At a time where local governments have continued to raise taxes and have less to show for it, a central Wisconsin county has chosen to continue an effort supporting the environment and economy at the same time. The Wausau & Marathon County Parks, Recreation & Forestry department has recently announced a timber sale at the Big Eau Pleine County Park. The land management follows earlier sales this year at Nine Mile County Park as well as other forest units throughout Marathon County.
The winning bidder at Eau Pleine will cut back roughly 80 acres of mixed hardwood on an eastern peninsula of the park, situated on the north shore of the Big Eau Pleine Flowage. The county says the park west of Mosinee has nearly 1,450 acres of forest land and has served generations of area residents since being gifted to the county in 1937.
What makes land management like this valuable is where the money raised from the sales ends up. Under Wisconsin statutes, 10% of county timber sale revenue goes back to the local towns where the forest land is located to support local roads and municipal infrastructure, and if applicable 20% goes back to the state to repay forestry loans. The remaining 70% stays right in Marathon County’s forest fund.
This policy of cutting back forest land helps in several ways, most importantly by offsetting operational costs of maintaining the county owned parks. Big Eau Pleine park has horseback riding and walking trails, offers cross country skiing opportunities and during the summer months, many flock to the park for camping. The sales also reduce the county department’s dependency on continually raising the local property tax levy.
Environmentally speaking, this type of timber sale helps by removing mature, diseased, or overcrowded trees. Doing so actually improves forest health, reduces wildfire and pest risks, and opens up the understory.
Beyond park preservation, these county timber harvests provide critical fuel for one of Central Wisconsin’s primary economic engines: the forest products and logging industry. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the forest products sector generates tens of billions in annual production across the state and serves as the single largest employer in Marathon County. Local sales at Big Eau Pleine and Nine Mile keep independent regional logging contractors, timber haulers, sawmills, and paper mills working. By maintaining a reliable supply of responsibly managed timber, Marathon County helps protect hundreds of high-paying local trade jobs in logging and wood manufacturing without needing state subsidies or artificial market intervention.
These sales are nothing new, but supporting Wisconsin’s logging industry while also giving back to park users is a win-win and should be celebrated. It also proves that active conservation produces better fiscal and environmental outcomes than government over-regulation.
