Timber sales and forest products

A Well-Managed Forest Keeps Giving

Timber sales on the Governor Knowles State Forest are established through a systematic, multi-step process that involves both state forest staff and various DNR resource managers.

In addition to timber sales, firewood permits are issued to the public to salvage up to 10 cords of dead trees per year for personal use. Christmas tree permits are also issued to the public.

Timber Sale Program

Prior to establishing timber sales, the property holds an annual meeting to seek input from various DNR programs. The purpose of these gatherings is to alert Governor Knowles State Forest staff to any issues of special concern that should be addressed as part of sale design.

Professional foresters then delineate sale areas based on harvest recommendations found in the property's up-to-date inventory (recon) data. In planning sales the forest staff applies silvicultural prescriptions that are appropriate for the specific timber types being harvested. They also consider aesthetics, best management practices for water quality, insect and disease concerns, and benefits to wildlife and endangered resources.

Once sale tracts are sold and harvesting begins, the forest staff regularly visits the sale areas to check that contract specifications are being met and to communicate with logging contractors. These visits ensure that timber harvests meet the objectives of the Governor Knowles State Forest and helps to maintain vital partnerships.

Bid Packages

Each year the Governor Knowles State Forest offers timber stumpage for sale. A bid package is available about three weeks prior to the bid opening.

This package includes:

Map of each timber sale area
Legal description of the sale area
Estimated volume by species to be cut
Description of the cutting boundary
General harvesting guidelines
Contract length and special contract requirements

This timber sale prospectus also highlights the date, time and location of the bid opening, and states the requirements for performance bond, stumpage payments, worker’s compensation insurance and logger training as mandated by the DNR's forest certification program.

Bid Requirements

View a sample Timber Sales Contract (Form 2400-005) [PDF, 179KB] to see the types of issues addressed in timber sale contracts.

The Department of Natural Resources' Timber Sale Handbook outlines DNR policies and procedures for conducting timber sales on public lands (state forest and county forests).

The DNR-Division of Forestry Silviculture Handbook describes the science-based and systematic approaches used by forest managers to implement management recommendations and decisions for each major timber type found in Wisconsin. These standards apply to all DNR-owned lands, all acreage designated as county forest land, and private lands enrolled in the state’s forest tax law programs.

Governor Knowles State Forest Certification Numbers

Certification of Wisconsin's forestry programs by independent, third-party organizations means that management of Wisconsin's forests meets strict standards for ecological, social and economic sustainability. The state forests are certified under the standards of both the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI). Certification numbers for the Governor Knowles State Forest are:

FSC Certification # SCS-FM/COC-0007N
SFI Certification # NSF-SFIS-1Y941-S1

Additional information on State Forest Certification

Last Revised: Wednesday June 25 2008