About DNR Forester

Wisconsin's 16 million acres of forestlands and millions of urban trees significantly enhance the quality of life in our state. Since its inception in 1904, Wisconsin DNR forestry program has dedicated itself to the sustainable management and protection of this precious resource so that it continues to provide a host of ecological, economic and social benefits for years to come.  Each county in Wisconsin has a DNR forester available to visit your land and answer your questions. A major role of Department foresters is to motivate and guide landowners to practice sustainable forestry.

DNR foresters can:

• Provide general forest management information (office visits, phone calls, property walk-through) on a broad range of multi-resource topics including timber production, forest health, wildlife management opportunities, protecting endangered or threatened resources, erosion control, recreational opportunities and forest aesthetics.

• Prepare brief to detailed written forest management plans to meet the owners' objectives.

• Administer forest tax law programs (Managed Forest Law, Forest Crop Law).

• Explain forest protection measures (fire, insects and diseases).

• Advise landowners about tree and shrub planting projects.

• Coordinate tree and shrub shipments from the state nursery and facilitate use of county tree planting machines.

• Demonstrate methods to improve growth and value of immature forests.

• Provide timber sale advice including harvest methods, names of commercial timber buyers or consulting foresters, and best management practices to prevent soil erosion during harvests.

• Timber sale establishment (Limitations: DNR foresters establish sales only if private consulting or industrial foresters decline to provide the service. DNR foresters are restricted from actually selling the timber, acting as the owners' agent, or administering sale contracts).

• Provide technical and administrative assistance for cost sharing programs.

• Educate people through conferences, school programs, public speaking and news releases.

• Promote the Cooperating Forester Program by referring landowners to private or industrial foresters when they need services that the state does not provide.