Timber Sales
The Ottawa’s timber management program is the primary tool used for restoring and providing a diverse range of sustainable habitats for many species, supporting forest restoration and health, and providing for traditional and cultural uses as well as wood fiber. For more information regarding the goals and objectives of the current Ottawa National Forest - Forest Plan, please visit the Planning page. NEPA decisions that include forest management activities can be found on the Projects page.
Annually, the Vegetation Management Program sells approximately 85 million board feet from a variety of forest products including logs, pulpwood, and firewood. The 85 million board foot program is divided into approximately 35 timber sales that are sold by the Forest Service, under the Good Neighbor Authority with the State of Michigan, or through partnerships with organizations such as the Ruffed Grouse Society or National Deer Association. These timber sales support the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Wisconsin economies by providing full and part-time jobs within the forest products industry as well as other industries such as tourism.
Forest management activities commonly found on the Ottawa include single-tree selection or thinning harvests in northern hardwood and long-lived conifer forest types, while clear-cutting is used in early successional forest types such as aspen/birch or jack-pine. Reforestation activities following harvests are utilized to promote natural regeneration of existing species or to augment natural regeneration through planting.
The Forest Service is strongly committed to the management of the National Forests in an environmentally sound manner. The agency's top priority is to maintain and improve the health, diversity, and productivity of forest ecosystems for the enjoyment of current and future generations. All forest management activities occurring on the Ottawa are approved by a Certified Silviculturist and meet the requirements of the current Ottawa Forest Plan and National Forest Management Act of 1976.
Stewardship contracting and agreements allow the Forest Service to work with contractors and agreement partners to accomplish a variety of on-the-ground projects. Since 2004, several stewardship contracts and agreements have been completed across the Ottawa National Forest to improve or maintain the landscape for current and future generations.
We are seeking contractors interested in stewardship work on the Ottawa NF. Potential work may include timber stand improvements, road and trail work, wildlife habitat enhancement, reforestation activities, fuels treatments, and non-native invasive plant control. If you are interested, please complete our vendor information request.
Stewardship Contracting Potential Vendor List | Vendor Information Request
- 6- and 12-Month Timber Sales Program Announcement
- 6- and 12-Month Timber Sales Program Announcement Letter
- 6- and 12-Month Timber Sales Program Map
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
Through the Good Neighbor Authority Agreement signed between the Ottawa National Forest and the State of Michigan, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), plans to offer approximately 20 million board feet of National Forest timber volume annually. More information on these sales is available on the DNR's website.