89A.04; 89A.05, subdivisions 1, 3; 89A.06, subdivisions 1,
1.52, 4; 89A.07; 89A.08, subdivisions 1, 2, 3; 89A.09; 89A.10; 89A.11; proposing
1.6coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 89A; repealing Minnesota
1.7Statutes 2012, sections 89A.05, subdivisions 2a, 4; 89A.06, subdivision 2a.
1.8BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.9 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.02, is amended to read:
1.1089A.02 POLICY.
1.11It is the policy of the state to:
1.12(1) pursue the sustainable management, use, and protection of the state's forest
1.13resources to achieve the state's economic, environmental, and social goals;
1.14(2) encourage cooperation and collaboration between public and private sectors in
1.15the management of the state's forest resources;
1.16(3) recognize and consider forest resource issues, concerns, and impacts at the
1.17site level and landscape
1.18(4) recognize the broad array of perspectives regarding the management, use,
1.19and protection of the state's forest resources, and establish and maintain processes and
1.20mechanisms that seek and incorporate these perspectives in the planning and management
1.21of the state's forest resources.
1.22Nothing in this chapter abolishes, repeals, or negates any existing authorities related
1.23to managing and protecting the state's forest resources.
1.24 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.03, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
2.1 Subdivision 1. Membership. The governor must appoint a chair and
2.2members to the Minnesota Forest Resources Council. The Indian Affairs Council will
2.3appoint one additional member. When making appointments to the council, the governor
2.4must appoint knowledgeable individuals with an understanding of state forest resource
2.5issues who
2.6use, and protection of the state's forest resources in order to achieve the purpose and
2.7policies specified in subdivision 2 and section
2.8
2.9(1) two representatives from organizations representing environmental interests
2.10within the state;
2.11(2) a representative from an organization representing the interests of management
2.12of game species;
2.13(3) a representative from a conservation organization;
2.14(4) a representative from an association representing forest products industry within
2.15the state;
2.16(5) a commercial logging contractor active in a forest product association;
2.17(6) a representative from a statewide association representing the resort and tourism
2.18industry;
2.19(7) a faculty or researcher of a Minnesota research or higher educational institution;
2.20(8) a representative from an association representing family forest woodlands who is
2.21an owner of nonindustrial, private forest land of 40 acres or more;
2.22(9) an owner of nonindustrial, private forest land;
2.23(10) a representative from the department;
2.24(11) a county land commissioner who is a member of the Minnesota Association
2.25of County Land Commissioners;
2.26(12) a representative from the United States Department of Agriculture Forest
2.27Service unit with land management responsibility in Minnesota;
2.28(13) a representative from a labor organization with membership having an interest
2.29in forest resource issues;
2.30(14) an individual representing a secondary wood products manufacturing
2.31organization;
2.32(15) a chair; and
2.33(16) an individual representing the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council.
2.34 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.03, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
3.1 Subd. 6. Biennial report. The council must report to the governor and to the
3.2legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction over environment and natural
3.3resource policy and finance by February 1 of each odd-numbered year. The report must
3.4describe the progress and accomplishments made by the council during the preceding
3.5
3.6 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.04, is amended to read:
3.789A.04 PARTNERSHIP.
3.8It is the policy of the state to encourage forest landowners, forest managers, and
3.9loggers to
3.10recommendations can occur in a timely and coordinated manner across ownerships. The
3.11partnership shall serve as a forum for discussing operational implementation issues
3.12and problem solving related to forest resources management and planning concerns,
3.13and be responsive to the recommendations of the council. This partnership shall also
3.14actively foster collaboration and coordination among forest managers, landowners, and
3.15
3.16its responsibilities as identified in this chapter, the partnership may advise the council.
3.17Nothing in this section shall imply extra rights or influence for the partnership.
