ATHELSTANE, WI (AP)-- The old adage that money doesn't grow on trees may not apply to Marinette County and its revenue sources.
The county is exceeding expectations this year for its revenue from the timber industry. The county manages more than 230,000 acres of forest land. Each year, logging companies bid on harvesting about 8,000 to 10,000 acres, which makes county management of the forest sustainable.
County forest administrator Pete Villas tells WLUK-TV this year's timber sales will bring in several hundred dollars more than past years. Additional revenue in the forestry department is generally directed to other areas with budget shortfalls.
Villas says there's resurgence in harvesting of older trees for lumber and furniture making. He says that hasn't happened for some time, in part because of over-harvesting during the early part of the 1900s.
