The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is seeking public comment now through Feb. 18 on an interim forest management plan for part of Wildcat Mountain State Park in rural Ontario.
Interim forest management plans are intended to guide timber management on properties that do not have formal master plans, according to a press release prepared by the DNR. The department eventually expects to complete, detailed master plans for this property. Until then, the interim forest management plan for Wildcat Mountain State Park will guide forest management of the pine plantation on the property until the master plan is complete.
The draft interim forest management plan for Wildcat Mountain State Park and a complete list of properties with interim forest management plans can be found at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fl/PropertyPlanning/IFMP.
“The interim forest management plan is important because it guides forest management and incorporates ecological, economic and recreational considerations,” said John Pohlman, DNR property planner. “The plan is a component of the department’s efforts to ensure state-owned forests are sustainably managed. The planning process also provides an opportunity for interested and affected stakeholders to have input on forest management. People want to know we are managing their lands well, and consumers increasingly prefer products from sustainably managed forests.”
Wisconsin’s 17 million acres of forested land — both public and private — provide raw materials for Wisconsin’s forest products industry, which generates $24.7 billion per year and directly supports nearly 65,000 jobs, according to the press release. Through the DNR’s use of sustainable forestry practices, trees are grown and harvested responsibly ensuring the economic, social and ecological benefits of the forest products industry, the press released added.
The public is encouraged to submit comments regarding the interim forest management plan for Wildcat Mountain State Park by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18, to Department of Natural Resources, C/O John Pohlman, DNR Property Planner, 101 S Webster St., P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707; phone: (608) 264-6263; or email: John.Pohlman@wisconsin.gov.
