Forest Resource in Geographical Management Units
- Overview & State Map
- Explanation of GMUs
- BadAxe - LaCrosse
- Black - Buffalo - Trempeleau
- Central Wisconsin
- Grant - Platte - Sugar - Pecatonica
- Headwaters
- Illinois Fox
- Lakeshore
- Lake Superior
- Lower Chippewa
- Lower Fox
- Lower Rock
- Lower Wisconsin
- Milwaukee River
- Mississippi River
- Root Pike
- Sheboygan
- St. Croix
- Upper Chippewa
- Upper Fox
- Upper Green Bay
- Upper Rock
- Wolf
Central Wisconsin GMU
Below are statistics, charts and general information on the Central Wisconsin GMU. All chart and map links open in a separate window.
The majority of acreage in the Central Wisconsin GMU lies within 5 counties: Marathon, Juneau, Wood, Adams and Portage but only 3 counties, Marathon, Juneau and Adams, account for over 2/3 of timberland.
Forest acreage
The area of timberland in the Central Wisconsin GMU has remained about the same over the past decade. The most recent survey (2001-2005) indicates that productive forestland makes up about 1.3 million acres or 42% of the total land area of the GMU.
View bar chart: Timberland acreage in the Central Wisconsin GMU
Forest types
There are 3 major forest types in the Central Wisconsin GMU: white oak/red oak/hickory, sugar maple/beech/birch and aspen. Each account for about 11% of timberland acreage. Pine-dominated forest types, mainly red pine, jack pine, and Eastern white pine, together make up 18% of acreage. View bar chart: The most important forest types in the Central Wisconsin GMU
Growing stock volume
Total growing stock volume in the Central Wisconsin GMU is 1.5 billion cubic feet. Red maple accounts for the highest percentage of volume or 18%. Pine species, eastern white, jack and red pine make up another 25% of growing stock volume.
Ratio of growth to removals
Net annual growth of trees (53.3 million cubic feet) in the Central Wisconsin GMU exceeds annual removals (27.7 million cubic feet) by 92%. Bigtooth aspen (Populus grandidentata) and quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) together account for the largest volume or 48% of all removals while red maple and sugar maple make up another 18%.
Habitat type
About 30% of timberland in the Central Wisconsin GMU is classified as dry and another 30% as either mesic-wet mesic or lowland. View pie chart: Major habitat types in the Central Wisconsin GMU
Although much of the Central Wisconsin GMU is classified as dry mesic or mesic, agriculture occurs on much of this land with forests relegated to drier soils or wetter habitat types.
View map: Major habitat types in the Central Wisconsin GMU
Timberland ownership
The majority or 82% of timberland in the Central Wisconsin GMU remains in private hands with another 13% owned by local and state government and only 5% by federal agencies.
View pie chart: Ownership of Timberland in the Central Wisconsin GMU