State forestry leaders talk about why forestry and forest products matter to Wisconsin

Sam Rikkers, chief operating officer for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, on Oct. 20 led a panel of forestry industry experts to talk about opportunities, challenges and all of the facets of the future of forestry in Wisconsin for Forest Products Week on the University of Wisconsin-Steven Point’s campus.

“For 150 years, the forest products industry has shaped our state in so may ways,” he said, and turned the presentation over to the panelists to talk about their specific entity they represented and to talk a bit about the industry from their standpoint.

Larry Krueger from Lake States Lumber Association talked about using the railroad to haul lumber, as was done in the past, versus moving almost completely to transporting lumber by truck. There are environmental costs as well as financial costs in this type of transportation, he said; however, he felt there was some opportunity to move back to rail transportation with some changes in ownership in that industry. Those opportunities to decrease transportation costs could be beneficial to the industry in years to come, he said.

Scott Suder of the Wisconsin Paper Council said Wisconsin is the largest producer of paper in the country, and there have been some challenges in papermaking over the last number of years. The state has lost a number of mills, but the industry has also diversified, making the industry stronger. He said the industry continues to be a strong supporter of the state in terms of job, sustainability and community support, which has been exponentially important in rural areas. For every one papermill job, he said, there are five to six other jobs that are sustained or created because of those papermill jobs.

“It’s not your grandfather’s papermill, quote, unquote,” Suder said. “Papermills today are very technologically advanced, incredibly environmentally sensitive and focused on the future. Papermills also, the jobs are really well paying. They are family-supporting.” He said despite what people might hear, the industry is growing in the state, with two large mills being built in the state.

Henry Schienebeck from the Great Lakes Timber Producers Association (GLTPA) said he was the third generation in his family to work in the industry, and he still had his grandfather’s truck he used when he was working. 

“It’s a family tradition to be in the forest industry,” he said. “Most of our members, of the 1,000 members we have are third, fourth, fifth, even getting into the sixth generation. It’s a lifestyle. It’s our way of life. It’s not always what we make when we’re logging, it’s what we leave behind for the next generation that matters most. That’s probably the real product.”

Schienebeck said Wisconsin has a proud heritage of, first of all, never running out of trees, pointing to the responsible forestry practices that have evolved in the state. He said there was no way to stop a forest from growing, which brings clean air, clean water and recreational opportunities for everyone. With sustainable forestry, he said, all of those things people love and depend upon will be available for generations to come.

Paul Heinen from Wisconsin’s GreenFire talked about his years as a lobbyist for the Department of Natural Resources. It was difficult, he said, to lobby to some of the lawmakers in the southern part of the state when it came to forestry issues, as they felt it was a “northern Wisconsin” problem. However, he said, wood and wood products are important to everyone. As Schienebeck pointed out, too, it is difficult to do nearly anything and not have wood or wood products involved in some way. 

Schienebeck said many urban children in the cities in southern Wisconsin did not get the chance to experience the forests and realize the impact of trees and forests. He said it was important to keep bringing those kids to Northern Wisconsin to experience all of those things. GLTPA, he said, did as much funding as they could to that end, but he felt it would be nice to see some sort of state program that would bring those kids north to really experience and connect with the state’s forests. He said he wanted to see more kids get the opportunity to learn more about the heritage of the state.

Heather Berklund, the new state forester for the state Department of Natural Resources, spoke about getting people to recognize the importance and value of the forests, and how those forests evolve over time. Because of this rich landscape and forest resources in the state, she said, Wisconsin had a hand in helping to create settlements far beyond the boarders of the state by providing lumber and timber to build those cities and settlements. The critical investments of the early days of Wisconsin, she said, are the reasons why the industry is so strong today. 

The state also has over 400 school forests and is still growing, Berklund said. Recreational opportunities, which are big economic drivers, especially in northern Wisconsin, have also been part of forest planning over the decades, and continues to be strong. Even research, she said, with the state’s forest products lab, helps to drive the industry and the rich heritage of forestry in Wisconsin. Aldo Leopold, she said, drove home the idea that conservation and management could go hand in hand to maintain a healthy forest landscape. 

The meeting of these industry leaders lasted almost two hours, with a variety of topics covered, all pointing back to the strong heritage of forestry in the state, but also pointing forward to a strong future. Although there are, and will be, challenges ahead for the industry, there is no doubt that forestry is important to Wisconsin, from the environmental perspective, economic growth, recreation and even human health and well-being.

There were a variety of activities and tours scheduled throughout Forest Products Week from Oct. 19-25 affording people around the state with the opportunity to learn more about all aspects of the forestry industry. Those interested can find the full presentation on the Wisconsin Eye website at wiseye.org by searching for “Why forestry and forest products matter to Wisconsin.”

Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].