Section 89A.07 Monitoring

MINNESOTA STATUTES AND CODES

89A.07 MONITORING.

Subdivision 1.Forest resource monitoring.

The commissioner shall establish a program for monitoring broad trends and conditions in the state's forest resources at statewide, landscape, and site levels. The council shall provide oversight and program direction for the development and implementation of the monitoring program. To the extent possible, the information generated under the monitoring program must be reported in formats consistent with the landscape regions used to accomplish the planning and coordination activities specified in section 89A.06. To the extent possible, the program must incorporate data generated by existing resource monitoring programs. The commissioner shall report to the council information on current conditions and recent trends in the state's forest resources.

Subd. 2.Practices and compliance monitoring.

The commissioner shall establish a program for monitoring silvicultural practices and application of the timber harvesting and forest management guidelines at statewide, landscape, and site levels. The council shall provide oversight and program direction for the development and implementation of the monitoring program. To the extent possible, the information generated by the monitoring program must be reported in formats consistent with the landscape regions used to accomplish the planning and coordination activities specified in section 89A.06. The commissioner shall report to the council on the nature and extent of silvicultural practices used, and compliance with the timber harvesting and forest management guidelines.

Subd. 3.Effectiveness monitoring.

The commissioner, in cooperation with other research and land management organizations, shall evaluate the effectiveness of practices to mitigate impacts of timber harvesting and forest management activities on the state's forest resources. The council shall provide oversight and program direction for the development and implementation of this monitoring program. The commissioner shall report to the council on the effectiveness of these practices.

Subd. 4.Other studies and programs.

The council shall monitor the implementation of other programs, formal studies, and initiatives affecting Minnesota's forest resources.

Subd. 5.Citizen concerns.

The council shall facilitate the establishment of a process to accept comments from the public on negligent timber harvesting or forest management practices.