By:  Ratliff                                           S.R. No. 625

                                  SENATE RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, Texans have always taken great pride in our state's

 1-2     rich bounty of natural resources, and the careful stewardship of

 1-3     these precious assets is essential if future generations are to

 1-4     benefit from them; and

 1-5           WHEREAS, The forest products industry has been at the

 1-6     forefront of responsible land use, and with the inauguration of the

 1-7     Sustainable Forestry Initiative, the principles of conservation and

 1-8     continuity that ensure the future of forestry will be disseminated

 1-9     through the ongoing education of landowners, foresters, and

1-10     loggers; the initiative also provides for the monitoring of

1-11     industry adherence to these guidelines; and

1-12           WHEREAS, An essential component of the Texas economy, the

1-13     forest products industry comprises more than 61,000 employees,

1-14     representing nearly six percent of the state's manufacturing

1-15     workforce, and the vital importance of the industry underscores the

1-16     necessity for intelligent management of the state's more than 19

1-17     million acres of forest  land; now, therefore, be it

1-18           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 75th Texas Legislature

1-19     hereby recognize the state's forest products industry for its

1-20     commitment to  responsible use of natural resources and commend the

1-21     creation of the Sustainable  Forestry  Initiative as a means to

1-22     this end.

1-23                                  ______________________________________

1-24                                          President of the Senate

1-25                                       I hereby certify that the above

1-26                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate

 2-1                                  on May 19, 1997.

 2-2                                  ______________________________________

 2-3                                          Secretary of the Senate

 2-4                                  ______________________________________

 2-5                                            Member, Texas Senate