University of Wisconsin - Extension

A new guide for forest owners shows how private landowners, working together, can improve the ecological conditions of their lands while improving their own economic well being and that of the communities in which their forest land is located.

The University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives (UWCC), Cooperative Development Services (CDS) and the Community Forestry Resource Center (CFRC) are pleased to announce the publication of ?Balancing Ecology and Economics: A Start-up Guide for Forest Owner Cooperation.?

Historically, non-industrial private woodland owners have found it difficult to receive a fair price for the trees harvested from their lands. Additionally, in many cases their profits have come at the expense of the ecological and esthetic health of the land. As a result, many landowners have chosen not to manage their forests at all, resulting in a forest that steadily loses economic and ecological value.

With the development of sustainable forestry cooperatives, an alternative has emerged which allows landowners to receive an economic return from their forests while at the same time ensuring their ecological health and stability.

The guide draws upon the experiences of several established or forming sustainable forestry co-ops, as well as the experience of CDS, UWCC, and CFRC. Intended primarily for landowners and resource managers, the guide provides essential information on all aspects of establishing a forest owner cooperative, including:

-- forest management

-- marketing

-- business planning

-- co-op governance

-- cooperative structures

-- non-timber forest products

-- sustainable certification

-- developing member education programs, and more

The cost of the manual is $10 plus $3 shipping and handling, plus sales tax for Wisconsin residents. For more information about sustainable forestry cooperatives, or to order a copy of ?Balancing Ecology and Economics: A Start-Up Guide for Forest Owner Cooperation,? please contact UWCC.

For more information, contact the UW Center for Cooperatives at 608-262-0705, padgham@aae.wisc.edu , or visit their web site at http://www.wisc.edu/uwcc/ .