Wisconsin County Forests Association

What Wisconsin County Forests Association does

Wisconsin County Forests Association (WCFA) is a not-for-profit, quasi-government 501(c)(3) organization established in 1968 and headquartered in Merrill, Wisconsin. It serves as the unified advocacy and coordination body for Wisconsin's 30 county forest programs, which collectively manage over 2.4 million acres — the world's largest county forest program. WCFA's core services span sustainable forest management (timber management, fish and wildlife management, watershed protection, and prescribed fire management), group administration of SFI and FSC forest certifications covering 27 member counties, public recreation coordination across 9,000+ miles of snowmobile trails and 1,800 miles of ATV/UTV trails, and 22 Grouse Management Areas covering over 95,000 acres developed in partnership with the Ruffed Grouse Society since 1985. The association operates with a small professional staff (Executive Director, Assistant Executive Director, and Technical & Resource Advisor) under a 17-member Board of Directors composed of elected county officials.

WCFA's business model is not revenue-generating in the conventional sense. The association is funded through a $25 annual tax-deductible special license plate donation program administered in partnership with Wisconsin DOT, member county dues, and grants. The economic activity generated by the county forest system itself is substantial — fiscal year 2023 stumpage revenue returned $36 million to counties and towns, and Wisconsin's forest products industry contributes over $24 billion annually to the state economy and supports more than 64,000 jobs — but these flows go to counties and industry stakeholders rather than WCFA's own books. WCFA's primary customers are its 30 member counties, which receive advocacy, policy support, certification management, and administrative coordination; secondary stakeholders include outdoor recreationists, the forest products industry, and the Wisconsin DNR, with which WCFA has maintained a cooperative management framework for over 90 years. Recent strategic activity includes participation in the Wisconsin Forests FIRST initiative, a $1 million two-year planning effort to develop a long-term strategy for Wisconsin's paper and forestry industries in response to ongoing mill closures.

Name

Wisconsin County Forests Association

Legal name

Wisconsin County Forests Association

Website

https://wisconsincountyforests.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wisconsin County Forests Association is a 501(c)(3) quasi-government association founded in 1968 that provides advocacy, coordination, and forest certification administration for 30 Wisconsin county forests managing over 2.4 million acres — the world's largest county forest program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Forest Management Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Timber Tract Operations (1131), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

SIC

Forestry (800), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Timberland & Forest Asset Management (IMAMAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Timberland Operations Planning & Contractor Management (AFAMAKAE), Timberland Compliance, Permitting & Regulatory Management (AFAMAKAF), Forestry & Public Lands Administration (State/National Forests) (BPAIAMAF), Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

Keywords

• Sustainable forest management
• Timber management services
• Wildlife habitat conservation
• Watershed protection services
• Forest certification programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Merrill

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Timber Sales Revenue: Counties generate revenue through timber harvesting from county forest lands. In fiscal year 2023, stumpage revenue returned $36 million to counties and towns. Counties are statutorily required to return 10% of gross timber revenue to towns.
2. Special License Plate Program: Annual $25 tax-deductible donations to WCFA supporting over 2.4 million acres of county forests. Funds used for WCFA operations, grants, projects, scholarships, education, and research.
3. Forest Products Industry Support: While not direct revenue to WCFA, the forest products industry contributes over $24 billion annually to Wisconsin's economy and supports 64,000+ jobs, indirectly sustaining the county forest program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wisconsin County Forests Association is a not-for-profit, quasi-government membership association that provides leadership, advocacy, and coordination for Wisconsin's 30 county forests managing over 2.4 million acres of public forest land. Its core services include sustainable forest management (timber, wildlife, watershed, and prescribed fire), group forest certification under SFI and FSC standards, recreation program administration, outreach and education, and a special license plate fundraising program.

