A look at Wisconsin's Forests Forests are important to Wisconsin in many ways. They provide habitat for a large number of species, recreational opportunities for residents and visitors alike and provide the foundation for an important part of the state's economy.
Forests also protect and enhance the air and water quality in Wisconsin.
Indeed, Wisconsin forests touch our lives daily through the products they provide and the many ways they improve our quality of life. The United States Department of Agriculture's Forest Service has a statutory obligation to inventory the forests of each state on a periodic basis. Additional monetary support from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources ensured that the results of the most recent inventory of Wisconsin's forest are of extra high quality. Field crews collected data for Wisconsin's Fifth Forest Inventory during 1994-1996 and the data was compiled and analyzed in 1997. These inventories assess the condition of all forests in the state and provide important information regarding their extent, composition, distribution, growth, morality and utilization.