SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 34
(By Senators Plymale, Scott, Ross, Helmick,
Love, Schoonover, Wagner, Chafin, Anderson,
Bailey, Kimble, Walker, Minear, Oliverio and Sharpe)
Requesting the joint committee on government and finance to conduct
a study of the West Virginia's timberland policy.
Whereas, The ultimate challenge facing the rapidly increasing
human population is to meet its material needs while maintaining a
diverse, productive and resilient living environment; and
Whereas, Forests cover twelve point four million acres or
seventy-nine percent of the total land area of West Virginia; and
Whereas, This major renewable resource is the basis for a
rapidly expanding forest product industry in West Virginia that has
created thousands of jobs and has accelerated investments in wood
product manufacturing facilities that exceed one billion dollars
for the decade; and
Whereas, Economists in the United States are predicting that
demand for wood products will increase by more than fifty percent
over the next four decades while world demand is expected to
double; and
Whereas, Professional forest management results in greatly increased yields of timber, better wildlife habitat, improved
outdoor recreation, cleaner water and other forest benefits while
protecting and enhancing the soil and other aspects of the overall
environment; and
Whereas, These are major current concerns regarding forest
health due to the gypsy moth, wildfire and various tree diseases;
and
Whereas, This study shall include a review of the laws,
regulations, policies and land management programs used in
immediately adjacent and other competitive states to achieve public
awareness of the science of forest management as a way of enlisting
the private sector as partners in promoting increased activities
and uses of private timberlands including taxation and special
incentive programs; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the joint committee on government and finance is hereby
requested to conduct a study of West Virginia's timberland policy;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That professional forest management is a key
part of the state's healthy environment and continued economic
expansion and all aspects, both private and public, should be
reviewed in order to keep West Virginia competitive with other states and to achieve public awareness of the science of forest
management in order to increase activities and uses of timberlands;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the joint committee on government and
finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 1997, on
its findings, conclusion and recommendations, together with drafts
of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations;
and, be it
Further Resolved,
That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be
paid from the legislative appropriations to the joint committee on
government and finance.