Browsing by Author "Brown, Ross N."

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Assessing State Timber Sale Policies, Programs and Stumpage Price Drivers
    (University of Minnesota, 2010-05) Brown, Ross N.; Kilgore, Michael A.; Blinn, Charles R.; Coggins, Jay; Pfender, Catherine
    The recent major decline of Minnesota’s timber stumpage market has raised growing concern about the policies, procedures, and contract provisions associated with Minnesota’s public land timber sale programs, in particular those that apply to timber sold from state-administered forest land managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR). In its December 2006 report, Governor Pawlenty’s Task Force on the Competitiveness of Minnesota’s Primary Forest Products Industry (Governor’s Forest Products Task Force) identified timber sale policies and procedures as one of the most urgent economic issues facing the state’s wood products industry. Specifically, the report recommended a study be undertaken to assess how state timber sale procedures and associated conditions impact stumpage prices. This report describes several research studies undertaken to address the important information needs identified in the Governor’s Task Force Report.
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    An assessment of dead wood standards and practices in Minnesota.
    (University of Minnesota, 2007-02) Brown, Ross N.; Ek, Alan R.; Kilgore, Michael A.
    Through a review of existing data and literature, the amount of dead wood in Minnesota forests, its importance to forest health, the policies that guide sustainable dead wood management, and the level of compliance with dead wood guidelines are described. USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) monitoring efforts indicate there is a sizable and diverse supply of dead wood in Minnesota’s nearly fifteen million acres of timberland. There are almost eight cords of coarse woody debris (CWD) per acre on Minnesota’s timberlands. Federal timberlands have the highest density of dead wood, averaging over ten cords per acre. Scientific review indicates retention of dead wood in Minnesota forests contributes to ecological benefits such as wildlife habitat, improved water quality, and soil productivity.
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    Evaluating the Economic Impacts of Retention and Disposal Policies for County Tax-forfeited Land in Northern Minnesota
    (University of Minnesota, 2008-07) Brown, Ross N.; Kilgore, Michael A.
    County-managed forest land, primarily known as tax-forfeited forest land (TFFL), consists of approximately 2.8 million acres found primarily across northern Minnesota. Although the title to these forest lands is held by the state of Minnesota, state law authorizes county governments to manage these lands for the benefit of local taxing districts. The legal framework that guides the management and use of TFFL also encourages county governments to manage this land base in a manner that provides “public benefits.” County governments have the option to retain TFFL in public ownership and manage for multiple public benefits, or sell the land. The decision whether TFFL should be retained in public ownership for the production of public benefits or returned to private ownership is complex―one that encompasses a variety of economic, social, and political considerations. This report describes the characteristics, uses, and management of 2.7 million acres of countymanaged TFFL in 12 northern counties: Aitkin, Beltrami, Carlton, Cass, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine, and St. Louis. These counties collectively manage 96% of the state’s total TFFL acreage. The report describes the results of a survey of recent purchasers of TFFL regarding how the management and use of TFFL has changed following their sale from public to private interests. The report also describes the economic impacts associated with retaining TFFL in public ownership versus selling this land base to private interests.