Wild & Natural Places

Protecting the Wisconsin Northwoods

ELPC works to protect 1.5 million acres of Wisconsin’s beautiful Northwoods.

 

The beautiful Northwoods forests stretch through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ontario, and are home to old-growth trees, ecologically important waterways, and abundant wildlife habitat and biodiversity. In Northern Wisconsin, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest encompasses over 1.5 million acres of this ecosystem, including over 3,200 lakes, streams, and rivers. 

The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF) is a special place, providing important ecological systems and connectivity, biodiversity, and, also, large carbon sequestration properties that help to fight climate change. Unfortunately, the CNNF is one of the most heavily logged national forests in the country, which too often harms those values. 

The Climate Forests Coalition’s Worth More Standing report called out the CNNF Fourmile logging project as one of ten worst in the nation for targeting mature and old-growth trees. The Forest Service openly targeted older trees, more than two-thirds of the stands in the 12,000-acre Fourmile project are more than 80 years old.  

ELPC and our scientist colleagues and clients have been hard at work protecting the forest ecosystem for more than a decade.  

What is ELPC Doing?

Monitoring timber sales and environmental plans

ELPC and our colleagues actively monitor forest management plans proposed by the U.S. Forest Service and challenge them when needed. We analyze the plans for potential threats to critical forest and habitat, and we consult with scientists and expert foresters to develop responses and alternatives.  

Fighting in the courts to protect the woods

We have pursued administrative litigation on numerous logging projects affecting almost 200,000 acres in this National Forest. Where possible, we try to work with the Forest Service outside the courts to persuade them to change their approaches. 

Advocating for the U.S. Forest Service to Protect Mature and Old Growth Trees 

ELPC advocates for a permanent rule within the U.S. Forest Service to protect mature and old-growth trees which sequester carbon pollution and provide extensive habitat, cool forests, and filter drinking water for communities. We are fighting for a strong National Old-Growth Plan Amendment (NOGA) that must amend all 128 forest plans to provide protections for old-growth trees in our National Forests.   

Learn More: 

Watch firsthand the results of logging mature and old-growth trees in the CNNF Fourmile project, at the Sunfish timber sale. The Wisconsin story is at the 17-minute mark.