Group XII – Environmental Issues Seminar

July 15-18, 2008, Mincoqua

The seminar helped participants to examine environmental issues and the impact our our states natural resources. Activities included a journey to the North Highlands American Legion State Forest where participants met with Susan Brisk, Wisconsin State Forester. They looked at current logging operations and visited a clear-cut site and discussed the ecological basis for forest management and timber harvesting, economic development and the changing logging sector, landscape perspectives in forest management, and public accountability on public and private lands.

The afternoon was spent with representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. They covered such topics as forest-based recreation, tourism, and nonmarketed amenities. A tour of Action Flooring gave the group an opportunity to examine issues associated with wood products. Lively discussions continued about the impact of leadership on environmental issues, led by Stan Gruszynski and former Dept of Natural Resources Secretary, George Meyer.

THANKS to our faculty –seminar chairs Dave Marcoullier, Professor, UW-Madison, Department of Urban and Regional Planning and John DuPlissis, Professor, UW-Stevens Point, College of Natural Resources.