Pulp Log Harvesting
Harvesters like these from Ponsse are a really big help to foresters who have to cut down trees. These are especially good machines because they don’t harm the surrounding land. They leave “little footprints” compared to other machines. They ride high off the ground and their wheels are designed so that they don’t crush too much of the surrounding plants.

It may seem a little weird to think of harvesting trees as good for the ecosystem, but foresters are very careful when they do it. Trees aren’t taken from refuges or protected forests, and usually they’re only taken from managed forests or tree farms that are run especially to provide trees and wood to companies who need wood for their products. Also, in managed forests, it is necessary to remove some of the trees to help others grow better. If too many trees are too close, not enough oxygen and sunlight get through, and all the trees stay pretty small.
These machines are pretty cool, aren’t they? But do you know what the wood they harvest is used for?

Most of it is used to make pulp for paper, but trees and the products we get from them like resin and, of course, wood are used to make all kinds of products, from maple syrup and toothpaste to crayons and toys.

Because most wood for commercial use is taken from managed forests or tree farms, state and national forests are left to be beautiful, protected places to enjoy trees. Here’s a map of the state forests you can visit in Wisconsin.
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/forestry/StateForests/meet.htm