Rep. Windhorst Appointed to Illinois Forestry Development Council

Metropolis….State Representative Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) announced today that he has received an appointment to the Illinois Forestry Development Council by House Republican Minority Leader Jim Durkin. Rep. Windhorst’s 118th district is home to almost every square mile of Illinois’ Shawnee National Forest.

Windhorst thanked Leader Durkin for the appointment and pledged to work hard with all interested partners on forestry management and development.

“The Illinois Forestry Development Council is a vital body dedicated to the responsible use and preservation of Illinois’ forests,” Windhorst said. “I want to thank Leader Durkin for adding my name to the list of dedicated public servants currently working on the Council.”

According to its website, the Illinois Forestry Development Council was created in 1983 upon passage of the Illinois Forestry Development Act (525 ILCS 15). The 29 members of the Council represent the following interests or groups: woodland owners, farmers, forest/wood products industry, urban forestry, environmental concerns, state and federal agencies, the General Assembly, and the Governor’s office. The Council’s charge is to identify and evaluate the social, economic, scientific, and educational value of Illinois’s forest lands and forest products industries.

In addition to the members of the Council, several Task Groups work on projects and issues related to private and public woodland ownership, forest resource analysis, forestry outreach and education, legislation, long-range planning, timber marketing and promotion, and urban planning.

For more information, please visit: http://ifdc.nres.illinois.edu.