Forest Products Utilization and Marketing

Foresters work hard to sustainably manage Wisconsin's public and private forests, but that's only part of the picture. Wisconsin needs markets for its timber and timber products if sustainable management efforts are to be continued and brought to fruition. The Utilization and Marketing program supports Wisconsin's forest product economy with market development, process improvement, and adoption of new technologies. The program's mission is to maintain a competitive and diverse forest industry using sustainable practices on Wisconsin's 16 million acres of forest land.

Loading logs for mill processing from Pine Island near Portage.
WDNR Photo by Theresa Plenty.

Strong commercial markets allow foresters to choose from a wide variety of forest products -- from logs to pulp to biomass -- to help meet landowner objectives. Utilization and Marketing specialists assist forest product industries by strengthening their competitive positions in regional, national, and global markets. Businesses or communities seeking support with new markets are offered assistance with regulatory procedures and ideas for forest-based economic development.

Importance of Forestry to Wisconsin's economy
	Value	Percent of all manufacturers
Number of companies	1,410	13.5
Number of employees	72,603	14.4
Total Payroll	$3,122,603	13.9
Value-added	$1,208,119,783	1.8
Cost of materials	$10,438,011,760	13.4
Value of shipments	$20,206,744,443	14.0
Capital expenditures	$738,509,505	18.9
Values are from 2005, the most recent year for which data are available. Wisconsin's forest industry comprises firms in the North American Industry Classification System: (NAICS) 321 - Wood and Wood Products that part of (NAICS) 337 that manufactures wooden furniture, and (NAICS) 322 - Paper and allied products In addition there are a reported 350 firms in Forestry/Logging employing more than 1000 people, with a payroll of $28 million. Wisconsin also produces specialized machinery for the forest products and paper industries.

Source: Wisconsin Economic Development Institute

Last Revised: Monday July 21 2008