Status of the Logging Sector in Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula - 2003

Professional loggers are key players in the management of the region's forest resource. They are an integral part of a multi-billion dollar wood products industry.ment of the forest resource and help various forest owners meet their myriad objectives. Through a comprehensive, random mail survey of logging fi rms in Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, we offer the fi rst-ever study of this critical link between the forests and the wood products industry. The following key fi ndings relate to the business environment, timber production and supply, markets, and fi rm retention: The average fi rm has been in business for over 20 years and the average fi rm owner is 47 years old. There are relatively few new fi rms entering the sector. The majority (64%) of logging fi rms are fully mechanized. These are capital-intensive operations in which the median investment is $300,000. Most logging fi rms (62%) are organized as one-person, owner-operator enterprises with no employees. The balance of fi rms (38%) employs approximately fi ve full-time equivalent workers on average. Among fi rms with employees, over 85% reported diffi culty fi nding skilled and reliable workers. The average logging fi rm harvested 5,900 cords in 2003; however, production varied considerably. Mechanized fi rms that used both cut-to-length and feller-buncher systems were the most productive (approximately 20,000 cords per year) whereas chainsaw-based fi rms were the least (approximately 2,300 cords per year). who assisted with the study design. We appreciate the thoughtful comments of Resources Station, for outstanding administrative support, particularly during the survey phase of the project.