Forest resource management in the north: Dealing with a labyrinth of state agencies and authorities

State agencies responsible for the use, management, and protection of forests have increased in number and have become increasingly more diverse in mission and organization. A 2000-2001 assessment of state agencies affecting forest conditions in the North found that such agencies are dispersed over all sectors and levels of state government; a state's lead forestry agency often is only a small piece in the puzzle of state agencies affecting forests; consequences of fragmented state agency responsibility for forests generally are adverse, especially public confusion over agency roles and lack of integrated resource management; and coordination among state agencies affecting forest conditions takes many forms, although its occurrence generally is modest.