The final draft of Wisconsin's 10-year Forest Action Plan is out, and we have the opportunity to submit one more round of public comments. This is a plan that is submitted once every 10 years and will guide Wisconsin’s long-term strategies for our state forests. Together with our supporters, we submitted more than 60 comments to a prior version of this plan, and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) effectively addressed many of our concerns, but we still have another opportunity to weigh in.
In the most recent draft, the DNR added a robust section about climate change mitigation and preparedness and increased focus on using native tree species when possible in urban forestry. They also identified the importance of old growth forests. With the most recent version available here, we would like the DNR to have an increased consideration of silent sports like hiking and birding in our forests.
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Learn More: Old Growth Forests: Vital for Habitats, the Economy, and Fighting Climate Change!
Old-growth forests provide a habitat for thousands of diverse species. They bring countless economic benefits to surrounding communities. They have a superior capacity to store carbon from the atmosphere, lessening the effect of carbon on the climate. These unique forests are critical to our wellbeing -- both globally and right here in Wisconsin.
Though a precise definition is contested, old-growth forests generally refer to a natural forest older than 120 years. These forests tend to have a high, layered canopy with a range of tree species and sizes. Old trees with large diameters, young saplings, large standing dead trees, and stumps and debris are all key to old-growth forests. In Wisconsin, old-growth forests are categorized as those growing for at least 120 years and, as of 2013, the state had 77,205 acres of them.
Old-growth forests are crucial habitats for a diverse range of species, both terrestrial and aquatic. One study in the Pacific Northwest found that 1,000 terrestrial species and over 400 aquatic species are reliant on old growth forests in that area alone. The presence of large standing trees, both alive and dead; young trees; and old stumps or debris on the forest floor create habitats for a wide range of organisms.
Furthermore, old-growth forests can contribute to higher-quality bodies of water. Streams have less erosion, lower temperatures, and higher humidity levels, as compared to those in logged forests. High quality water provides a habitat for many unique species. Overall, old-growth forests boast increased biodiversity.
These forests also provide countless economic benefits. As mentioned, old-growth forests increase the quality of water in nearby sources, which can provide drinking water that requires less maintenance. Their effect on water sources can decrease the risk of floods and related damage. Old-growth forests also provide increased recreational benefits. United States residents tend to value outdoor areas that are deemed “wilderness”: ancient, seemingly untouched land. As of 1999, this translated to an increased value of $42 per person per day.
Finally, perhaps most importantly, old-growth forests work to decrease the effects of climate change every day. A 2014 study found that large old trees--aka those that make up an old-growth forest--store more carbon from the atmosphere than younger trees. Notably, carbon also accumulates in stumps and wood debris on the forest floor. Without these forests, this stored carbon would be released into the atmosphere. And as we face more flooding in Wisconsin because of climate change, the role that old growth forests play in flood management are also vital to climate change preparedness and resilience.
Old-growth forests are critical to Wisconsin’s well-being and must be protected!
Written by Katherine Scotty, Organizing Project Aide with the Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter