Blog Articles

David B.

Craig Everts, Bainbridge Island, WA – passed away January 24, 2016

WI Act 358 makes changes to Wisconsin’s Managed Forest Law (MFL) and Forest Crop Law (FCL).  Below is a summary of some important changes, as quoted from the WI DNR interim guidance, that start immediately. Severance/Yield taxes: Act 358 removes DNR authority to assess (invoice) and collect 10% severance tax on FCL land and 5% yield tax on MFL land for timber and forest products harvested.

If you are working on an application to enroll in the MFL effective January 1, 2017, you need to review the provisions listed below, per DNR interim guidance.  Please note that the MFL application deadline is June 1 for an effective date of January 1, 2017. Minimum Acreage: Act 358 increases the required minimum acreage to 20 acres per MFL parcel for all 2017 and future entries.

WWOA President Paul Kienitz attended the Governor’s bill signing ceremony for the Managed Forest Law bill (SB 434) this afternoon in Rhinelander. It appears that the Governor only line item vetoed one small item in the bill that will not impact private woodland owners.  Although the bill does not have an act number yet, you can review the draft act.

You can now see the results of the 2016 spring hearings statewide or broken down by county. The 2016 spring hearings were conducted in all 72 Wisconsin counties on April 11 at 7pm. At the spring hearings citizens provide feedback and respond to a wide range of proposed fish and wildlife management issues and Conservation Congress advisory questions.

Tom and Mary Kempen’s road to being woodland owners was a winding one. The Kempens built a home in Ashwaubenon in 1979, and Tom had a hankering to heat it with wood. He started looking for a piece of woodlands, so they could have a sustainable source of wood for their wood stove.

On April 5 the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced changes to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system that provides recognition for SFI, ATFS, CSA, and other PEFC-endorsed standards, and creates new opportunities for legal and responsible forest products to earn points. These changes validate and sustain the communities of people across the country working to manage forest responsibly.

Remember – to protect oak trees and help prevent oak wilt, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources advises people to avoid pruning oaks on their property from April through July. Any tree damage during this time creates an opening that exposes live tree tissue and provides an opportunity for the oak wilt fungus to invade and establish itself in the tree.

A travelling John Muir library exhibit is making its way across Wisconsin! Through 2016 the Wisconsin Historical Society is providing a free exhibit to public libraries in 25 communities. The exhibit explores Muir’s youth, advocacy for national parks, and his views on environmental issues such as logging, hunting and climate change.