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Wisconsin Forest Management Guidelines

Below you will find a table of contents for the Wisconsin Forest Management Guidelines (FMG) (Pub-FR-226 2011). Under each chapter is a list of the topics covered in that chapter. Click on the chapter title to view the chapter in PDF format.

Check the revision date:

The FMG was printed in a manner that will allow us to revise individual chapters without having to reprint/recreate the entire book. Adjacent to the chapter title is the revision date for the chapter (e.g Rev 2011 means the chapter was last revised in 2011). The revision date will change as information is updated within the chapter. Check this site periodically to make sure you have the most recent revisions.

FOREWORD (PDF, 355K) Rev 2011

Table of Contents

PURPOSE (PDF, 604K) Rev 2011
WISCONSIN’S FORESTS: A QUICK OVERVIEW (PDF, 2474K) Rev 2011
A STATEWIDE SNAPSHOT OF WISCONSIN’S FORESTS
    Wisconsin’s Forests
    Forest Area
    Forest Types
    Number of Trees
    Timber Volume
    Growth and Removals
    Economic Importance
    Biodiversity
    Ownership
    Urban Forests
A BRIEF HISTORY OF WISCONSIN’S FORESTS
    Forests Before European/American Settlement
    Forests Since European/American Settlement
CHAPTER 2 — GENERALLY ACCEPTED SILVICULTURAL PRACTICES (PDF, 2874K) Rev 2011
SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY
LANDOWNER GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
SITE EVALUATION AND STAND DELINEATION
    Forest Cover Types and Silvicultural Alternatives
SILVICULTURAL SYSTEMS OVERVIEW
EVEN-AGED SILVICULTURAL SYSTEMS
    Even-aged Harvest and Regeneration Methods
    Even-aged Tending Methods
    Even-aged Harvest Considerations
UNEVEN-AGED SILVICULTURAL SYSTEMS
    Uneven-aged Harvest and Regeneration Methods
    Uneven-aged Tending Methods
    Uneven-aged Harvest Considerations
PASSIVE OR NON-MANAGEMENT OPTIONS
SILVICULTURAL SYSTEMS SUMMARY
    Table 2-1: Generally Accepted Regeneration Methods By Forest Cover Type
SALVAGE HARVESTS
UNSUSTAINABLE CUTTING METHODS
MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS
RESOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CHAPTER 3 — WILDLIFE HABITAT AND BIODIVERSITY (PDF, 3993K) Rev 2011
SPECIFIC WILDLIFE HABITAT GUIDELINES
    Leave Trees and Snags
    Coarse Woody Debris and Slash
    Conifer Retention and Regeneration
    Mast
    Harvesting Patterns
    Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Species
    Natural Communities, High Conservation Value Forests, and State Natural Areas
    Ephemeral Ponds
    Riparian Wildlife Habitat
RESOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CHAPTER 4 — VISUAL QUALITY (PDF, 1347K) Rev 2011
THE VALUE OF VISUAL QUALITY
    A Concern for Aesthetic Quality
    Benefits of Visual Quality Management
VISUAL SENSITIVITY LEVELS
    Recognizing Different Levels of Visual Sensitivity
    Visual Sensitivity Levels
    The Value of Recognizing Different Levels of Visual Sensitivity
RESOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CHAPTER 5 — RIPARIAN AREAS AND WETLANDS (PDF, 2058K) Rev 2011
THE VALUE OF RIPARIAN AREAS
    A Transition from Aquatic to Terrestrial Ecosystems
    Protecting Water Quality
    Forestry BMPs for Water Quality
RIPARIAN MANAGEMENT ZONES
    What Exactly is a Riparian Management Zone?
    Regulations
BMPS FOR RIPARIAN MANAGEMENT ZONES
    BMPs Common to All Three RMZ Categories
    BMPs: Lakes, Trout Streams and Streams 3 Feet Wide and Wider
    BMPs: Streams Less Than 3 Feet Wide
    BMPs: Streams Less Than 1 Foot Wide
WETLANDS
    Wetland Identification
    BMPs: General Wetlands
    Regulations
    BMPs” Wetland Filter Strip
CHAPTER 6 — CULTURAL RESOURCES (PDF, 2095K) Rev 2011
CULTURAL RESOURCES
    Forest Management for the Protection of Cultural Resources
    What Cultural Resources Are
    Economics of Cultural Resource Management
    Potential Impacts
    Cultural Resource Management and the Law
    Cultural Resource Inventories
    Assessing Cultural Resources
    Field Identification of Cultural Resources
    Assessing Management Alternatives
    When Accidental Discovery Occurs
CHAPTER 7 — FOREST SOIL PRODUCTIVITY (PDF, 1321K) Rev 2011
THE VALUE OF FOREST SOIL PRODUCTIVITY
    Sustainable Soil Productivity
SOIL CHARACTERISTICS AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS
    Three Related Groups of Soil Characteristics
    Characteristic 1: Physical Characteristics of Soil and Potential Impacts
    Characteristic 2: Chemical Characteristics of Soil and Potential Impacts
    Characteristic 3: Biological Characteristics of Soil and Potential Impacts
APPLYING GUIDELINES TO VARYING SITE CONDITIONS
CHAPTER 8 — INVASIVE PLANTS, INSECTS AND DISEASES (PDF, 4453K) Rev 2011