3.18 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.05, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
3.19 Subdivision 1. Development and revision. The council shall coordinate the
3.20development and periodic revision of comprehensive timber harvesting and forest
3.21management guidelines based on the information derived from forest resources, practices,
3.22implementation, and effectiveness monitoring programs, and other information deemed
3.23appropriate by the council. The guidelines must address the water, air, soil, biotic,
3.24recreational, cultural, and aesthetic resources found in forest ecosystems by focusing
3.25on those impacts commonly associated with applying site-level forestry practices. The
3.26guidelines must reflect a range of practical and sound practices based on the best available
3.27scientific information, and be integrated to minimize conflicting recommendations while
3.28being easy to understand and implement.
3.29
3.30
3.31to final adoption by the council.
3.32
3.33
4.1 Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.05, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
4.2 Subd. 3. Application. The timber harvesting and forest management guidelines
4.3are voluntary.
4.4guideline implementation goals
4.5sustain forest resources. If the information developed as a result of forest resources,
4.6practices,
4.7by the department or other information obtained by the council indicates the implementation
4.8goals for the guidelines are not being met and the council determines significant adverse
4.9impacts are occurring, the council shall recommend to the governor additional measures to
4.10address those impacts. The council must incorporate the recommendations as part of the
4.11council's biennial report required by section
4.12 Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.06, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
4.13 Subdivision 1. Framework. The council must
4.14will enable long-range strategic planning and
4.15extent possible, across all forested regions of the state and across all ownerships. The
4.16framework must include:
4.17(1) identification of the landscapes within which long-range strategic planning of
4.18forest resources can occur, provided that the landscapes must be delineated based on
4.19broadly defined ecological units and existing classification systems, yet recognize existing
4.20political and administrative boundaries and planning processes;
4.21(2) a statement of principles and goals for landscape-based forest resource planning;
4.22and
4.23(3) identification of a general process by which landscape-based forest resource
4.24planning occurs, provided that the process must give considerable latitude to design
4.25planning processes that fit the unique needs and resources of each landscape; reflect a
4.26balanced consideration of the economic, social, and environmental conditions and needs
4.27of each landscape; and interface and establish formats that are compatible with other
4.28landscape-based forest resource plans.
4.29 Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.06, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
4.30 Subd. 2. Regional forest resource committees. To foster landscape-based
4.31forest resource planning, the council must
4.32committees. Each regional committee shall:
4.33(1) include representative interests in a particular region that are committed to and
4.34involved in landscape planning and coordination activities;
5.1(2) serve as a forum for landowners, managers, and representative interests to
5.2discuss landscape forest resource issues;
5.3(3)
5.4strategic planning of forest resources can occur;
5.5(4) integrate its
5.6
5.7(5) facilitate landscape coordination between
5.8
5.9(6) identify and facilitate opportunities for public participation in
5.10planning and coordination efforts in
5.11(7) identify sustainable forest resource goals for the landscape and
5.12 objectives to achieve those goals;
5.13(8) periodically recommend that the council undertake revisions of the region's
5.14landscape plan; and
5.15
5.16to council activities.
5.17 Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.06, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
5.18 Subd. 4. Report. By November 1 of each even-numbered year, each regional
5.19committee must report to the council its work activities and accomplishments.
5.20 Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.07, is amended to read:
5.2189A.07 MONITORING.
5.22 Subdivision 1. Forest resource monitoring. The commissioner shall
5.23 maintain a program for monitoring broad trends and conditions in the state's forest
5.24resources at statewide, landscape, and site levels. The council shall provide oversight and
5.25program direction for the
5.26To the extent possible, the information generated under the monitoring program must
5.27be reported in formats consistent with the landscape regions used to accomplish the
5.28planning and coordination activities specified in section
5.29the program must incorporate data generated by existing resource monitoring programs.
5.30
5.31
5.32 Subd. 2.
5.33commissioner shall
5.34
6.1landscape, and site levels. The council shall provide oversight and program direction for
6.2the
6.3the information generated by the monitoring program must be reported in formats
6.4consistent with the landscape regions used to accomplish the planning and coordination
6.5activities specified in section
6.6nature and extent of
6.7of the timber harvesting and forest management guidelines.
6.8 Subd. 3. Effectiveness
6.9cooperation with
6.10effectiveness of practices to mitigate impacts of timber harvesting and forest management
6.11activities on the state's forest resources.
