Iron County forestry chief details forest holdings, revenue mix and emerald ash borer risk

Most of the county’s public lands are managed by Iron County’s Forestry & Parks department, Administrator Eric Peterson told the board during a monthly "meet your department" presentation. Peterson said the county forest totals 175,422 acres — about 36% of Iron County’s roughly 484,660 acres — and that public lands overall approach half the county’s area.

Peterson walked supervisors through the department’s staffing and a stand‑type breakdown: northern hardwoods account for about 45% (roughly 68,000 acres), aspen about 28% (≈42,000 acres), swamp conifers about 17% (≈26,000 acres) and swamp hardwoods about 8,518 acres. He warned the board that emerald ash borer is killing an estimated 90–95% of ash statewide and said the county faces a difficult management decision for the roughly 8,500 acres of ash‑dominated swamp hardwoods.

The administrator described the department’s revenue mix and historical trends. Timber (stumpage) sales are the primary income source; Peterson noted peak stumpage years in 2015–2016 (around $3–3.5 million) and a flatter revenue profile since then. He gave numbers for recent sales: spring 2024 sales generated $963,004.50 and 2023 harvests produced roughly $1.31 million in estimated sale value. Peterson also cited grant funding and FEMA reimbursements tied to the Saxon Harbor reconstruction — including $2.6 million in recent FEMA payments — as material but episodic revenue.

On policy and operations, Peterson explained that Wisconsin DNR’s Whisper database provides reconnaissance data and cut recommendations but the county uses a growth‑based harvest goal (set at 90% of estimated northern hardwood and aspen growth) to sustain forests and revenue. He described typical timber sale cycles (two main openings, early June and October), noted the department averages about 30 sales a year, and said most harvesting contractors are local (within about 75 miles), so economic benefits largely stay in the region.

Peterson also reviewed parks and recreation assets managed by the department — Saxon Harbor (rebuilt after the 2016 flood), Schaumburg Park, Lincoln Falls Campground (adding 15 campsites), Weber Lake Park — and described investments such as new shower/restroom buildings, a pavilion with kitchen, boat launches, and ADA improvements. He highlighted trail maintenance, bridges and boardwalk projects, and the department’s role in securing grants and in administering snowmobile and ATV trail contracts.

Supervisors asked about sale terms and contractor geography; Peterson confirmed most contracts allow three years to harvest with extensions possible, and said the county now requires down payments and prepayments for timber sale extensions to reduce speculation. He emphasized that long‑term, sustainable management underpins both environmental stewardship and stable revenues.

Peterson concluded by urging continued attention to market conditions, invasive‑species threats, and capital planning for park infrastructure; board members praised the department’s work and thanked him for the presentation.