White birch trees have been illegally cut down by the thousands in Northern Wisconsin, a crime the Department of Natural Resources said is rooted in the home decoration market, according to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
White birch trees have been illegally cut down by the thousands in Northern Wisconsin, a crime the Department of Natural Resources said is rooted in the home decoration market, according to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“It appears to be all market-driven,” Wisconsin DNR Resources Warden David Zebro told the Journal Sentinel. “The ornamental market people are paying a lot of money for these types of birch trees. We didn't see this type of issue a year or two ago, but it's certainly here now.”
The trees are typically 2–6 inches in diameter and have been harvested illegally in county parks and forests, as well as state and federal land. The Journal Sentinel reports that three areas in Ashland County Forest, part of which borders Lake Superior, have been cut down, including an area of 168 birch trees and another of 300 birch trees.
A birch tree can net thieves hundreds of dollars. The trees are very trendy right now, according to the Journal Sentinel: “Birch poles are stuck in pots for decoration in malls and hotels, especially around Christmas. Many stores use birch in window displays, home interior designers incorporate birch in their rustic designs and brides and wedding planners use birch for floral displays and trellises among other uses.”
The DNR expects more tree cutting to be reported as the tourist season gets underway and vacationers open up their cabins for the first time this year.
