Section NR 1.213 - Cooperating forester program(1) PURPOSE. To encourage the practice of forestry, maximize sound management of private forests in the state and provide forestry benefits to the public, a cooperative effort between the department and independent consulting foresters and industrial consulting foresters practicing in Wisconsin is established as provided in this section.(2) Foresters or forestry firms who wish to enter into a cooperative agreement with the department shall apply to the department on department forms and submit the information requested by the department.(3) The department may enter into cooperative agreements with foresters, including all persons identified as a consulting forester on the department's consulting foresters list as of February 1, 1989, and maintain a listing of cooperating consulting foresters and industrial foresters or forestry firms available to provide forestry services to private landowners. The cooperative agreements shall provide that: (a) The department shall establish a cooperative program of referrals of landowner requests for forestry assistance which will utilize cooperating foresters to provide private forestry assistance.(b) The cooperating forester shall manage private lands where the cooperator provides service in a manner which maintains the long-term capacity of the land to provide forest products, uses and values desired by landowners in accordance with the silvicultural guidelines in department handbooks and directives or a written, science-based forest management commitment submitted to and approved by the department in advance. Note: This section does not apply to land use conversions, such as the change of forestland to agricultural use. Land use conversions are not considered to be forest management.
(c) The cooperating forester shall use accepted methods that recognize the landowner's personal land management objectives.(d) The cooperating forester shall attend a minimum of 10 hours of department-approved training annually.(e) The cooperating forester agrees to submit to the department reports of timber sale stumpage volumes and values for sales he or she administers.(f) Any other provisions deemed reasonable by the department to further the practice of sound forestry in the state.Wis. Admin. Code Department of Natural Resources NR 1.213
Cr. Register, July, 1989, No. 403, eff. 8-1-89; am. (1) and (3) (intro.) to (e), Register, February, 1996, No. 482, eff. 3-1-96; CR 01-030: am. (3) (b) and (d), Register November 2001 No. 551, eff. 12-1-01.