Digging Into the Forestry Grass Roots
by Dick Hall
There's a problem that has nagged foresters for decades. Mention it to members of the
wood using industry and you can read concern in their eyes. Legislators have never found
a solution to this dilemma.
The problem is that less than one third of Wisconsin's 260,000 woodland owners
practice forestry. In other words, more than two thirds of the owners of woodlots know
neither the value nor future potential of their resource.
That's alarming since private woodlots power the state's wood using industry, clean
everyone's water and air, provide homes for wildlife, add beauty to the landscape. The
health and productivity of woodlots effect us all.
Now there's a new way to address this problem. You’re just beginning to hear about
it. It doesn't involve legislation or regulation or government programs. It's a grassroots
community based organization called Wisconsin Family Forests (WFF).
To understand how WFF works requires a change in conventional thinking. Forget
about thinking statewide in scope. Think township in size. Most townships cover about
thirty-six square miles and represent our smallest unit of rural government.
If there is an average township, and I doubt if one can be found, it would be half
wooded and be made up of several hundred owners, not several thousand. Most owners
would not be active woodland managers and less than two percent would belong to
forestry organizations.
Here's where the person to person philosophy of WFF shines. They believe this
size area and small population base represents a cohesive unit to effectively practice and
promote sustainable forestry and ecologically sound land management.
After all, many persons, even those living on opposite sides of the township, know one
another. Their kids go to the same schools. They have woodlots of common tree species
with similar management and marketing opportunities. There is no outsider mistrust
sometimes associated with commercial forestry.
Once organized and committed to enhancing the forest resource the members become
an alliance of the WFF parent organization. The Deerfield Township Alliance in
Waushara County is two years old, has over 200 members, and conducts education
programs that attract woodland owners from outside the township.
The Washington Island Alliance is committed to managing a unique forest resource
base to sustain a local sawmill and produce value-added products. Several other
townships are in the organizational stage.
The advantages in becoming a WFF Alliance are many. Combining small properties
into a single timber sale means higher returns for all. Skidders, power pruners, herbicide
applicators and other specialized equipment may be shared at a fraction of the cost.
Forestry services may be contracted at savings to all.
Neighbors become better acquainted. They get together for social events. It's easier
to spark interest from owners who haven't practiced forestry. Special landscape features
in the community become focal points of preservation. Community-wide wildlife plans
can be implemented.
WFF is a proven winner. To get your township involved write: Wisconsin Family
Forests, P.O. Box 682, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495-0682. They'll send a startup
information packet.
This article was printed in the Newspaper Country Today under the title Family Forest group cultivating forestry’s
grass roots. Date: Wednesday December 12, 2001.