Wisconsin's 16 million acres of forest need careful management and protection --- for public enjoyment, the tourism industry, the timber industry and wildlife.   Forested watersheds also help to filter rain and snowfall to produce clean flowing rivers and underground aquifers.

Wisconsin Forest Challenges

Conflicting Uses --- Wisconsin's forests serve conflicting needs, with loggers often at odds with wildlife and recreational users. And recreational users often conflict with each other, as snowmobiles annoy cross-country skiers in the winter, and all terrain vehicles annoy hikers and birdwatchers in the summer. Northwoods worthy of wilderness designation are shrinking steadily, with new calls for timber road building every year. The U.S. Forest Service recently proposed a plan to increase the timber harvest rate in the Chequamegon and Nicolet National Forests in Wisconsin, to widespread opposition. Their decision on the issue is expected soon.

Diseases and Insects --- New insects and diseases threaten Wisconsin's forests in several ways. The gypsy moth, tent caterpillar, and birch borer are firmly entrenched, along with oak wilt. These pressures combined with climate change will change Wisconsin's forests.

Global Warming and Air Pollution --- Climate projections show a definite warming trend ahead for Wisconsin, which could dramatically impact the forests of the state. Declining rainfall, increasing evaporation and declining snowcover could conspire to weaken or kill several important tree species. The changes may occur fairly rapidly, making adaptation or gradually tree line migration difficult.

More Wisconsin Forest Information

# The Forest Fragmentation Project - 1000 Friends of Wisconsin

# Eastern Forests Face Multiple Threats - American Lands

# All Terrain Vehicle Concerns - Wisconsin Nordic Network

# Intelligent Forest Consumption - Wis. Academy of Sciences Arts and Letters

# Forest Issues - Ecological Economics, Values and Police

Government Forest Management

* Wisconsin Forest Management - Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources

* Wisconsin Profile - North Central Research Station - U.S. Forest Service

Forest Locations

* Wisconsin State Forests

* Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forests

* Presque Isle Wisconsin --- Local Forests

* Wisconsin County Forests

* Wisconsin School Forests: Their Origin

* Who Owns Wisconsin's Forests? - Friends of the Brule

* Who Owns Wisconsin's Forests? - UW Extension

Air Pollution Impacts

* Changes in the air; Both carbon dioxide and ozone levels are increasing - UW-Madison

* Forests in the Age of Global Warming - Rhinelander Wisconsin - TomPaine.com

* Global Warming Impacts on Wisconsin Forests - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

* Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Budgets for Wisconsin Forests - UW Madison

* Global ReLeaf Projects in Wisconsin

* Great Lakes Ecological Assessment - Air Pollution impacts on forests Forest Organizations in Wisconsin

* Wisconsin Family Forests

* Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association

* Wisconsin Forest Resources Educational Alliance

* Wisconsin Forest Productivity Council

* Forest Stewardship Program

* PrivateForest.org

Miscellaneous

* Primer on Wisconsin's Forests - UW Extension

* Fall Foliage in Wisconsin - Wis. Dept.of Tourism

* Wisconsin State Parks, Forests and Recreation Areas

* Lumber History in Wisconsin -- scroll down

* Certified Woods - Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine

* Wisconsin Forest Tax Laws - UW Extension

* Forests and Forestry in the Great Lakes Region

* Plants of the Great Lakes Region

* Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative

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