6.12
6.13
6.14
6.15
6.16
6.17 Subd. 5. Citizen concerns. The council shall
6.18 administer a public concerns registration process to accept comments from the public on
6.19
6.20 Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.08, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
6.21 Subdivision 1. Establishment. The council chair shall appoint a Forest Resources
6.22Research Advisory Committee and a chair of that committee.
6.23
6.24(1) the College of
6.25Sciences, University of Minnesota;
6.26(2) the Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota, Duluth;
6.27(3) the department;
6.28(4) the
6.29Department of Agriculture Forest Service; and
6.30(5) other organizations as deemed appropriate by the council.
6.31 Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.08, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
6.32 Subd. 2. Purpose. The purpose of the advisory committee is to
6.33
6.34activities by encouraging:
7.1(1) collaboration between organizations with responsibilities for conducting forest
7.2resources research;
7.3(2) linkages between researchers in different disciplines in conducting forest
7.4resources research;
7.5(3) interaction and communication between researchers and practitioners in the
7.6development and use of forest resources research; and
7.7(4) communication with the legislature on funding the council's priority forest
7.8resources research activities.
7.9 Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.08, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
7.10 Subd. 3. Research assessment. The advisory committee shall periodically
7.11undertake an assessment of strategic directions in forest resources research. The
7.12assessment must be based on input provided by administrators, researchers, practitioners,
7.13and the general public, and include:
7.14(1) an assessment of the current status of
7.15(2) an identification of important forest resource issues in need of research;
7.16(3) an identification of priority forest research activities whose results will enable
7.17a better understanding of site-level and landscape-level impacts resulting from timber
7.18harvesting and forest management activities; and
7.19(4) an assessment of the progress toward addressing the priority forest resources
7.20research needs identified.
7.21The forest resources research assessment must be made widely available to the
7.22research community, forest managers and users, and the public.
7.23 Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.09, is amended to read:
7.2489A.09 INTERAGENCY INFORMATION COOPERATIVE.
7.25 Subdivision 1. Establishment. The dean of the
7.26Food, Agricultural and Natural
7.27
7.28Information Cooperative
7.29(1) the
7.30
7.31(2) the
7.32Minnesota, Duluth;
7.33(3) the department;
7.34(4) the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office;
8.1(5) the Minnesota Association of County Land Commissioners;
8.2(6) the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service; and
8.3(7) other organizations as deemed appropriate by the members of the cooperative.
8.4 Subd. 2. Purpose. The purposes of the cooperative are to:
8.5(1) coordinate the development and use of forest resources data in the state;
8.6(2) promote the development of statewide guidelines and common language to
8.7enhance the ability of public and private organizations and institutions to share forest
8.8resources data;
8.9(3) promote the development of information systems that support access to important
8.10forest resources data;
8.11(4) promote improvement in the accuracy, reliability, and statistical soundness of
8.12fundamental forest resources data;
8.13(5) promote linkages and integration of forest resources data to other natural
8.14resource information;
8.15(6) promote access and use of forest resources data and information systems in
8.16decision-making by a variety of public and private organizations; and
8.17(7) promote expanding the capacity and reliability of forest growth, succession,
8.18and other types of ecological models
8.19
8.20
8.21 Subd. 3. Report. By November 1 of each even-numbered year, the information
8.22cooperative shall report to the council its accomplishments in fulfilling the responsibilities
8.23identified in this section.
8.24 Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.10, is amended to read:
8.2589A.10 CONTINUING EDUCATION
8.26It is the policy of the state to encourage timber harvesters and forest resource
8.27professionals to
8.28professions that promote sustainable forest management, including the Minnesota Logger
8.29Education Program and the University of Minnesota Sustainable Forests Education
8.30Cooperative, respectively.
8.31
8.32 Sec. 16. [89A.105] IMPLEMENTATION.
8.33Implementation of this chapter is subject to biennial appropriations of the legislature.
9.1 Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 89A.11, is amended to read:
9.289A.11
9.3 Sections
9.5 Sec. 18. REPEALER.
9.6Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 89A.05, subdivisions 2a and 4; and 89A.06,
9.7subdivision 2a, are repealed.
