Forest landowners and forest products companies operate under federal, state and local laws and regulations. These laws and regulations may affect forestry interests directly (we call these “pine tree” issues) or indirectly through their effect on the general business, environmental or tax climate.

In either case, we must ensure that existing government policy supports forestry, forest operations and forest products manufacturing. 

The Alabama Forestry Foundation works in conjunction with the Alabama Forestry Association to evaluate existing government policy, research and develop favorable policies, and promote those policies through education and advocacy. 

These policy-related activities are based on four foundational principles:

  1. Limited, fiscally responsible government.

  2. Protection of private property rights.

  3. Free and open markets.

  4. Strict adherence to the Rule of Law.

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Recent Policy Work:

Eminent Domain

Local governments were using zoning and other regulations to preclude certain uses of a property by a landowner, thereby diminishing the value of the property.

Issue: 

 

Developed a policy solution to protect landowners from abuse of eminent domain and require compensation for “regulatory takings” under Alabama state law.

Policy: 

 

 Fire District Fees

Absentee forest landowners were charged for fire protection services by fire districts that could not be provided by the district and were already provided by the Alabama Forestry Commission funded by severance taxes paid by those landowners.

Issue: 

 

Developed policy solution to exempt forest landowners from fire district fees.

Policy:

 

Occupational Licensing

Ongoing attempts by occupational licensing boards to restrict competition within certain professions by onerous and unnecessary licensing requirement.

Issue: 

 

Developed a policy solution to balance licensing boards’ responsibility to protect the public with maintaining competitive markets for providing services. 

Policy: