|
Protecting Wisconsin’s farm and forest
lands provides benefits for all of our citizens.
• Saving
our farm and forest lands is crucial to Wisconsin’s economy.
Agriculture/food processing and forestry are the No. 1 and 2 economic
sectors in the state. One in 12 jobs in our cities and rural areas
relies on farming and forestry. Our state’s economic future
depends on protecting our resource base.
• Wisconsin is
losing 30,000 acres of farmland every year, and our working forests
are being carved up by fragmentation. We need to act before it’s
too late.
• Wisconsin needs ample working lands to maintain
its position as a leader in today’s “energy economy.” Bio-fuels
and renewable energy like wind and solar depend on working lands.
• Well-managed
farm and forest lands provide an array of environmental benefits
for our cities and rural areas. They protect water quality, reduce
the impacts of flooding and recharge our ground water.
• Healthy
farms support healthy cities. They provide fresh and nutritious
local food to our grocery stores and restaurants. Farmer’s
markets and community-supported agriculture connect our rural and
urban residents.
• Working lands provide recreational opportunities,
including hunting, birding, agri-tourism and sight-seeing.
• Protecting
working lands helps communities grow efficiently and effectively.
Communities that grow in a compact manner avoid high costs of extending
services like public protection, roads, water and sewer to sprawled
areas.
• Wisconsin can protect its working lands and meet
the needs of our communities, businesses and industries through
wise decisions about best use of our land and water resources.
We can make these decisions together in the best interests of our
rural and urban citizens, accommodating growth and protecting our
resources for our children and grandchildren.
Download
PDF version of this fact sheet »
| 