As demands on Minnesota’s forests grow ever more complex, there is a need for forest management to support forest-based economic opportunities while maintaining forest ecological functions such as biological diversity and societal values such as outdoor recreation. Minnesota’s Sustainable Forest Resources Act mandated development of voluntary site-level timber harvesting and forest management guidelines that recommend economical ways to conduct management activities with limited impacts to forest functions and values. The MFRC Site-Level Program manages the development of these guidelines, provides guidance on monitoring guideline implementation, and conducts research and assessment of guideline effectiveness and forest health.
Minnesota's voluntary forest management guidelines are a set of best practices designed to mitigate impacts to soil and water quality, wetlands, riparian areas, wildlife habitat, historic and cultural sites, and visual quality during activities such as timber harvesting.