MADISON — The Department of Natural Resources will move its forestry division headquarters to Rhinelander, Gov. Scott Walker announced on Wednesday.
Rhinelander was chosen over two other finalists: Hayward and Wausau. More than 40 communities showed interest.
The division is currently located within the DNR’s offices at 101 S. Webster Street in Madison, employing 56 full-time positions out of its about 450 full-time positions statewide.
“This move will put the Division of Forestry and its leadership in a better position to work with the primary forest industries in the state,” said Gov. Walker, in making the announcement today in Rhinelander. “We will also be able to work more closely with our forestry industry partners in growing the state’s $24.7 billion forest industry that already generates nearly 65,000 jobs.”
As outlined in the 2017-2019 state budget, signed by Walker in September, the Chief State Forester will move to the DNR-owned facility north of Highway 29 by January 1, 2018. Over the next year, other forestry positions, currently located in Madison, will move to Rhinelander or locations north of State Highway 29 in phases.
“The DNR is looking forward to the opportunity of better serving the area where most of the state’s timber industry is located,” said DNR Secretary Dan Meyer. “Together with partners such as the U.S. Forest Service, Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association and the Wisconsin County Forest Association, we can better support and serve a thriving industry that is so important to our state’s economy.”
Every million dollars of output in the forestry industry creates $731,000 of output in other sectors. Every job in forestry supports 1.7 additional jobs in the state. Forestry is the number one employer in 10 counties.
