Responsible forest management ensures a proper balance between wildlife and their habitats. By providing buffers, using selective harvesting techniques, modern logging practices not only help sustain aesthetic values, but also some species of wildlife.

Logging and proper forest management techniques improve habitat for many species. As one logger puts it, “when we‘re logging, we’re creating habitat. The deer follow us around.”

Minnesota’s forests strengthen our economy statewide. Nearly 300 Minnesota cities are home to businesses from which the forest products industry purchases goods and services, from Aitkin to Zumbro Falls and from Warroad to Winona.

Certification of Minnesota’s forests by SFI and FSC means our state forest lands are being carefully managed to balance perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the long-term protection of wildlife, plants, soil, and water quality.

More than 90 percent of Minnesota’s annual timber harvest is conducted by the more than 400 logging businesses that participate in the Minnesota Logger Education Program, helping ensure our forests are expertly managed.

Since its inception, the Minnesota Logger Education Program has sponsored delivery over more than 600 workshops in the areas of sustainable forest resource management, workplace safety, and business management.

In 2005, the State of Minnesota became the largest public land manager in the US to certify its lands under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. All forestland owned by the DNR, as well as that owned by private forest industry companies, and several counties, is certified.

There is evidence that overgrown forests are more susceptible to wildfire than ones that are carefully managed and harvested.

More than 90 percent of Minnesota’s annual timber harvest is conducted by the more than 400 logging businesses that participate in the Minnesota Logger Education Program, helping ensure our forests are expertly managed.

MFI is happy to announce our return to the Minnesota State Fair!  Stop by our booth in the education building to learn about sustainable forest management and play our trivia contest to win a red pine seedling! You can also find out about forest career opportunities.

Certification by organizations like SFI and FSC is an on-going process. These organizations are continually auditing and monitoring our forest management practices against their strict and comprehensive standards, ensuring healthy forests for generations to come.

Nearly half of the global population of imperiled golden-winged warblers breeds in Minnesota. These tiny birds nest in young forests – the exact habitat created when aspen forests are regenerated through logging.

Minnesota is a destination state for ruffed grouse and woodcock hunters from across the nation. Active aspen management creates ideal grouse habitat, and public forestland's are open to all hunters.

Timber sales on county forestland in Minnesota not only mean well-managed forests, but they also generate revenue which help keep local property taxes down.

Do you want to learn about the various cycles of the forest, from young trees, through harvest, and re-growth and regeneration? A SmartBoard app on Cycles of the Forests can be found at TreezyDoesIt.com.

In Minnesota each year, we grow three times as much woods as we harvest.

Thanks to proper forest management practices in our state, Minnesota has 60% more big trees (greater than 19 inches in diameter) than we did 40 years ago (1977).

The forest products industry is the 5th largest manufacturing industry in Minnesota.

Pittack Logging of Bovey, Minnesota has been named the 2024 Minnesota Logger of the Year by the Minnesota Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) Implementation Committee (MN SIC). wdio.com/lift-online/lo…

Minnesota’s forests strengthen our economy statewide. Nearly 300 Minnesota cities are home to businesses from which the forest products industry purchases goods and services, from Aitkin to Zumbro Falls and from Warroad to Winona.