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Bill Could Have Grave Implications for Michigan's State Forests

The Public Interest Research Group in Michigan, a lobbying group, has an interesting article urging (at least) a look at House Bill 5453, a bill passed by the State House and headed for the Senate. The bill would require the state to put the trees in our state forests up for sale every ten years unless it would be illegal or unsustainable to do so.

In opposition to the bill, PIGRIM stated:
The public has a tremendous interest in our state forests: they give us places to hike, places to hunt, and places to take our kids camping. They are also a vital economic engine, not just because they provide timber to harvest, but also because they serve as the backbone of our twelve billion-dollar tourist economy. PIRGIM opposes HB5453 because it mandates that our state forests be managed in a way that serves the single interest of the timber industry, rather than the multiple interests of the public.

Read Protecting Our Wild Forests from PIRGRIM
Also see PIGRIM'S Testimony before the Senate Agriculture, Forestry, and Tourism Committee on HB5453 (from March 16, 2006)
House Bill 5453 and associated information from Michigan.gov