Chapter 26

26.12   Forest protection areas, organization, emergency fire wardens, county cooperation, setting fire.

26.13   Town fire wardens; duties, expenses.

26.14   Forest fires, authority of fire fighters, compensation, penalties, civil liability.

26.145   Fire suppression aids.

26.15   Responsibility of wardens and citizens.

26.18   District attorneys to prosecute.

26.19   Destruction of forest protection equipment or notices.

26.20   Fire protection devices.

26.205   Tractors, spark arresters.

26.21   Civil liability for forest fires.

26.22   Sales, etc.

26.30   Forest insects and diseases; department jurisdiction; procedure.

26.35   Forest productivity.

26.36   Forest energy resources.

26.37   Lake states wood utilization consortium.

26.38   Forest grant program.

26.39   Forestry education and training.

26.40   Forestry education grant program.

26.42   Forestry diversification.

26.97   Law enforcement and police power.

26.98   General penalty.

26.985   Penalties, repeaters.

26.99   Parties to a violation.

Ch. 26 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See definitions in s. 24.01.

26.01 26.01 Definitions. In this chapter:

26.01(1) (1) Unless the context requires otherwise, “department” means the department of natural resources.

26.01(2) (2) “Forest fire” means uncontrolled, wild, or running fires occurring on forest, marsh, field, cutover, or other lands or involving farm, city, or village property and improvements incidental to the uncontrolled, wild, or running fires occurring on forest, marsh, field, cutover, or other lands.

26.01 History History: 2001 a. 103 ss. 40, 42.

26.02 26.02 Council on forestry.

26.02(1) (1) Duties. The council on forestry shall advise the governor, the legislature, the department of natural resources, and other state agencies, as determined to be appropriate by the council, on all of the following topics as they affect forests located in this state:

26.02(1)(a) (a) The protection of forests from fire, insects, and disease.

26.02(1)(b) (b) The practice of sustainable forestry, as defined in s. 28.04 (1) (e).

26.02(1)(c) (c) Reforestation and forestry genetics.

26.02(1)(d) (d) Management and protection of urban forests.

26.02(1)(e) (e) Increasing the public’s knowledge and awareness of forestry issues.

26.02(1)(f) (f) Forestry research.

26.02(1)(g) (g) Increasing the economic development of the forestry industry and employment in the forestry industry.

26.02(1)(h) (h) Marketing and use of forest products.

26.02(1)(i) (i) Legislation that impacts on the management of forest lands in this state.

26.02(1)(j) (j) Staffing and funding needs for forestry programs conducted by the state.

26.02(2) (2) Report.

26.02(2)(a) (a) The council on forestry shall prepare a biennial report on the status of the state’s forest resources and forestry industry. The report shall include a summary of each of the following:

26.02(2)(a)1. 1. The magnitude, nature, and extent of the forest resources in this state.

26.02(2)(a)2. 2. The current use in this state for forest products and the benefits that these forest products provide to the state.

26.02(2)(a)3. 3. The projected future demand for forest products and the projected benefits that these forest products will provide to the state in the future.

26.02(2)(a)4. 4. The types of owners and forms of ownership that apply to forests in this state, including the reasons why persons own forest land.

26.02(2)(a)5. 5. The success of existing incentives that are offered to stimulate the development of forest resources.

26.02(2)(a)6. 6. The possible economic opportunities in this state that may result if improved forest-product marketing, and increased business dealing in or use of forest products, occurs in this state.

26.02(2)(a)7. 7. Recommendations for increasing the economic development of the forestry industry and employment in the forestry industry.

26.02(2)(a)8. 8. The effect of state and local governmental laws and policy on forestry management and the location of markets for forest products.

26.02(2)(a)9. 9. Recommendations as to staffing and funding needs for forestry programs and other conservation programs related to forestry that are conducted by the state to support and enhance the development of forest resources.

26.02(2)(a)10. 10. Recommendations as to the need to increase the public’s knowledge and awareness of forestry issues.

26.02(2)(b) (b) The council on forestry shall submit the report under this subsection no later than June 1 of each odd-numbered year for distribution to the governor and to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3). The first report shall be submitted no later than June 1, 2005. Each report shall cover the 24-month period ending on the December 31 immediately preceding the date of the report.

26.02 History History: 2001 a. 109; 2011 a. 32.

26.03 26.03 Harvest of raw forest products.

26.03(1b) (1b) Definitions. In this section:

26.03(1b)(a) (a) “Harvest” means to cut, remove or transport.

26.03(1b)(b) (b) “Harvesting” means cutting, removing or transporting.

26.03(1b)(c) (c) “Raw forest products” has the meaning given in s. 26.05 (1).