WHAT ARE INVASIVE SPECIES?
INVASIVE SPECIES ARE A THREAT TO FORESTS
INVASIVE SPECIES MAY ALTER FOREST STEWARDSHIP
FORESTRY PRACTICES CAN INFLUENCE THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE SPECIES
ELEMENTS OF INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT
    Prevention
    Early Detection and Rapid Responses
    Control
    Monitoring
    Restoration
IMPLEMENTING INVASIVE INSECT AND DISEASE MANGEMENT
FOREST BMPs FOR INVASIVE SPECIES
    BMPs: General
RESOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CHAPTER 9 — ECONOMICS (PDF, 2095K) Rev 2011
BALANCING ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS AND OTHER FOREST VALUES
BASIC FOREST MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMICS: THREE THINGS EVERY FOREST LANDOWNER SHOULD KNOW
    1. How to Increase the Returns from Forestry Investments
    2. How Forest Products Are Sold
    3. How to Get Fair Market Value for Your Timber
ADVANCED FOREST ECONOMICS: AN INVESTMENT ANALYSIS PRIMER
TAX AND RECORD-KEEPING CONSIDERATIONS
    The Original Basis: A Key Tax Consideration
    Forestry-related Tax Deductions
RESOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CHAPTER 10 — FOREST MANAGEMENT PLANNING (PDF, 1654K) Rev 2011
FOREST MANAGEMENT PLANNING
    Incorporating Sustainability into Forest Management Plans
    Forest Management Plan Elements
    BMPs: Invasive Species
CHAPTER 11 — GENERAL OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES (PDF, 1433K) Rev 2011
OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
    Timing and Coordination of Activities
    Designing Operations to Fit Site Conditions
    Managing and Minimizing Infrastructure
    Management Activity Planning Checklist
PROTECTING CULTURAL RESOURCES
FUELS, LUBRICANTS, WASTE, AND SPILLS
    Fuels, Lubricants and Waste
    Spills
    BMPs: Spills
POST-OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES
    BMPs: Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention
BMPs OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES
    BMPs: Invasive Species
CHAPTER 12 — FOREST ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE (PDF, 2433K) Rev 2011
    Integrated Resource Management Considerations
UPLAND FOREST ROADS
    BMPs: Planning, Location and Design
STREAM CROSSING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
    BMPs: Stream Crossings
    BMPs: Culverts for Stream Crossings
    BMPs: Fords
    BMPs: Temporary Stream Crossings
ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND DRAINAGE
    BMPs: Road Construction
DRAINAGE STRUCTURES
    BMPs: Drainage Structures
SOIL STABILIZATION
    BMPs: Soil Stabilization
WETLAND FOREST ROADS
    BMPs: Wetland Roads, Skid Trails and Landings
FEDERAL REQUIREMENTSFOR FOREST ROADS IN WETLANDS
ROAD MAINTENANCE
    BMPs: Road Maintenance
    BMPs: Invasive Species
CHAPTER 13 — TIMBER HARVESTING (PDF, 3041K) Rev 2011
    Integrated Resource Management Considerations
PLANNING AND DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
    Soil Productivity
    Water Quality and Wetlands
    BMP: Planning and Design
    Visual Quality
    Cultural Resources
    Slash Management and Landings
    Reserve Trees, Wildlife Trees, Coarse Woody Debris, and Snags
    Harvesting Implementation
OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
    Protecting Soil Productivity
    Protecting Water Quality and Wetlands
    BMPs: Protecting Sensitive Areas
    Protecting Cultural Resources
    Skid Trails
    BMPs: Skid Trails
    Landings
    BMPs: Landings
    Minimizing Rutting
    BMP: Rutting
    Managing Slash
    BMP: Slash
    Snags (Standing Dead Trees)
    Reserve(Leave) Trees
    Providing Coarse Woody Debris
    Managing the Harvesting Process
    Understanding Harvesting Equipment and Harvesting Systems
    The Timber Sale Contract
    Five Steps in a Careful and Successful Timber Sale
    Understanding the Sample Timber Sale Contract
    Contract Breach: A Very Serious Decision
    What is Reasonable?
POST-OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES
    BMPs: Invasive Species
RESOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CHAPTER 14 — PESTICIDE USE (PDF, 1379K) Rev 2011)
    Integrated Resource Management Considerations
    BMP: Invasive Species
PLANNING
    Considering All Your Options: Integrated Pest Management
    Pesticide Characteristics Affecting Ground and Surface water Contamination Potential
    Selecting Pesticides
    Selecting Application Methods
    Spill Response
    BMP: Spill Response
OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
    Transportation of Pesticides
    Storage of Pesticides
    Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know
    Mixing and Loading Operations
    BMP: Mixing and Loading Operations
