Wisconsin School Forests

1
Wisconsin School Forests

• Speakers Taskforce on Forestry
• January 8, 2004
• Jeremy Solin

2
Wisconsin School Forests

• History
• Criteria
• Benefits
• Administration
• Statistics Information

3
School Forest History

• School Forest Law (1927)

• First school forests in the country at Laona,
  Crandon, Wabeno

4
School Forest History

• Community Forest Law (1949)

• Wisconsin Statute 28.20
• Any city, village, town or school district may
  acquire land, engage in forestry and appropriate
  funds for such purpose.

5
School Community Forest Criteria

• Statute (28.20)

• Timber sale with value gt3,000 must be by public
  sale

6
School Community Forest Criteria

• DNR (Private Forestry Handbook)

• Lands must be owned or under control of
  municipality
• Lands should be 10 contiguous acres and 120 feet
  wide
• 80 of the land should be productive forest
• Management plan completed within one year of
  registration

7
School Community Forest Benefits

• Management assistance from DNR-Forestry

• Free seedling from the state nurseries

• WEEB school forest grants

• Wisconsin School Forest Education Specialist

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School Forest Program Administration

• Partnership between DNR-Forestry and Wisconsin
  Center for Environmental Education

• DNR-Forestry Forest management

• Wis. School Forest Ed. Specialist Education
  resources and connection to natural resource
  management resources

9
Properties

• School Forests

• 320 Public School Forests
• 24,937 Acres
• 35 10 40 acres
• 64 Counties

• 6 Private School Forests
• 393 Acres
• 6 Counties

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Properties

• Community Forests

• 79 Community Forests
• 48,566 Acres
• 41 Counties

• 22 Private Organization Forests
• 4,052 Acres
• 17 Counties

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Properties

• Community Forest Program

• 427 Forests
• 77,948 Acres
• 69 Counties

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Properties

• Length of Designation

• 1910 2003
• Most before 1980, many 1940-1960

• Forested Acres

• At least 80, probably higher

• Overall Health

• ? - Variable

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Funding

• Timber Sales Forest Products (50)

• Grants
• WEEB Forestry Mill Tax

• About 50 of school forests have no budget

• Employees
• 10 School Forest Coordinators
• Teachers, Administrators

16
Management

• DNR, County, Industry, Consulting Foresters
  provide oversight of most forest management
  activities

17
Tree Species

• Only data are from management plans

• Only required initially
• Often are not updated 50 do not have an
  updated plan

18
Harvests

• Allowable harvest is unknown

• Annual harvest is unknown

• Income is unknown

• 1/3 of school forests have conducted harvests

19
Damage

• Damage on properties is unknown

• Anecdotally, invasive species, insect infestation
  (pine stands), and wind are primary issues

20
Fire Prevention

• Minimal planning and effort at school forest level

• DNR fire suppression

21
Conclusion

• Land base with opportunity to have a large impact
  on publics understanding of forest management

• Need to improve information available at local
  level (e.g., allowable harvest, fire prevention,
  forest health)

• Need to improve information available at
  statewide level (e.g., forest composition and
  health, income, management activities)