County Forest Land Acquisition Grants
County Forest Land Acquisition Grants support Wisconsin counties in purchasing land for county forests, advancing planned management for forest products, recreation, wildlife and watershed protection.
Funder: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Due Dates: Rolling (applications accepted year-round)
Funding Amounts: Up to 50% of eligible acquisition costs; county match of at least 50%
Summary: Helps Wisconsin counties acquire land for entry into the County Forest Program.
Key Information: Only counties with land already entered under county forest law may apply.
Description
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) offers these grants through the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program to help counties purchase land for county forests. Funding supports fee simple acquisition of parcels eligible for entry under Wisconsin’s county forest law. That law provides for planned, multiple-use management of county forests, including forest products, recreation, wildlife and watershed protection.
DNR Forestry and the Wisconsin County Forests Association jointly rank proposals. Their review considers the purposes of county forest law, regional or statewide significance, development threats, whether a parcel lies within a county forest acquisition boundary, and its identification in relevant plans or databases. Specific indicators in each participating county’s agreement with DNR also inform the ranking.
