Some Facts about Wisconsin Forests

Derived from most recently published inventory of forest resources by United States Forest Service (USFS), 1996

• Wisconsin forest land increased by 640,000 acres between 1983 and 1996.
• 1983 – 15.32 million acres to 1996 – 15.96 million acres.
• Forest land occupies 46% of total Wisconsin land area.
• Timberland area increased by 940,000 acres. 1983 – 14.76 million acres; 1996 – 15.70 million acres.
• Private individuals own 57% of the timberland area in Wisconsin. The remaining 43% is owned by:
• 30% government-owned
• 7% – forest industry
• 4% – private corporations
• 2% – tribal lands
• The composition of Wisconsin’s forest is changing.
• The maple-basswood forest type is the most common in Wisconsin and has increased from 4.1 million acres in 1983 to 5.3 million acres in 1996.
• The elm-ash-soft maple forest type also increased from 1.3 million acres in 1983 to 1.5 million acres in 1996.
• The aspen-birch forest type declined from 3.8 million acres in 1983 to 3.4 million acres in 1996.
• The number of live trees over 10-feet tall on Wisconsin forest land increased by 1.4 billion between 1983 and 1996.
• 1,700 live trees per Wisconsin resident.
• Average net annual growth exceeded average annual removals by 158 million cubic feet between 1983 and 1996.
• 1983-96 : Net growth – 490 million cubic feet; Removals – 332 million cubic feet. Removals were 68% of net growth.
• Average net annual growth of sawtimber (softwoods larger than 9″ and hardwoods larger than 11″ in diameter at a height of 4.5 feet) was 1,681 million board feet between 1983 and 1996. This exceeded the average annual removal of 986 million board feet. Removals were 59% of net growth.