Madison, WI — A new statewide initiative, Wisconsin Forests FIRST (Forest Industry Roadmap and Strategies for Tomorrow), has officially launched to develop a strategic plan and long-term roadmap to ensure Wisconsin’s forests remain healthy while supporting a resilient, sustainable, and competitive forest products industry. Wisconsin Forests FIRST is funded through a $1 million State of Wisconsin grant awarded to the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association and the Wisconsin Paper Council, in close collaboration with the Wisconsin Council on Forestry. The two-year initiative brings together industry leaders and subject matter experts to identify challenges and align priorities to position Wisconsin’s forest and wood products sector for long-term success. …“This first-of-its-kind collaborative project will bring together industry experts from across the state to help create a strategic roadmap to ensure Wisconsin’s forests and forest products industry remains strong into the future”, said Scott Suder, President of the Wisconsin Paper Council”.