Wisconsin invites comments on forest management plan for George W. Mead and McMillan Marsh wildlife areas, interim plan would allow harvested timber to be certified as sustainably managed

Wendy Lisney

MILLADORE, Wisconsin , January 7, 2013 (press release) – Interim plans to guide the management of forest resources on the George W. Mead and McMillan Marsh wildlife areas are now available for public review and comment. Comments will be accepted through Jan. 24.

Interim forest management plans allow timber taken off these lands to be certified as sustainably managed, a “seal of approval” to give the public confidence these properties are well managed. The properties are located in Marathon, Wood and Portage counties.

Such plans benefit sawmills and other companies using timber from those properties, said Brian Peters, area wildlife supervisor with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

“These interim plans are important for forest certification, which in turn is important for business,” Peters said. “People want to know we are managing public lands well, and consumers increasingly prefer products from sustainably managed forests.”

A guaranteed stream of certified wood means sawmills and other forest product companies will have the competitive edge they need to do well in domestic and global markets. Forest certification assures consumers that timber has been grown and harvested in a way that meets strict environmental and social standards.

The Wisconsin forest products industry is a $16 billion per year business that directly supports more than 56,000 jobs and annually generates $228 million in state and local tax revenues.

DNR expects to begin master plans for these properties at a later time. The public will be involved in that process when it occurs. The interim plans for Mead and McMillan can be found online on the DNR website – dnr.wi.gov - by typing the keyword IFMP in the search box.

Comments can be submitted by mail to Brian Peters at Wisconsin DNR, S2148 County Hwy S, -Milladore WI 54454, or at brian.peters@wisconsin.gov or Mead and McMillan forest plans up for review by calling 715-457-6771.

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.