The success of sustainable forest management starts with a solid plan. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires each chief state forester to develop a statewide action plan every ten years. The Wisconsin plan, developed in 2020, reflects on lessons learned from the past to prepare for future challenges.

The next 12 posts are related to the “forest characteristics, ecology and management” section of the plan. Goals in this section include providing connectivity between forest patches, as well as increasing the quality and scale of forested habitat for many forest-dependent species.

Wisconsin DNR Forestry meeting with stakeholders at Caroline Lake, Ashland County. A wide variety of forestry partners collaborated on the preparation and implementation of Wisconsin’s Statewide Forest Action Plan. Credit: Wisconsin DNR