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SILVICULTURE AND FORESTRY STEWARDSHIP
WHEREAS, New Jersey’s forests provide many important public benefits; and in addition to the important value of timber and other fibers produced, these forests also provide a host of benefits essential to our existence and quality of life; and

WHEREAS, trees and forests clean and refresh the air by filtering dust and particulates and by absorbing carbon dioxide, sequestering carbon and releasing oxygen; likewise, forests clean and impede surface water run-off, increase groundwater recharge, stabilize soils, and provide shade, food and habitat for birds and a wide variety of other wildlife; and

WHEREAS, forests are critical and irreplaceable components of the environmental, economic, recreational and social welfare of the State and must be nurtured to guarantee sustained and improved yields of forest benefits; and

WHEREAS, today’s New Jersey forests are under-managed due to a lack of incentives for forest stewardship; and in addition, small woodlots cannot meet Farmland Assessment requirements in a sustainable manner and are increasingly susceptible to sub-division, development or neglect; and

WHEREAS, it is timely that the issues of forest stewardship and sustainable woodland conservation be addressed in manners that recognize and rectify existing disincentives to forest landowners; and

WHEREAS, critical to the conservation of forests is the recognition and quantification of non-commodity societal benefits produced therefrom, a concept that pertains especially to forests as the major source of drinking water for much of the State of New Jersey; and

WHEREAS, with proper incentives, forest landowners will have the tools to assure that these aquifer recharge areas with associated biodiversity continue to produce all the essential benefits for generations to come.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the delegates to the 92nd State Agricultural Convention, assembled in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on February 14, 2007, support the creation of a Forestry Stewardship Advisory Council to be chaired by the State Forester and to consist of individuals having direct involvement and or expertise in forest management, forest ownership, forest advisory and regulatory capacities, and the environment.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that said Forestry Stewardship Advisory Council should have the responsibility to establish and monitor enhanced forest stewardship programs through cost-share and other means, to improve forest management..

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that in order to assure regeneration of the forests, there must be wildlife management. In order to encourage access to private lands for deer control in particular, the receipt of rental income for hunting, fishing and other recreational pursuits shall not increase the liability of the lessor or lessee from that level of liability which would otherwise exist without said payments.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council shall prepare periodic evaluation reports on the status and condition of the forest in New Jersey and report the results to New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture and the State Legislature.