Forests play an important role in many communities, yet their benefits many times go unrecognized and thus, unplanned for. It is important to determine the role forests play in your community by assessing their role in your local economy, as recreational opportunities, as scenic values, or as valuable green spaces in local neighborhoods. These are just some of the considerations that communities should be making in the development of their comprehensive plans to ensure that the benefits and resources that forests provide are sustained for current and future generations.

Unfortunately, the reality is that very few communities are adequately considering forest resources when they draft their comprehensive plans. In many cases the communities that should be paying the most attention to their forests � communities that are heavily forested, located in or next to a county, state or national forest, or dependent on the forest products industry � are not considering them at all.

As a shared resource, the sustainable use of Wisconsin�s forests is a shared responsibility. It is important to consider forests when planning because forests are dependent on the land upon which they grow, requiring adequate quantities, large contiguous blocks, and the right soil and water conditions. Also, forest functions and processes do not stop at human designated boundary lines, making it best to plan for forests on an ecosystem or landscape scale. Through planning, the economic, social and ecological value of forests to our communities can be enhanced.

Economically, forests should be addressed in comprehensive plans because they are an integral part of Wisconsin�s economic vitality. Wisconsin is the number one paper making state in the country, ranking first in both fine papers and sanitary paper products. In addition, it ranks first in high quality juvenile furniture, millwork, and third in hardwood veneers. Wisconsin�s forest industry employs 1 in every 6 manufacturing jobs in the state, while creating an additional 1.6 jobs in support industries for every one of its positions. Jobs in Wisconsin�s forest products industry pay competitive wages, averaging $38,000 annually, $8,000 above the state average. In addition, paper mill jobs pay even higher wages, averaging $49,000 a year. Forests also support tourism and recreation, contributing $5.5 billion annually to the state�s economy. Communities should consider the benefits to their community of maintaining a strong forestry economy.

Although the social benefits provided by forests may be more difficult to quantify than their economic benefits, the social benefits are no less important. People value forests for many different reasons, whether it is for cultural, recreational, scenic, or social reasons. Forests serve as a place for people to socialize, recreate, and retreat to away from their daily activities. The diversity of forest uses and values and potential for user conflicts raises the importance of addressing these issues in comprehensive plans.

Wisconsin�s forests are the state�s largest land cover and land use. As such, their ecological benefits are an integral component of ecosystem health. Forests provide clean air and water, wildlife habitat, and cycle important nutrients back into the earth. Forests filter the air by capturing nitrogen, particulates, and other pollutants in the atmosphere, and they help maintain water quality by holding soil and preventing erosion. They also provide shelter for wildlife and moderate stream temperatures for aquatic life. Urban forests, which account for 4.7% of the total land area in Wisconsin, also play an important role in maintaining ecological health. They alleviate the burdens placed upon urban environments by moderating temperatures on hot or cold days, muffling the noises of busy city life, and capturing dust and other airborne particles on their leaves so that they can easily be washed away on a rainy day.

The functions performed by forests contribute to our quality of life, ensuring that the air and water we breathe are clean. However, their functions can only be maintained if we make conscious decisions to ensure that adequate measures are in place to protect the natural processes carried out each day.

Comprehensive planning offers a framework for communities to assess what forest resources are important to them and to plan for the role forests will play in their future. Forests and forestry can be addressed throughout the planning process, from an initial assessment of forest resources, to the creation of goals, objectives, and policies, all the way through the development of a realistic and strong implementation plan. Because forests are an integral aspect of community life, forest resources can be addressed in all nine elements of a comprehensive plan, not just in the agricultural, natural and cultural resources or land use elements. For instance, the siting of utility infrastructure, such as power lines, has the potential to unnecessarily fragment forestland. By planning to maintain large blocks of forestland while maintaining a suitable utility infrastructure, forests can be planned for in conjunction with the needs of the community and businesses so that both are able to sustain themselves and thrive. Through the consideration and integration of forests within each of the planning elements, communities can coordinate activities affecting forests, ensure that adequate acreage of productive forests will be available to sustainably meet economic demands, and preserve forests for identified community goals and values.

In order to assist local officials, resource managers, and planners with incorporating forests and forestry into local comprehensive plans, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, under its Smart Forestry for Smart Growth initiative, has developed a toolbox designed to follow the comprehensive planning process. It has three main sections: Assessment, Planning, and Implementation.

The Smart Forestry for Smart Growth Planner�s Toolbox aims to provide planners, resource managers, and local officials with the information they need to address forests and forestry within comprehensive plans. In addition, the toolbox enables communities to consider the importance and interconnectedness of forests within all of the planning elements and develop a framework to support their forest resources through planned land use decisions.

To learn more about the toolbox, visit the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry�s Smart Forestry for Smart Growth website at www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/forestry/SmartForestry/toolbox/.