Forest Certification

Three major land management programs administered by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are verified under third-party forest certification programs. They include:

• Wisconsin State Forests - 512,000 acres
• Wisconsin County Forests - About 2.4 million acres in 27 counties
• Managed Forest Law - 2 million acres under nearly 37,000 contracts with private landowners

Independent, third-party certification means management of Wisconsin's forests meets strict standards for ecological, social and economic sustainability. Publishers, building contractors and other manufactures are expanding use of certified wood to assure customers that their products are not tainted by timber theft or destructive timber cutting issues that plague some parts of the world. Forest certification helps Wisconsin remain competitive in global markets that increasingly demand certified raw materials. Objective review is also instrumental in improving how we care for our forests.

Certification Standards

The State and County Forest programs are dual certified under Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI) standards. The Managed Forest Law program participates in American Tree Farm System (ATFS) Group Certification, designed specifically for smaller "family forests" in private ownership. Together, FSC, SFI and ATFS certification programs constitute credible certification with internationally recognized performance requirements. Detailed audit reports for each DNR program are available on the following pages:

• State Forests Certification
• County Forests Certification
• MFL Certification
• Other DNR Land

Contact