Subdivision 1. Establishment. The dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota, is encouraged to maintain an Interagency Information Cooperative that must include members from:

(1) the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, University of Minnesota;

(2) the Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota, Duluth;

(3) the department;

(4) the Minnesota Geospatial Information Office;

(5) the Minnesota Association of County Land Commissioners;

(6) the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service; and

(7) other organizations as deemed appropriate by the members of the cooperative.

Subd. 2. Purpose. The purposes of the cooperative are to:

(1) coordinate the development and use of forest resources data in the state;

(2) promote the development of statewide guidelines and common language to enhance the ability of public and private organizations and institutions to share forest resources data;

(3) promote the development of information systems that support access to important forest resources data;

(4) promote improvement in the accuracy, reliability, and statistical soundness of fundamental forest resources data;

(5) promote linkages and integration of forest resources data to other natural resource information;

(6) promote access and use of forest resources data and information systems in decision-making by a variety of public and private organizations; and

(7) promote expanding the capacity and reliability of forest growth, succession, and other types of ecological models.

Subd. 3. Report. By November 1 of each even-numbered year, the information cooperative shall report to the council its accomplishments in fulfilling the responsibilities identified in this section.

History: 1995 c 220 s 86,141,142; 1995 c 263 s 12; 1996 c 351 s 1; 1999 c 231 s 191; 1Sp2001 c 2 s 151; 2002 c 379 art 1 s 108; 2004 c 241 s 4; 2009 c 101 art 2 s 107; 2014 c 289 s 44