    Pre-Application Activities
    Timing and Weather Considerations
    BMP: Timing and Weather Conditions
    Applying Pesticides
    BMPs: Applying Pesticides
    Protecting Water Resources
    BMPs: Protecting Water Resources
POST-OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES
    Equipment Clean-up and Container and Waste Disposal
    BMP: Equipment Clean-up
    BMP: Container and Waste Disposal
FOREST CERTIFICATION
RESOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CHAPTER 15 — REFORESTATION AND AFFORESTATION (PDF, 2379K) Rev 2011
    Integrated Resource Management Considerations
PLANNING AND DESIGN
    Setting Goals
    Site Evaluation
    Planting Design
    Species Selection
    Spacing
    Planting Arrangement
    Direct Seeding Versus Seedlings
    Seed Source Selection
    Planting Stock Type Selection
OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES
    Site Preparation
    BMPs: Protecting Resources
    Planting
POST-OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
    Monitoring Program
    Vegetation Control
    Animal Control
    Insect and Disease Control
    Weather and Environmental Damage
    BMPs: Invasive Species
RESOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CHAPTER 16 — INTERMEDIATE SILVICULTURAL TREATMENTS (PDF, 2251K) Rev 2011
    Integrated Resource Management Considerations
PLANNING
OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
    Release
    Thinning
    Thinning Clumps of Trees
    Improvement Cutting
    Salvage and Sanitation Cutting
    Pruning
POST-OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES
    BMPs: Invasive Species
RESOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CHAPTER 17 — FIRE MANAGEMENT (PDF, 4223K) Rev 2011
PART I: WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT
    Protection of Resources from Wildfire
    Protection of Property from Wildfire
PART II: PRESCRIBED FIRE MANAGEMENT
    Integrated Resource Management Considerations
PLANNING AND DESIGN
    Burn Plan Management
    Land Management Objectives
    Factors Influencing Fire Behavior
OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
    Fire Spread Patterns
    Ignition patterns
    Firebreaks
    Managing Firebreaks and Accesses
    BMP: Managing Firebreaks and Accesses
    Protecting Water Quality
    BMPs: Protecting Water Quality
    Smoke Management Considerations
    Safety Considerations
    Pre-burn Briefing
POST-OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES
    Post-burn Monitoring
    Fire Effects Evaluation
    BMPs: Post-operational Activities
    BMPs: Invasive Species
RESOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CHAPTER 18 — FOREST RECREATION MANAGEMENT (PDF, 6960K) Rev 2011
    Integrated Resource Management Considerations
PLANNING AND DESIGN
OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
    Construction
    BMPs: Invasive Species
    Operations
RESOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: TREE MARKING AND RETENTION GUIDELINES (PDF, 1537K) Rev 2011
    Timber Management – Crop Tree Selection
    Timber Management – Selecting Trees to Cut and the Standard Order of Removal
    Timber Management – General Criteria to Evaluate Risk, Vigor, Quality, Species, and Spacing for Tree Selection
    Wildlife Tree and Snag Retention Criteria
    Reserve Trees
    Reserve Trees, Mast Trees, Cavity Trees, and Snags – Recommendations for Retension in Managed Stands
APPENDIX B: SAMPLE TIMBER SALE CONTRACT (PDF, 1595K) Rev 2011
APPENDIX C: FOREST CERTIFICAITON (PDF, 1747K) Rev 2011
    Forest Certification Systems: Summary and Overview
    Relating Certification Standards, Principles, and Objectives to Wisconsin Forest Management Guidelines
APPENDIX D: REGULATIONS RELATING TO FOREST MANAGEMENT (PDF, 1527K) Rev 2011
    Wisconsin Laws
    Federal Laws
APPENDIX E: PREMITS (PDF, 1507K) Rev 2011
APPENDIX F: CITED REFERENCES (PDF, 1562K) Rev 2011
APPENDIX G: RESOURCE DIRECTORY (PDF, 2150K) Rev 2011
    Forest Management Assistance and Education
    Cultural Resource Assistance
    Non-timber Products
    Petroleum Spills
    Sources of Maps and Planning Tools
    Financial Incentive Programs
    Fish and Wildlife Habitat, Wetland Protection
    Forest Health Protection
    Water Crossings
    Prescribed Burning
    Endangered, Threatened or Special Concern Species
    Pesticide Use
    Other Resources
APPENDIX H: GLOSSARY (PDF, 1575K) Rev 2011

Credits
ALL photo and figure credits are listed on or below the image. Note that some photos and figures need permission for reproduction and are protected by copyright laws. Contact the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, for required permission and further copyright information.

Last Revised: Friday August 26 2011