County and U.S. Forest Service report timber sales, oak-wilt concerns and dam work; carbon-credit timeline unclear

Sawyer County forestry staff reported active timber-sale activity and revenue on track with the annual budget, while the U.S. Forest Service described regional projects now open for public comment and a dam repair that will require a drawdown.

County forestry said it had 10 active sales listed for the month, six closeouts during August, and the total sale value (sold and uncut on file) listed at just over $4,300,000. Forestry staff reported August revenue of $363,000 and a year-to-date total nearing $1,700,000, which the department said keeps the program on target for its revenue budget.

The county discussed how timber-sale contracts are structured: a two-year base contract with up to two extensions (for a maximum of four years). Forestry staff said third-year prices are typically increased by 10% and fourth-year stumpage prices by 15% when extensions are used. If a sale is not completed within four years (barring major weather events), staff said the county will reclaim the bond to cover reestablishment costs and then re-advertise the sale.

Committee members asked about inactive sales; the forester explained contractors often move in and out of active work because of market conditions, and that inactive listings may later become active again.

On carbon credits, county staff said a firm named Anew made a presentation of the county's credits to a potential buyer earlier in the month. Staff said the contract requires the buyer to recover its expenses before the county would see payments and that some revenue was not expected until late next year.

Mike Martin, district ranger for the U.S. Forest Service Great Divide Ranger District, gave a quarterly update. He said the district completed multiple sales this fiscal year and planned several more offerings totaling many millions of board feet over the coming weeks. Martin identified the West Zone Aspen project as a large scoping effort that covers three districts from Bayfield down to Medford and said the project is open for comment through the end of the month; he described it as addressing older aspen age classes across roughly 49,000 acres and included a numeric board-feet projection in his remarks.

Martin also reported that Day Lake Dam (located at the junction of Ashland, Bayfield and Sawyer counties) has failed toe drains that the Forest Service plans to replace next year. He stressed that the work requires drawing the impoundment down to perform earthwork and that fisheries biologists and Wisconsin DNR partners will manage a slow drawdown and monitoring plan to reduce impacts on fish. Martin said the work is out for public comment and that the plan calls for drawing the impoundment down next fall to allow repair.

Recreational-trail representatives told the committee that UTV riding and organized off-road events had strong turnout this summer and that local law enforcement has been used at specific problem locations to reduce speeding along road shoulders. County conservation staff reported invasive-species surveys, mitigation checks tied to specialized land-use permits, and progress on a land and water management plan that the advisory committee hopes to finalize for public hearing by the end of the month.

The committee also heard from DNR-contracted staff who said they will start site-preparation work using dozers on roughly 100 acres to encourage oak and white-pine regeneration during an above-average acorn year and that a full partnership meeting with the county is scheduled for the 22nd of this month.

No formal committee action was taken on the forestry or U.S. Forest Service updates; the items were presented for information and discussion.