Element: Issues and Opportunities

What is this element and how is forestry connected to it?

The issues and opportunities element sets the stage for the plan in its entirety. The statutory language describes mostly demographic information to be included in this element. Here communities can explain the role forests play in their community, be it an essential factor of local employment or a component of the tourist activity in the region.

Forests are intricately linked to a community's quality of life. Forests provide a means of economic stability for many communities. A community's statement of overall objectives and policies, goals and programs, should include a statement describing the community's commitment to preserving the integrity of rural or urban forests, as appropriate. Including forest considerations in this element is important because future land use decisions must be in accordance with the overall objectives listed within this element. To include forestry in this element is to plan for perpetuity of healthy forest functions.

Use the tools below to develop goals, objectives, and policies that address this element.

• Sample Goals, Objectives, and Policies

Consider Related Issues

Fire in the Wildland Urban Interface
Forest-based Recreation
Forest Fragmentation
Forest Health
Forest Ownership and Parcelization
Healthy Urban Forests
Strong Forest Economy

Statutory Language

Wis. Stats. s. 66.1001(2)(a)Issues and Opportunities
Background information on the local governmental unit and a statement of overall objectives, policies, goals and programs of the local governmental unit to guide the future development and redevelopment of the local governmental unit over a 20-year planning period. Background information shall include population, household and employment forecasts that the local governmental unit uses in developing its comprehensive plan, and demographic trends, age distribution, educational levels, income levels and employment characteristics that exist within the local governmental unit.