State Government Support
Missouri
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MISSOURI
2001 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Senate Concurrent Resolution NO. 31
Adopted by the Senate on May 10, 2001 and concurred in the House on May 18, 2001
WHEREAS, the citizens of Missouri believe in the principles of free markets, limited government, federalism, and individual liberty are essential to providing the greatest amount of economic and political freedom for our citizens; and
WHEREAS, careful stewardship of our nation’s precious resources is essential if future generations are to enjoy and prosper from them; and
WHEREAS, voluntary industry leadership in the private sector is the best method of productive and economically viable environmental stewardship of our land, forest, water and wildlife; and
WHEREAS, the General Assembly believes that voluntary forest product management and leadership by the private sector in sustaining forest resources is preferable to government-imposed resource management mandates; and
WHEREAS, Americans have taken pride in their nation’s rich bounty of natural resources, and careful stewardship of these precious assets is essential if future generations are to enjoy and benefit from them; and
WHEREAS, the forest products industry, an essential component of the nation’s economy sustaining businesses, families, and rural communities since its founding, is comprised of more than 34,000 employees and 400,000 forest landowners; and
WHEREAS, close to one-third of the nation’s land is forested, with 14 million acres in Missouri alone, and the vital importance of the industry underscores the necessity for intelligent management of the over 736 million acres of America’s forest land; and
WHEREAS, the forest products industry relies on forest resources to make this state one of the leading producers of wood flooring, staves, furniture, cabinetry, lumber, pallets, charcoal, and other wood products, and to meet society’s increasing demand for wood and wood products important to our nation’s quality of life; and
WHEREAS, America’s forest products companies have made considerable capital improvement in recycling, and the industry nationally has voluntarily set a goal to recover 50% of the paper it produces; and
WHEREAS, Missouri’s forest products industry, in recognition of its stewardship responsibilities in nurturing the forest resources, has pledged itself to the continuing principles of sustainable forestry by initiating the “Sustainable Forestry Initiative Program,” a comprehensive program committed to responsible environmental stewardship of the forests, water resources, and wildlife; and
WHEREAS, the goal of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Program is to educate the public as to the importance of industry leadership in voluntarily protecting these valuable resources and to promote and monitor the progress made toward this worthy goal; and
WHEREAS, the Missouri Forest Products Association’s members are actively demonstrating a commitment to the principles of sustainable forestry and are benchmarking this commitment by implementing Sustainable Forestry Program principles and practices, such as prompt reforestation and protection of water quality and wildlife habitat;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that members of the Missouri Senate, Ninety-first General Assembly, First Regular Session, the House of Representatives concurring therein, recognize the Missouri Forest Products Association’s member companies, forest landowners and loggers, and the state’s forest products industry for its commitment to the responsible use of natural resources, and commend the creation and implementation of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Program as a means to this end; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate be instructed to prepare copies of this resolution for the Missouri Forest Products Association