26.03(1g) (1g) Prohibition; delinquent taxes. No person may harvest any raw forest products, or direct the harvest of any raw forest products, from any land for which taxes are delinquent.

26.03(1m) (1m) Harvesting upon notification.

26.03(1m)(a) (a)

26.03(1m)(a)1. 1. Unless otherwise authorized to do so by the county, no person may harvest any raw forest products, or direct the harvesting of any raw forest products, from any land until 14 days after the clerk of the county in which the land is located is notified of the person’s proposal to harvest. The person shall notify the county clerk each year and may do so in any manner acceptable to the county. Each time the person notifies the county, the person shall describe the land upon which the harvesting will occur by quarter-quarter section, government lot or fractional lot, unless the county requires a different method for describing the land. Notification under this subdivision expires on the December 31 immediately following the notification, and no person may harvest, or direct the harvesting of, any additional raw forest products from the land until further notification that complies with this subdivision is provided to the county.

26.03(1m)(a)2. 2. Upon receipt of notifications under subd. 1., the county clerk shall provide notice to the town chairperson of each town in which the land from which raw forest products will be harvested is located and to the county treasurer. The county treasurer shall determine whether the county holds a tax certificate or tax deeds to any of the land involved. If the county holds a tax certificate, the county treasurer shall take action to collect the unpaid taxes represented by county-owned tax certificates or to prevent the harvesting of raw forest products from the land. If the county holds a tax deed, the county treasurer shall take action to prevent the harvesting of raw forest products from the land.

26.03(1m)(b) (b) Paragraph (a) 1. does not apply to a person harvesting raw forest products on public lands, as defined in s. 70.13 (7), 2021 stats., to a person harvesting raw forest products for fuel wood for his or her home consumption, to a person harvesting for the purpose of clearing the land for agricultural use or to a person harvesting from the person’s own land, any of the following:

26.03(1m)(b)1. 1. Boughs for his or her own use.

26.03(1m)(b)2. 2. Up to 5 Christmas trees for his or her own use.

26.03(1r) (1r) Harvesting upon recording.

26.03(1r)(a) (a) No purchaser of Indian reservation land or land to be placed upon the tax roll for the first time may harvest any raw forest products, or direct the harvesting of any raw forest products, from the land without first recording the instrument by which title to the land was acquired in the office of the register of deeds for the county in which the land is located.

26.03(1r)(b) (b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to a person harvesting raw forest products for fuel wood for his or her home consumption.

26.03(1v) (1v) Exceptions. This section does not apply to the harvesting of raw forest products for the purpose of establishing or maintaining a railroad track or structure, a pipeline, or a utility right-of-way by any of the following:

26.03(1v)(a) (a) An alternative telecommunications utility, as defined in s. 196.01 (1d).

26.03(1v)(b) (b) An electric cooperative, as defined in s. 101.80 (1g).

26.03(1v)(c) (c) A public utility, as defined in s. 196.01 (5).

26.03(1v)(d) (d) A railroad, as defined in s. 195.02.

26.03(1v)(e) (e) A telecommunications carrier, as defined in s. 196.01 (8m).

26.03(1v)(f) (f) A telecommunications utility, as defined in s. 196.01 (10).

26.03(1v)(g) (g) A corporation licensed to do business in this state that is engaged in the business of transporting natural gas, petroleum products, water, or sewage through pipelines.

26.03(2) (2) Penalties.

26.03(2)(a) (a) Whoever violates sub. (1g), or a rule promulgated under sub. (1g), shall forfeit not less than $500 nor more than $10,000.

26.03(2)(b) (b) Whoever violates sub. (1m) or (1r), or a rule promulgated under sub. (1m) or (1r), shall forfeit not more than $100.

26.03 History History: 1975 c. 365; 1977 c. 224; 1983 a. 422, 424; 1989 a. 56 s. 258; 1999 a. 190; 2005 a. 423; 2017 a. 136; 2023 a. 12.

26.05 26.05 Timber theft.

26.05(1) (1) Definition. In this section, “raw forest products” means forest products not altered by a manufacturing process off the land from which they are taken and includes seedlings, saplings, shrubs, whole-tree chips, boughs, logs, pilings, posts, poles, cordwood products, pulpwood, fuel wood and Christmas trees.

26.05(2) (2) Consent of owner required. No person may cut, remove or transport raw forest products or direct the cutting, removal or transportation of raw forest products without the consent of the owner.

26.05(3) (3) Penalties.

26.05(3)(a) (a) A person who violates this section or a rule promulgated under this section is subject to a forfeiture of not less than $100 nor more than $10,000.

26.05(3)(b) (b) Instead of the forfeiture provided under par. (a), a person who intentionally violates this section, or a rule promulgated under this section, may be punished under s. 943.20 for theft.