General wild plant gathering regulations and information.
In addition to general harvest regulations, the regulations provided here cover gathering activities on state lands in the 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territories of Wisconsin and Minnesota; four National Forests (NF) within the Ceded Territories: the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, the Ottawa National Forest, the Hiawatha National Forest, and the Huron-Manistee National Forest; and the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (APIS-NL).
These regulations do not apply to what is commonly referred to as commercial logging; you may not sell all or part of any tree as bolts, pulpwood, or lumber products as part of your treaty rights harvest.
This page does not detail gathering regulations in their entirety. Additionally, your Tribe may have more restrictive regulations. Check with your Tribe for their full code of regulations.
See the "Manoominikewin" and "Mitigoog" pages for information on wild rice and live tree harvesting.
You must carry your valid tribal ID card while harvesting wild plants. Members must possess a copy of the permit, when one is required, while gathering.
In the Wisconsin Ceded Territories, the National Forests, and the APIS-NL, a valid off-reservation harvest permit is required when harvesting firewood, lodgepoles, ginseng, bark and balsam boughs. A special permit is required for sugarbush. See the "Non-Timber Products" section below for more information.
For gathering of all other wild plants:
- Wisconsin 1837 and 1842 Ceded Territories - No permit is required for wild plant gathering.
- Minnesota 1837 Ceded Territory - No permit is required for wild plant gathering for subsistence use; however, your tribe must consult with the land manager where the gathering will take place.
- NF and APIS-NL - A general gathering permit is required for wild plant gathering.
Gathering permits may establish limits on the quantity of plants to be harvested and the location of harvest.
These limits apply to 1836, 1837, and 1842 Ceded Territory National Forests, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, and Wisconsin State Properties.
Bark:
- A small-scale harvest permit is required when harvesting no more than 20 trees.
- A large-scale harvest permit with a site management plan is required for harvest of more than 20 trees.
- In the APIS-NL, harvesters should gather only the outer layers of birch bark without cutting into the inner layers of the bark.
Boughs:
- A small-scale harvest permit is required when harvesting no more than 2 tons.
- A large-scale harvest permit with a site management plan is required for harvest of more than 2 tons.
- No conifer tree may be cut down for the purpose of gathering boughs and no boughs may be removed from the upper half of the tree.
Firewood:
- A small-scale harvest permit is required when harvesting no more than 10 cords.
- A large-scale harvest permit with a site management plan is required for harvest of more than 10 cords.
Lodgepoles:
- A small-scale harvest permit is required when harvesting no more than 75 lodgepoles. *On Wisconsin state properties, only 5 birch lodgepoles may be harvested under a small-scale harvest permit.
- A large-scale harvest permit with a site management plan is required for harvest of more than 75 lodgepoles.
- No more than 50% of a species in any particular harvest area may be harvested, unless covered by a site management plan.
Ginseng:
- A special permit is required for ginseng harvest.
- Ginseng may not be harvested from November 1 through August 31.
Maple Sap/Sugarbushes:
- Maple sap/sugarbush harvest requires a special permit and a site management plan.
Sheet Moss:
- No more than 50% of a species in any particular harvest area may be harvested, including leaving the edges of the patch.
Princess Pine:
- You may only gather the above ground stems.
Note: There are specific definitions and additional regulations that members should be aware of, please consult your code and/or contact GLIFWC.