ISSUES Affecting Your Forestland
The first item in the menu above, Forestry Alerts, contains several pages:
The issues listed after Forestry Alerts in the menu above are the most important long term concerns of the IFA, currently. IFA members, and all forest landowners, should familiarize themselves with these issues. Our Position Statements further describe the issue and list our recommendations.
In reading about these important Issues, consider how they affect your forestland as well as the forest resources of our state. We encourage you to contact your legislators to express your opinion, so here are some helpful links -
How to find your legislator
How to write your legislator (page down once you reach the site)
How a bill becomes law ( pdf file 25 KB )
The Illinois General Assembly website
The Illinois Governor's website
Why We Draft Position Papers
The Illinois Forestry Association is actively committed to be, "The Voice for Illinois Forests." Our members are steadfast and determined to act on issues that impact rural and community forests, technical forestry assistance, forest management, forest industry, landownership, and ecosystem services provided by our forests.
To that end, IFA has identified various forestry needs throughout the state:
Recently, the IFA created a Position Statement and a Fact Sheet that were used successfully to defeat HB0025 that would have eliminated cost share funding for forest landowners. Additional pages in this section describe our ongoing efforts.
The first item in the menu above, Forestry Alerts, contains several pages:
- Law Alert describes pending legislation in Springfield that affects forestry or forest landowners
- Health Alert describes the most critical forest health risks to our forests and trees
- Disaster Alert, while hopefully never used, is available to provide news and status in the event of a forest calamity
The issues listed after Forestry Alerts in the menu above are the most important long term concerns of the IFA, currently. IFA members, and all forest landowners, should familiarize themselves with these issues. Our Position Statements further describe the issue and list our recommendations.
In reading about these important Issues, consider how they affect your forestland as well as the forest resources of our state. We encourage you to contact your legislators to express your opinion, so here are some helpful links -
How to find your legislator
How to write your legislator (page down once you reach the site)
How a bill becomes law ( pdf file 25 KB )
The Illinois General Assembly website
The Illinois Governor's website
Why We Draft Position Papers
The Illinois Forestry Association is actively committed to be, "The Voice for Illinois Forests." Our members are steadfast and determined to act on issues that impact rural and community forests, technical forestry assistance, forest management, forest industry, landownership, and ecosystem services provided by our forests.
To that end, IFA has identified various forestry needs throughout the state:
- IDNR Division of Forest Resources is grossly understaffed to meet the mission of DNR and Illinois' 169,000 private forest landowners
- Better understanding by policy makers and government agencies about forestry
- Increased awareness by the public about forestry and active forest management
- Timely information about forestry issues and practices
- Opportunities to network and share information
- Strengthened partnerships among forestry and natural resources organizations
- More landowners to seek professional forestry advice when planning a timber sale
- Reliable, permanent financial incentives for landowners who invest in long-term forest management
- Increased use of Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) when harvesting timber
- A favorable business climate to attract and expand forestry related businesses
Recently, the IFA created a Position Statement and a Fact Sheet that were used successfully to defeat HB0025 that would have eliminated cost share funding for forest landowners. Additional pages in this section describe our ongoing efforts.