The dean of the University of Minnesota, College of Natural Resources, shall be encouraged to coordinate the establishment of an Interagency Information Cooperative. Members of the cooperative must include:
(1) the University of Minnesota, College of Natural Resources;
(2) the University of Minnesota, Natural Resources Research Institute;
(3) the department;
(4) the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office;
(5) the Minnesota Association of County Land Commissioners;
(6) the United States Forest Service; and
(7) other organizations as deemed appropriate by the members.
The purposes of the cooperative are to:
(1) coordinate the development and use of forest resources data in the state;
(2) promote the development of statewide guidelines and common language to enhance the ability of public and private organizations and institutions to share forest resources data;
(3) promote the development of information systems that support access to important forest resources data;
(4) promote improvement in the accuracy, reliability, and statistical soundness of fundamental forest resources data;
(5) promote linkages and integration of forest resources data to other natural resource information;
(6) promote access and use of forest resources data and information systems in decision-making by a variety of public and private organizations;
(7) promote expanding the capacity and reliability of forest growth, succession, and other types of ecological models; and
(8) conduct a needs assessment for improving the quality and quantity of information systems.
The information cooperative shall report to the council its accomplishments in fulfilling the responsibilities identified in this section.
1995 c 220 s 86,141,142; 1995 c 263 s 12; 1996 c 351 s 1; 1999 c 231 s 191; 1Sp2001 c 2 s 151; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 108; 2004 c 241 s 4; 2009 c 101 art 2 s 107