HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 8
(By Delegates Stemple, Butcher and Williams)
[Introduced February 28, 2001; referred to the
Committee on Rules.]
Recognizing West Virginia's forest products industry and the
Sustainable Forestry InitiativeK.
Whereas, This State has a rich natural bounty of more than 11.9
million acres of forest land, ranking third in the nation in the
percentage of forested land; and
Whereas, This vast forest resource has been a staple component
of this nation's and the State's economy since the founding of
America and has sustained business, families and entire rural
communities; and
Whereas, Through the generations, West Virginia's forest
products industry had grown to be one of the State's largest
manufacturing sectors, representing 11.7% of the state's total
manufacturing workforce with 30,000 employees and an annual payroll
of 252 million dollars; and
Whereas, According to the USDA Forest Service Inventory, West
Virginia has over 7 million more acres of forested land than it did in 1910; and
Whereas, Other perpetual benefits accrue from the well-managed
forest, such as clean water, purification and cleaning of air,
prevention and reduction of siltation due to runoff into streams,
enrichment of forest soils through leaf fall and decomposition,
cooking of summer air due to shade and transpiration from tree
leaves and needles, relative warming of winter air resulting from
reduction of wind velocity and immeasurable aesthetic values; and
Whereas, The West Virginia forest products industry, in
recognition of its stewardship responsibilities in nurturing the
forest resource, has committed itself to the continuing principles
of sustainable forestry by initiating the Sustainable Forestry
InitiativeK to promote, educate, train and monitor adherence to
sustaining the forest resource for future generations; and
Whereas, The Sustainable Forestry InitiativeK is based on the
responsible environmental stewardship of the forests, water
resources and wildlife; therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Delegates:
That the House commends West Virginia's forest products
industry for its history of care and commitment to the responsible
use of resources; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the House recognizes the development of
the American Forest & Paper Association's Sustainable Forestry
InitiativeK, which has educated landowners, foresters and loggers
about the sustainability of West Virginia's forests; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the House endorses the Sustainable
Forestry InitiativeK and its self-regulatory objectives of
increasing knowledge, professionalism and stewardship that will
foster the sustainability of West Virginia's forests; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the House requests that the public,
forest landowners and resource agencies embrace and support the
objectives of the Sustainable Forestry InitiativeK in this State.