common in the county forests, while the former also thrive in the brushy new growth of heavily logged areas. A 2008 study by Brown and Kilgore estimates that the cost to replace the hunting access provided by Minnesota county forests would be $3.6 billion. Along with hunting, another strength of county forest recreation, at least in Wisconsin, would be developed campsites. As Table 6 shows, campsite density in Wisconsin county forests is equivalent to the national forests and about half that of the state forests (although there are twice as many campsites in absolute numbers). 6 Acres of Forest per Campsite by Jurisdiction in Wisconsina Jurisdiction Total Campsites Acres per Campsite National Forests 1,193 1,273 (in WI) a State Forests 1,000 529 Table 6 Data Sources: County Forests 2,000 1,181 Wis. Dep’t Nat. Resources, 2010 Division of Forestry Annual Report, 5 (2010) available at: p.5; USDA Forest Service, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Campground Camping, [tabulated from list of campgrounds] (last visited June 22, 2012); Wisconsin County Forests Association, supra note 2. While county lands tend to lack the well-developed single-purpose hiking trails of many state and federal tracts, they are certainly not wanting for access as thousands of miles of logging roads and fire breaks serve double-duty as hiking, cross-country skiing, snowmobile, equestrian, and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) paths. Outside of developed campsites, though, a certain laissez faire orientation towards recreation prevails; the land is open to the public to recreate as they please, but without the sorts of amenities, oversight, or infrastructure that one would find in, for example, a state park. However, with population growth and especially the growing popularity of motorized recreational vehicles, recreational uses are beginning to
common in the county forests, while the former also thrive in the brushy new growth of heavily logged areas. A 2008 study by Brown and Kilgore estimates that the cost to replace the hunting access provided by Minnesota county forests would be $3.6 billion. Along with hunting, another strength of county forest recreation, at least in Wisconsin, would be developed campsites. As Table 6 shows, campsite density in Wisconsin county forests is equivalent to the national forests and about half that of the state forests (although there are twice as many campsites in absolute numbers). 6 Acres of Forest per Campsite by Jurisdiction in Wisconsina Jurisdiction Total Campsites Acres per Campsite National Forests (in WI) 1,193 1,273 State Forests 1,000 529 County Forests 2,000 1,181 a Table 6 Data Sources: Wis. Dep’t Nat. Resources, 2010 Division of Forestry Annual Report, 5 (2010) available at: p.5; USDA Forest Service, Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest Campground Camping, [tabulated from list of campgrounds] (last visited June 22, 2012); Wisconsin County Forests Association, supra note 2. While county lands tend to lack the well-developed single-purpose hiking trails of many state and federal tracts, they are certainly not wanting for access as thousands of miles of logging roads and fire breaks serve double-duty as hiking, cross-country skiing, snowmobile, equestrian, and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) paths. Outside of developed campsites, though, a certain laissez faire orientation towards recreation prevails; the land is open to the public to recreate as they please, but without the sorts of amenities, oversight, or infrastructure that one would find in, for example, a state park. However, with population growth and especially the growing popularity of motorized recreational vehicles, recreational uses are beginning to
County%20forests%20paper.docx