Council News and Updates
Council Weighs in on 2024 Legislative Actions
February 2023
The Council was active in the early 2024 legislative session providing input on two legislative bills, SB965/AB1030 related to deer hunting in northern Wisconsin and SB999 which would allow motorized access on MFL lands.
Chair Hittle provided testimony at the Assembly Committee on Sporting Heritage on AB1030 and the Council submitted written information on SB965 to the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage.
The MFL motorized access bill timeline did not allow the Council the opportunity to formally comment, although information was shared with Council members, with the following message from Chair Hittle and Vice Chair Dallman.
The Council historically has stood behind modifications to the Managed Forest Law that have upheld the statutory purpose, with an emphasis on the sound and sustainable management of private forestlands and the production of timber to fuel Wisconsin’s forest industry. We have advocated for modifications that encourage landowner participation and questioned proposed changes that we felt landowners would see as impacting the benefits that draw them towards entering a MFL contract. It appears from what we know of this bill, that the proposed change to allow motorized access will not be viewed favorably by landowners and would be contradictory to the Council's perspective of supporting and encouraging participation in the MFL. Weakening the MFL risks impacting the sound management of 3.4 million acres of privately owned forest land in MFL (of which nearly 1 million acres are enrolled as MFL open), as well as the supply of certified fiber that is crucial to our industry.