Product overview

The Wisconsin County Forests Association (WCFA) is a not-for-profit, quasi-government organization established in 1968 that provides leadership uniting the interests of Wisconsin's county forest program. WCFA serves as a collaborative platform for its 30 member counties to discuss issues, programs, and policies affecting county forests. The organization coordinates forest management services (including timber management, wildlife management, watershed protection, and prescribed fire), manages forest certification programs (SFI and FSC), provides recreation opportunities across 2.4 million acres, operates 22 Grouse Hunting Management Areas, offers outreach and education programs, and runs a special license plate fundraising program. WCFA does not offer a technology product but provides advocacy, coordination, and administrative services for sustainable forest management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forest Management Services Sustainable forest management coordination including timber management, fish and wildlife management, watershed protection, and prescribed fire management across 2.4 million acres of Wisconsin county forest land.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2.4 million acres of sustainably managed forests
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wisconsin Paper CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Collaboration partner in Wisconsin Forests FIRST initiative - a $1 million two-year strategic planning effort to develop a long-term strategy for Wisconsin's paper and forestry industries.
• Great Lakes Timber Professionals AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Collaboration partner in Wisconsin Forests FIRST initiative and Legislative Forestry Field Tour events.
• Wisconsin Council on ForestrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Lead organization for Wisconsin Forests FIRST initiative, a two-year strategic planning effort funded with $1 million in state budget.
• Camoin AssociatesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 3 March 2026Virginia-based consulting firm serving as project manager for the Wisconsin Forests FIRST initiative.
• Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1985Since 1985, cooperative partnership establishing Grouse Management Areas (GMAs) across 18 areas covering over 95,000 acres focused on ruffed grouse and American woodcock habitat conservation.
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative management framework between DNR and counties. DNR holds the group certificates for 27 participating counties and provides technical support for planning, forest health, forest products, hydrology, ecology, and endangered resource protection. This partnership stretches back over 90 years.
• Verso MillsminorOthersMajor paper mill consuming approximately 25% of raw material harvested in Wisconsin. Mill shutdowns in Wisconsin Rapids and Duluth have significantly impacted county forest timber markets.
• NSF-International Forestry ProgramminorOthersThird-party audit firm conducting annual evaluations of Wisconsin's County Forests for SFI and FSC certification standards.
• Scientific Certification Systems Global ServicesminorOthersThird-party audit firm conducting annual evaluations of Wisconsin's County Forests for SFI and FSC certification standards.
• Wisconsin DOTminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership enabling WCFA special license plate program, allowing citizens to support county forests through annual donations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Forest Foundation: National nonprofit that works with family forest owners and partners on sustainable forest management and certification programs, including Tree Farm and FSC group certification. Comparable as a forestry-focused nonprofit operating at broader geographic scale than WCFA.
• Minnesota DNR Division of Forestry: State forestry agency in neighboring Minnesota where WCFA's Executive Director previously worked for 14 years. Comparable as a public forestry management organization overseeing state forest lands, though structured differently as a state agency rather than county association.
• National Association of State Foresters: National association representing state forestry agencies across the U.S. Directly comparable organizational model to WCFA as a forestry-focused membership association, though operating at the national level with state agency members rather than county-level members.
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - Division of Forestry: State-level forestry agency that cooperatively manages certification programs with WCFA and oversees all Wisconsin forests. Comparable as a forest management and policy organization but operates at the state level rather than representing member counties specifically.

Others

• Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI): Nonprofit sustainability standards organization that certifies 27 of Wisconsin's County Forests. Comparable as a forestry-focused nonprofit with sustainability certification mission, though operating as a standards body rather than a forest manager.
• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) US: Global non-profit that promotes responsible forest management through certification, with WCFA's member counties exceeding FSC standards for 17 consecutive years. Comparable as a forestry sustainability standards organization connected through certification partnerships.
• Wisconsin Paper Council: Industry trade association representing pulp and paper manufacturers in Wisconsin, co-partner with WCFA in the Wisconsin Forests FIRST initiative. Comparable as a forestry-adjacent Wisconsin trade association with shared stakeholder base in the forest products value chain.

Direct peers

• Wisconsin Council on Forestry: Wisconsin-based forestry advisory organization that leads the Wisconsin Forests FIRST strategic planning initiative alongside WCFA. Directly comparable as a state-level forestry governance and policy organization with overlapping member stakeholders.
• Ruffed Grouse Society: National wildlife habitat conservation organization that has partnered with WCFA since 1985 to establish 22 Grouse Management Areas covering 95,000+ acres. Directly comparable as a forestry-focused conservation NGO with overlapping mission around sustainable forest management.
• Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association: Regional trade association representing timber harvesting professionals and forest products manufacturers across the Great Lakes region. Co-partner with WCFA in the Wisconsin Forests FIRST initiative and Legislative Forestry Field Tours, making it a directly comparable membership-based forestry association.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wisconsincountyforests

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin County Forests Association