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Forests are intrinsic to our way of life. We hunt and hike and bird watch in them, and depend upon them for wildlife habitat, water purification, timber and jobs. In Minnesota, for example, the timber industry is the fourth largest manufacturing industry in the state, based on employment numbers alone, and generated more than $6.4 billion in forest product shipments in 2002.
The future of the nation�s forest-based economy and communities is in question because the future of the industrial forestlands that support them is in doubt. It�s a story that is playing out in Minnesota, across the Great Lakes states and throughout the country, as the shifting economics of the forest products industry create unprecedented changes in timberland ownership. In recent months, large parcels of industrial forestland have been subdivided and sold, putting jobs, wildlife habitat and public access�everything we value about forests�at risk. The scale of these land sales is unprecedented. It�s not just the scale and pace of the land sales that is daunting. The resulting subdivision, fragmentation and development of large blocks of forestland are also cause for concern. In the past, lands were held and managed by private forestry companies for up to 150 years. Committed to the productivity of the timberland, private companies managed their lands for long-term gains not necessarily short-term profit. All of that is changing as the lands are subdivided and sold.
The continuing fragmentation of forests is one of the most pressing threats to plants and animals and also greatly compromises timber harvesting. Appropriate timber harvesting can be beneficial to plants and animals while supporting many other values such as hunting, birdwatching and water quality protection. By conserving large blocks of working forestland, we can preserve the vital connection between healthy forest-based industries, healthy forest ecosystems and healthy forest-based communities. By protecting our forests, we protect our way of life. (Image provided by PAC and the NC Arboretum.)
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Some new owners, with an eye on quick bottom line profits for shareholders, are more likely to cut timber for short-term gains, then subdivide and sell the lands for recreational development�all within a span of a decade. This creates huge problems for local governments responsible for supplying services to new and scattered homes. Resulting land ownership patterns also prohibit the types of large-scale management that fosters a healthy environment.
