Timber Sales_Content Page_GNA General Info

Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Timber Sale Information

Timber sales established under a Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) agreement are posted on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website for public advertising purposes. The sales are organized for advertising based on their location within the state.

View specific information for individual timber sales being offered for bid and for past bidding results for each USFS District.

Information on active, completed and proposed program revenue projects conducted on CNNF lands can be found on the GNA Program Revenue Projects Information page.

Bidding resources

Get more information on bid requirements, bid forms and other general bidding information.

General information

The State of Wisconsin DNR has entered into a Good Neighbor Authority agreement [PDF] with the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest (CNNF). Under the GNA Agreement, forest and watershed restoration work is completed by a combination of DNR staff, participating interested county staff, private forestry consultants and contractors. The focus of Wisconsin’s GNA Program is to assist in implementation of the CNNF forest plan, which provides:

  • forest products to the local economy;
  • collaboration between federal, state and county forest managers; and
  • improved health and resiliency of forestlands and watersheds within Wisconsin.

Included in the forest restoration services that the State of Wisconsin will provide under a GNA agreement are commercial timber harvests. The CNNF manages the national forest lands for multiple uses, following the principles of sustainable forestry. Sustainable forestry is a holistic approach that aims to maintain forests as healthy ecosystems that will provide economic, ecological and social benefits for years to come. Learn more about the benefits of timber harvesting. Forest and watershed restoration services conducted under a GNA agreement are conducted in accordance with the CNNF Forest Plan and comply with all necessary National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements.

For Good Neighbor Authority timber sales on both the east and west portions, a bid package is available about three weeks prior to the bid opening. This package includes:

  • a map of each timber sale area;
  • a legal description of the sale area;
  • an estimated volume by species to be cut;
  • a minimum acceptable bid;
  • a description or map of the cutting boundary;
  • general harvesting guidelines; and
  • specific contract requirements including contract length.

This timber sale prospectus also highlights the date, time and location of the bid opening, and states the requirements for performance bond, stumpage payments, worker's compensation insurance and logger training as required by the DNR.

Additional information

Additional information on commercial timber harvests on CNNF lands that are not being completed under the Good Neighbor Authority can be found on the CNNF Resource Management webpage [exit DNR].

The DNR Timber Sale Handbook [PDF] outlines many policies and procedures for conducting timber sales on public lands, including GNA timber sales. The DNR-Silviculture Handbook describes the science-based and systematic approaches used by forest managers to implement management recommendations and decisions for each major timber type found in Wisconsin.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with states to carry out authorized forest, range land and watershed restoration services, including timber sales, on federal national forest lands under the authority of the federal Agricultural Act of 2014, P.L. 113-79, section 8206, (Good Neighbor Authority). Under a cooperative agreement between the Forest Service and DNR, the DNR may conduct forest management activities on federal lands as permitted by federal law and pursuant to Wis. Stats. ss. 20.370 (1) (cz), 20.370 (1) (mv), and 28.15 (National forests).