§ 51 — Forest and Wood Products Institute; advisory board

Section 51. Mount Wachusett Community College may establish a Forest and Wood Products Institute and establish experimental sites for the purpose of achieving its mission. The institute shall be established for the purposes of (1) promoting the effective management of private and public forests and assisting private enterprise in the creation, maintenance, expansion and marketing of forest-related and wood–related products; (2) promoting the development and increased use and affordability of biomass and related renewable energy resources demonstrating the role of biomass as a sustainable, renewable energy source addressing the current concerns of air quality, green house emissions, and forest management practices, establishing applied research and development activities that examine and promote best available control technology serving as a depository of information regarding biomass and related renewable energy resources, providing consulting and technology transfer assistance to the public sector in an effort to help public institutions replicate best available practices in incorporating renewable energy strategies into existing and future construction and providing a forum for public education and training regarding renewable energy and related application; and (3) promoting education in the skills, technologies and sciences relevant to the creation maintenance and improvement of both commercial wood products and a healthy and sustainable forest resource, in consultation and conjunction with the state extension service, the department of forest and wildlife management at the university of Massachusetts, the department of environmental management, the metropolitan district commission, the Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, school systems within the north central Massachusetts region, students in secondary, post–secondary and graduate levels, timber harvesters, foresters, wood product industry owners, managers and employees, forest land owners, and municipal officials.There shall be an advisory board constituted for the general purpose of oversight of said center. Said board shall consist of not more than eighteen members, including the president of Mount Wachusett community college, the chief forester of the department of environmental management, the chief forester of the metropolitan district commission, the extension forester at the university of Massachusetts; the forest industry specialist at the Massachusetts office of business development, and the forest products and processing specialist of the Northeastern division of the division of state and private forestry of the United States Forest Service. The president of Mount Wachusett Community College shall appoint three additional members, one from each of the following organizations: the Massachusetts Wood Products Manufacturers Association, the Massachusetts Wood Producers Association, and the Massachusetts Timber Harvesters Association, and may appoint one additional member at his discretion. Said board shall also include a member of the senate appointed by the senate president and a member of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. Upon his election, the advisory board chairman shall appoint two additional members concerned with the issues of private forest landowners, and four additional members from the general public who have an interest in furthering the goals and workings of the center. All members shall serve two-year terms.