I. Issue Identification

The establishment of chipmill facilities in Missouri has come under close scrutiny by policy makers and environmental organizations. This scrutiny has resulted from the perception that chipmills pose a threat to Missouri's forests and could cause unacceptable damage to the environment. This issue has served as a catalyst to focus attention on Missouri's public and private forests and their management.

Questions have been raised about a variety of environmental impacts chipmills may cause, including irresponsible forest harvesting practices, soil erosion, increased sediment in streams, and alteration of the natural forested landscape. This has led to additional concerns being raised about excessive governmental regulation and the affect on private property rights.

II. Background Information

Missouri's forests occupy nearly 14 million acres of land in the state. Nearly 85 percent of these forests are owned by approximately 300,000 non industrial private landowners with the remaining being owned by federal, state, and municipal governments, or forest industry.

The forests of Missouri produce nearly 267 million cubic feet of new wood each year, but only about half of that annual growth is harvested each year (136 million cubic feet). Thus, forest product volumes are increasing. However, current levels of timber harvesting in Missouri supply only about one third of the forest products Missourians consume each year.

Missouri has 5 million people. On average, each consumes 75 cubic feet of forest products per year for a total of 375 million cubic feet. Of that total consumption, more than 100 million cubic feet is in the form of pulp products. Missouri consumers currently push almost two-thirds of their forest product consumption to other regions of this country or to foreign nations where there exists minimal oversight on the sustainability of forest management practices.

A chipmill can be defined as a wood processing plant that has a primary purpose of producing wood chips. The chips are most often used to manufacture a variety of paper products. Chipmills can utilize low value, poor quality forest products, and other residues from sawmilling and logging that are otherwise wasted. While there has been wood fiber from Missouri forests used by out of state chipmills in the past, it was the recent establishment of two mills in Southeast Missouri that has brought about the current debate.

It is recognized that each forest land owner, whether public or private, has individual goals and objectives. The United States Constitution also guarantees certain private property rights. Along with these rights comes the responsibility to respect the rights of others. Landowners have moral and ethical responsibilities to both the long term sustainability of the forest and to society as a whole. This paradox frames the basic question of how forests should be best utilized.

Forest land utilization then becomes a question of land use decisions and the stewardship ethics of each individual landowner. Forest land use and utilization is determined and limited by each landowner's understanding of how forest ecosystems evolve and are sustained, each landowner's economic needs, and global demands for forest products. Forest land utilization must meet societies needs of today while ensuring future generations the benefits of healthy forest ecosystems.

III. MOSAF Position

1.) Although intense interest is focused on the establishment of chipmill facilities in Missouri, the issue is not the chipmills themselves, but forest land use and management. Chipmills need to be recognized for what they truly are and that is a wood processing plant designed to produce wood chips.

2.) MOSAF takes the position that any forest land use must take into account the long term sustainability of the entire forest resource. This includes, but is not limited to, the long term sustainability of plant and animal communities, sustainabilty of soil and water resources, and the minimization of long term impacts to the aesthetic quality of forest resources.

3.) MOSAF follows the national Society of American Foresters position on private property rights in that "the Society desires to see all landowners honor their stewardship responsibilities, but government must recognize the importance of protecting property rights to secure performance of such responsibilities."

4.) Since the majority of Missouri's forests are owned by private landowners, educating the public on their proper use and management is of paramount importance.

5.) Missouri's forest industry has moral, ethical and economic responsibilities to ensure long term sustainability of Missouri's forest resource. Education of all segments of forest industry including loggers and primary and secondary processors must occur. Graduation from certified logger training programs should be required of all loggers who harvest forest products from public lands and the same encouraged for private lands.

6.) Chipmills provide a market for low value small diameter hardwoods and softwoods. These resources have been traditionally under utilized. New markets can provide an economic opportunity for landowners to market these types of products. Subsequently, chipmills can provide an economic incentive to implement sound forest management activities on lands that have not been properly managed in the past.

7.) MOSAF advocates implementation of forest management practices that ensure long term sustainability of forest resources to provide Missouri residents with their forest products needs.

IV. Recommendations

1.) Public land management agencies, namely USFS, MDC, MoDNR and University Extension coordinate efforts to educate both forest landowners and forest industry on forest management techniques that ensure the sustainability of Missouri's forests resources.

2.) Land use regulation laws not be forced upon Missouri's forest landowners as a means of ensuring sustainable forest management. Instead, establish economic incentives such as tax incentives and cost share programs that encourage forest landowners to achieve desired societal benefits.

3.) State wide implementation of Best Management Practices should be established as a voluntary program implemented by Missouri's forest product industry for all Missouri forest landowners.

4.) MOSAF pursue active participation on the Governor's committee exploring the chip mill issue in Missouri, plus any similar endeavors which may be initiated.