Climate change is projected to shift ecosystems in northern Wisconsin bringing profound change to forests including altered forest structure and habitat loss for vulnerable species. These changes will pose management challenges that could be addressed in forest plans. Wisconsin counties manage the largest public forest acreage and thus, county forest plans are a good tool to gauge climate change preparedness. We examined current county forest plans for inclusion of climate change adaptation, but most 2005-6 plans do not address it. We surveyed county foresters to investigate if climate change adaptation will be incorporated into plans and if so, to what extent. 

Wisconsin’s extensive forests attract residents and visitors, increasing development on private forestland and raising concerns about fragmentation. Many communities rely on basic land-use policies and are unsure whether stricter regulations would conserve forests or be accepted by landowners. This study of northern Wisconsin examines how zoning affects forest conservation and landowner attitudes. It finds that density-based zoning preserves more total and core forest than conventional zoning, and that landowners are more supportive of stricter policies when they perceive serious threats. These results suggest that informed dialogue can encourage stronger local policies to protect forests.

This report is intended to support the ongoing pine barrens restoration work in the Lakewood-Laona Ranger District on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF). The report provides the results from 2016 surveys and focus groups examining landowner and visitor attitudes toward forest management treatments, communication, and restoration project outcomes; their forest values; their levels of trust in the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS) and local agency personnel; and potential impacts of restoration on the recreational, aesthetic, and social dynamics of nearby communities.