Leadership Team for the Statewide Forest Plan
Maintaining Wisconsin's Forest Based Economy
Wisconsin has a strong forest-based economy important in local, state, and global economies, supporting employment opportunities, investing in forest improvement practices, and generating strong revenues for landowners. Forestry also plays a significant role in the ecological and social benefits derived from the existence of a healthy and diverse forest-based economy. More than 1,850 wood using companies support a 20 billion-dollar industry and over 100,000 jobs. In addition, more people than ever before are using Wisconsin's forests for a wide array of recreational and tourism activities. Wisconsin households spend over $5.5 billion per year on goods and services associated with forest-based recreation. Of this total spending, roughly $2.5 billion are spent in local regions within close proximity of recreational sites. This provides a significant portion of the receipts of tourism-sensitive sectors in Wisconsin. Emerging issues including forest certification, sustainable energy, and environmental standards need attention to maintain healthy communities. Strategies to maintain Wisconsin's strong forest based economy will be required as the globalization of the economy increases.
Key Issues:
- Global demand for forest products requires primary and secondary forest industries to make business decisions in the context of a worldwide market.
- Sustainable management certification is emerging, and the global market for sustainable forest products may give certified Wisconsin forests a competitive edge.
- Sustainable energy and environmental standards will need attention to maintain healthy forest and human communities.
Current Plan of Action
Contact:
Earl Gustafson, Vice President, Energy, Forestry and Human Resources
250 N. Green Bay Road
P.O. Box 718
Neenah, WI 54957-0718
(920) 722-1500 / [email protected]
Wisconsin Paper Council
Learn about Maintaining Wisconsin's Forest Based Economy at the Governor's Conference