Green Horizons

With the current plethora of forestry issues in Missouri (forest certification, bio-energy, carbon trading, revision of the State Forestry Law, national direction to develop a state Comprehensive Forestry Strategy, expansion of the forestry title in the Farm Bill, to name just a few) there is a strong consensus among a wide array of the state’s forestland stakeholders to re-energize a dormant coordinating council.

The purpose of this council is to serve as a sounding board for issues and programs pertinent to member agencies, organizations and associations, as well as a venue for information sharing and more general discussions of important state-wide forestry issues. It will be broad-based with representation from all agencies, organizations and associations who have authority, responsibilities, reliance or interest in forestry and/or the forest resources of Missouri.

Forty state and Federal agencies and non-governmental organizations representing a wide array of natural resource interests are members of MoFRAC.

Historical Perspective To prepare for the future, it is important that we understand the past. The next few paragraphs provide a brief historical review of similar past efforts.

The Missouri Forest Resource Planning Committee (MFRPC) began as an informal group assembled in the late 1960s to share information about agency and organization activities related to forestry. There was no formal charter or by-laws, and the group met on an ad hoc basis to share information and coordinate activities. They occasionally hosted field trips.

In 1986, they proposed a charter and by-laws, (it is unclear if these were ever adopted), and began to function in a more formal capacity. The charter indicated their purpose was "Ensuring coordination among agencies and organizations involved in the management and use of Missouri’s forest resources." The committee also coordinated multi-agency/organization projects needing special emphasis or promotion.

At that time, the committee included representatives from the Forestry Division of the Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri Department of Agriculture, Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Economic Development, Mark Twain National Forest, U.S. Forest Service North Central Forest Experiment Station, University of Missouri School of Natural Resources, Missouri Society of American Foresters, Soil Conservation Service, Missouri Forest Products Association, Missouri Consulting Foresters Association, Conservation Federation of Missouri, and the Missouri State Tree Farm Committee.

In 1988, the MFRPC initiated work to develop a comprehensive statewide forest resource plan for Missouri. The Committee expanded planning efforts by hosting the Forests for the Future Conference in Jefferson City Feb. 4-5, 1991. The planning effort concluded with the publication of "A Plan for Missouri’s Forests" in 1991.

The MFRPC met infrequently following the completion of the plan until it was reinvigorated in 1999 in response to issues raised during hearings by the Governor’s Chip Mill Advisory Committee.

At this time, the committee was expanded to include broader representation, including University of Missouri Extension Forester, Missouri Community Forestry Council, Eastern Ozarks Forestry Council, Forest Re- Leaf of Missouri, Sierra Club, Missouri Coalition for the Environment, Audubon, The Nature Conservancy, Ozark Regional Land Trust, Missouri Farm Bureau, and Westvaco, in addition to the members listed above. It was renamed the Missouri Forest Resources Committee (MFRC). There was no formal charter or by-laws and the group met irregularly.

In 2001, the committee reported on progress toward the "Plan for Missouri’s Forests." The committee continued to function as an open forum to discuss issues pertinent to Missouri’s forests. The committee had broader representation than the Missouri Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee (MFSCC), but all members of the MFSCC were also on the MFRC.

Where Are We Now? On Oct. 30, the Missouri Department of Conservation, MU School of Natural Resources and the Conservation Federation of Missouri hosted a facilitated meeting with representatives from 30 natural resource organizations to raise the committee from the ashes. The new group chose to call itself the Missouri Forest Resources Advisory Council (MoFRAC).

The facilitator earned his day’s pay when he got everyone in the room to realize that the perceived notion of widely varying (and often directly opposite) views as being a critical weakness was in fact the group’s strongest asset! It is the charge of this group to encourage critical debate on whatever issue that challenges the long-term health and sustainability of Missouri’s forest resources and the communities they support.

MoFRAC will not have any specific authority to direct, regulate or manage any land, agency, program or individual. But, it will serve as an advisory group for the member organizations, the legislature and possibly, the Governor. While consensus will be sought on important issues, dissenting minority opinions will be included so decision-makers will have all perspectives before setting policy or crafting legislation.Despite the focus on the state’s forest resources that the chip mill controversy created and efforts to meet on a "regular" basis, the MFRC once again fell silent.

The council’s first officers are: Chair, Gene Garrett (MU School of Natural Resources), Vice-Chair, Dave Murphy (Conservation Federation of Missouri), and Secretary, Sam Orr (private consulting forester and former Energy Program Manager with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources). By-laws have been crafted and are set to be approved at the council’s next meeting Jan. 24, 2008.