The Ohio chapter of the Society of American Foresters (OSAF) supports the mission of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry, which is to promote and apply management for the sustainable use of Ohio's private and public forestlands. Under the current economic climate of the State of Ohio, OSAF recognizes the current funding problems and issues facing the Division of Forestry within the context of the state budget cuts.

In efforts to help resolve the funding issues, the Ohio Division of Forestry has put forth a Sustainable Forestry Initiative proposal in which a Sustainable Forestry Fee, timber buyer licensing program, and mitigation fees for permanent removal of forestland (exception for agricultural use) are part of the proposal to help solve the funding problems. While OSAF wishes to help solve the funding problems facing the Division of Forestry so that mission of the Division may continue to be executed, OSAF has some concerns regarding the proposed Sustainable Forestry Initiative. These concerns are as follows:

1. In order to execute the new proposed programs under the initiative, more expansive bureaucracy will need to be installed to oversee these programs.
2. There are concerns regarding the priorities of the programs scheduled to be funded under the new initiative. These priorities should be determined through consultation with various interest groups and stakeholders. The Sustainable Forestry Fee appears to become double taxation under the current proposal. The fee, which in essence is a severance tax, will be paid based on the value of timber sold, which would be in addition to the income tax paid on receipt of timber sales.
3. The 6% fee proposed appears to be too high, especially when compared to other states that have a similar severance tax.
4. The timber buyer licensing program as currently presented is too vague to evaluate its worth and promise.
5. The mitigation fees and the execution of this program are likewise vague, leaving unclear its effectiveness and the extent of its applicability.

In addition to these concerns, OSAF would like to see more efforts to strengthen the state forest management program and potentially increase funding sources by:

1. Studying the possibility of changing the formula applied to distribution of receipts from the sale of timber on state forestlands, and develops proposals from these studies.
2. Increase the harvests levels from state forests, which currently fall well below the allowable annual cut.

It is the desire of OSAF to work with the Division of Forestry to help solve funding problems. While OSAF understands the need to quickly compose and submit the Sustainable Forestry Initiative proposal, in its current form too many significant questions are left unanswered and alternatives may not have been considered.