Governor Tom Wolf applauded the work
of a panel of forestry experts from private, public, and academic sectors that
has been meeting regularly since January to analyze current limitations to
forest conservation and job growth, and to develop an action plan to address
both objectives.
“Prioritizing conservation and job growth related to this field is
vital to creating a sustainable, dynamic industry in this state where almost 60
percent is forested,” Governor Wolf told the group gathered at the Governor’s
Residence in Harrisburg. “One of Pennsylvania’s greatest strengths is our
natural resources, and this group’s strength is the expertise and commitment
you folks have demonstrated the past nine months.”
The Green Ribbon Task Force was
called together following extended discussion between Gov. Wolf and Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn on how
Pennsylvania’s nearly 17 million acres of forestland could best play an active
role in his call for statewide job creation.
The governor commended the panel
for looking at ways to spur job growth while improving and conserving the
state’s forest base.
Addressed specifically were:
·
A new
conservation easement program for working forests that would keep forests as
forest but provide increased opportunities for sustainable harvest of wood
products;
·
Legislation to
give loggers, on whose shoulders the entire forest products industry rests,
more incentives and advantages to get into the logging business and to be able
to make a good living, including better worker’s compensation options, more
training, and more opportunities for worker recruitment;
·
Sustainable
support for the Hardwoods Development Council to conduct research, marketing,
training, and many other opportunities through a public-private partnership
between the industry and state government;
·
Support and
promotion of more maker’s spaces across Pennsylvania cities, where small
manufacturing, wood crafters, artisans and others can share resources, networks
and bring jobs back to forested Pennsylvania;
·
Raising the
profile of forest-based jobs through forest tours, job mentoring, early
recruitment, apprenticeships and similar workforce efforts.
“It’s great to see such
interagency cooperation among three involved agencies -- DCNR, Ag, and DCED, “
Gov. Wolf said, “and to hear of positive and constructive interactions between
different stakeholder interests -- industry, conservation and academia -- as
well as the strong role state government can play in bringing it all together.
“To find consensus among the
dozens of recommendations included here is exciting, and a great example of
cross-cutting cooperation that we could use more of in Harrisburg, and
statewide.”
”The panel’s report represents
eight months of hard work by the 35 task force members and many agency staff
and experts,” Dunn said. “It represents dozens of hours in all-day meetings,
work group calls, field trips to see first-hand our forest products industry,
lumber yards, manufacturing plants, our forests, and more. This collaborative
effort among agencies and different stakeholder groups has taught us about each
other’s work, problems, lives, and passions.
“It has also produced better
and more workable recommendations. We have learned from each other, and are
making plans to keep working together to address the many issues we’ve raised
and to put our recommendations into action.”
Meeting at the governor’s
invitation at his Harrisburg residence, at least 30 participants had been
selected by DCNR and the state departments of Agriculture and Community and
Economic Development. Today they were addressed by Gov. Wolf, Dunn and other
key speakers, including: Daniel Devlin, state forester and director of DCNR’s
Bureau of Forestry; Russell Redding, Secretary of Agriculture; Dr. Jim Finley,
director of the Center for Private Forests and Pennsylvania Extension Forester;
Paul Lyskava, executive director, Pennsylvania Forest Products Association; and
Wayne Bender, acting executive director, Hardwoods Development Council.
Individual workgroups had been
formed, introduced and assigned study and discussion areas that included:
conservation; workforce development and jobs; economic development and
products. Each workgroup’s responsibilities include: Address the current state
of the forest and forest products industry; define the scope of the workgroup;
identify issues to address; develop recommendations to bring to the larger
group; and work with other workgroups to integrate and forge recommendations
into a final set.
Since its formation Jan. 7, the
task force has held monthly meetings, and individual work groups also met to
discuss issues in greater detail and formulate recommended action items. Workgroup
chairs then reported out on their groups’ progress to the larger task force, in
order to stimulate broader discussion.
MEDIA CONTACT: Terry Brady, 717-772-9101
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