Carlton County seeks to produce and make available a viable mix of merchantable timber species at sustainable levels within limits set by sound Silvicultural and Ecological practices.

In keeping with this goal, tax-forfeited forest lands have been certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Forest certification is a process which involves an independent, third party assessment of field-level forest management practices against specified social, ecological, and economic standards.  Carlton County's independent auditor was SGS of Maine.

We believe certification is essential to the long term economic sustainability of the forestry community in our region. We also believe that it will greatly improve our performance on the ground and help us establish and maintain effective operational and business practices.

For the County as land managers, certification is a way of ensuring that careful forest management is recognized in the marketplace. An independent certification label may help both concerned consumers and responsible forest managers buy and sell products that come from well-managed forests.

Aspen is the County’s most sought-after timber resource. Timber is sold at auction sales twice yearly, usually in the spring and late fall. In addition, the County offers Section 1, or “over-the-counter”, sales on tracts with appraised value not exceeding $3,000.00. Any sale with a value over $3,000.00 must be sold by auction according to state law. In accordance with SFI standards, only those on the County’s Responsible Operator’s List may bid on auction sales or purchase over-the counter sales. Anyone wishing to be placed on the Responsible Operator’s List must complete a Contractor Application Form and send it to the Land Department for review.

Management does not occur only through timber sales. The Department has a variety of projects, many in close cooperation with DNR Wildlife, to winter shear substandard stands to spur regeneration and provide wildlife habitat. Other projects involve site preparation, crop release, clearing for wildlife projects, allowing for succession and protecting soils.