NR 1.25(2)(c)(c) “Sound management of a forest” means sustainably managing a forest with the application of ecological, physical, quantitative, managerial, economic, and social principles to the regeneration, management, utilization, protection and conservation of forest ecosystems to meet specified wildlife habitat, watershed, aesthetics, cultural and biological goals and objectives while maintaining the productivity of the forest. NR 1.25(3)(a)(a) The department-developed Wisconsin Forest Management Guidelines, PUB FR-226, shall contain forestry management practices that are recommended and approved by the department to promote sound management of a forest. NR 1.25 NoteNote: Copies of Wisconsin Forest Management Guidelines, PUB FR-226, are available for inspection at the offices of the Department of Natural Resources and the Legislative Reference Bureau. Copies may be obtained from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, 101 S. Webster Street, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI, 53707-7921. Property owners may seek advice on implementation of generally accepted forestry management practices from department foresters, county foresters and cooperating foresters.
NR 1.25(3)(b)(b) The department shall periodically update Wisconsin Forest Management Guidelines so that a person may readily determine what forestry management practices are recommended and approved by the department. The department shall update Wisconsin Forest Management Guidelines a minimum of every 5 years. NR 1.25(3)(c)(c) The department shall use a process that incorporates public participation and public comments when updating Wisconsin Forest Management Guidelines. NR 1.25 HistoryHistory: CR 06-097: cr. Register April 2007 No. 616, eff. 5-1-07. NR 1.26NR 1.26 Contracting with cooperating foresters for timber sale establishment. NR 1.26(1)(1) Purpose. The department may contract with private cooperating foresters to assist the state in the harvesting and sale of timber from state forest lands to meet the annual allowable timber harvest established under s. 28.025, Stats. NR 1.26(3)(3) Contracted tasks. Tasks included in cooperating forester contracts for state land timber harvests may include updating of forest reconnaissance, marking of trees and harvest boundaries, estimating volume, preparing maps, recommending timber sale contract terms or operational specifications, providing data on cutting notices and reports, scaling cut products, and inspecting active harvests. The department shall determine which of these services are appropriate to contract for on individual timber sales. NR 1.26(4)(4) Department tasks. The department shall select areas to harvest, determine silvicultural harvest systems to be applied, and define any additional timber sale procedures or precautions necessary to achieve objectives in approved master plans or other department policies. The department shall review and approve cutting notices and reports, prepare contracts, advertise for timber sale bids, award sales, receive stumpage payments and performance bonds, and administer timber sale contracts. The department shall monitor the performance of cooperating foresters contracting on state forest timber harvests for quality of service and conformance to department standards. NR 1.26(5)(5) Bids for services and payments to cooperating foresters. Cooperating foresters shall be compensated at the department’s choice of a rate per hour, acre or project established by bids. When a need for timber sale assistance is identified, the department shall issue a request for bids to cooperating foresters serving the area. Bids shall include labor, travel, equipment and any supplies such as marking paint not identified as being provided by the department that a contractor would need to do the work. Timber sale assistance contract awards shall be determined on price alone unless additional evaluation criteria such as specialized training or experience are included in the request for bids. NR 1.26(6)(6) Method to allot timber sale revenue. As provided in s. 28.05, Stats., payments to cooperating foresters for timber harvesting and selling assistance on state-owned land shall be paid from an allocation of timber sale proceeds. The department of natural resources shall make periodic requests to the department of administration for allocations of funding to the cooperating foresters appropriation, s. 20.370 (2) (cy), Stats. The size of the requested allocation shall be based on outstanding purchase requisitions for the contracted timber harvest assistance. The appropriation shall be split-funded with the proportionate splits coming from the administrative function accounts where the timber sale revenues are deposited. NR 1.26 HistoryHistory: CR 07-011: cr. Register October 2007 No. 622, eff. 11-1-07; correction in (6) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register November 2018 No. 755. NR 1.27NR 1.27 Contracting with cooperating foresters and private contractors for regeneration services. NR 1.27(1)(1) Purpose. The department may contract with private cooperating foresters and private contractors to assist the state in the regeneration of state forest lands to meet the annual allowable timber harvest established under s. 28.025, Stats. NR 1.27(3)(3) Contracted tasks. Tasks included in contracts with cooperating foresters and private contractors for state lands regeneration services may include, site preparation, invasive species control, and tree planting on harvested lands. The department shall determine which of these services are appropriate to contract for on individual timber sales. NR 1.27(4)(4) Department tasks. The department shall select areas to regenerate, determine regeneration systems to be applied, and define any additional procedures or precautions necessary to achieve objectives in approved master plans or other department policies. The department shall monitor the performance of cooperating foresters and private contractors contracting on state forest lands for quality of service and conformance to department standards. NR 1.27(5)(5) Bids for services and payments to cooperating foresters and private contractors. Cooperating foresters and private contractors shall be compensated at the department’s choice of a rate per hour, acre or project established by bids for individual projects. When a need for regeneration project assistance is identified, the department shall issue a project-specific request for bids to cooperating foresters and private contractors that are experienced in the desired type of work. The department may establish pre-qualification lists of cooperating foresters and private contractors serving an area. Bids may include labor, travel, equipment and any supplies not identified as being provided by the department that a private contractor would need to do the work. As provided in s. 28.05 (3) (am), Stats., payments to cooperating foresters and private contractors for regeneration assistance on state-owned lands shall be paid from an appropriation of timber sale proceeds. NR 1.27 HistoryHistory: CR 13-023: cr. Register December 2013 No. 696, eff. 1-1-14. NR 1.29NR 1.29 Ice Age and North Country trails. NR 1.29(1)(1) Footpaths. The Ice Age Trail and North Country Trail shall be managed primarily as footpaths for pedestrian use: walking, hiking, backpacking, snowshoeing, and ungroomed cross-country skiing. NR 1.29(2)(a)(a) The purpose of the Ice Age Trail is to provide premier hiking and backpacking experiences and to preserve and interpret Wisconsin’s glacial landscape and other natural and cultural resources in areas through which the trail passes. NR 1.29(2)(b)(b) The purpose of the North Country Trail is to provide premier hiking and backpacking experiences as it meanders through a variety of northern landscapes, linking scenic, natural, historic, and cultural areas in seven states from New York to North Dakota.