Statewide Forest Plan
Completed in 2004, Wisconsin's Statewide Forest Plan articulates a common vision for the state's forest resources and a framework for achieving that vision. It incorporates the full range of trends and issues affecting Wisconsin's forests and their ecological, economic and social implications. Most importantly, the plan is a call to all interested parties to address the challenges facing Wisconsin's forests both now and in the future.
Read about the process for developing the plan and the plan itself.
Implementing the Plan
The Wisconsin Council on Forestry is now leading the charge to carry out the plan and to this end has convened seven leadership teams. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-Division of Forestry helps to coordinate the effort, which also involves local, state and federal agencies, other public and private sector partners, and numerous individual citizens. Read below about the steps the Council on Forestry and its partners have taken so far to implement the plan and achieve statewide sustainable forestry in Wisconsin.
Governor's Conference on Forestry
Out of the final Statewide Forest Plan seven themes emerged that address many of the key issues facing Wisconsin's forests. The 2004 Governor's Conference on Forestry used these themes to create leadership teams capable of mobilizing the skills and resources needed to achieve the objectives of the plan. The teams and a host of other partners met for the first time at the conference to kickoff implementation of the plan.
Champions and Leadership Teams
Led by a chairperson, or "champion," each of the seven leadership teams is charged with tackling a key issue affecting the forests of our state, including biological diversity, urban forestry, invasive species, assistance to private landowners, recreational uses of Wisconsin's forests, the state's forest-based economy, and changes in land use and forest ownership. As subcommittees of the Council on Forestry, the champions and leadership teams form the core of a network of partners who will carry out the Statewide Forest Plan.
Stay Updated, Get Involved
Continued involvement by the public is critical as the plan is implemented. We invite you to stay informed about each leadership team's current action plan and recent initiatives, and to get involved with this important effort to sustain Wisconsin's forests and communities.