Forest Policy

Absolutely nothing goes to waste

When the logs arrive at the Kersten Lumber Mill, they're inspected and evaluated for maximum yield and minimum waste. Virtually every speck of every log is utilized. The very best wood is cut for the varying grades of wood products. The bark, the chips and even the sawdust are used for secondary products including beauty bark, fuel for power generation, and fiber for paper making. Our Mill produces no solid waste whatsoever. Our products are all renewable and recyclable.

Environmentally Correct

Lumber from the 16 million acres of forest land of the greater Wisconsin area are one of America's greatest renewable resources. Nearly 70 percent of the forest land in Wisconsin is under private ownership. By design, the timber sale today is woven between the habitat locations of endangered and special concern species and incorporates safety protection and aesthetics into the design wherever applicable. Every year, 35 million trees are planted in forest lands of Wisconsin. That's five new trees for every one harvested. Wisconsin has long been considered a national leader in reforestation practices. The state nursery program has been and continues to be a critical part of Wisconsin's conservation efforts by providing quality tree seedlings for reforestation. Since the creation of the state nursery program in 1911, the state nurseries have produced over 1.5 billion seedlings. Spaced at a typical tree spacing of eight feet, this would be enough trees to encircle the globe 91 times! The state nurseries currently produce and distribute between 18 and 21 million native tree and shrub seedlings annually for reforestation of state, county, industrial, and private lands in Wisconsin. The trees are sold at prices based on the cost of production, distribution, and administration of the nurseries, making the state nursery program financially self-supporting from revenue generated by the sale of stock.