For Certified Plan Writers
This page is intended for professional foresters who are certified plan writers or interested in becoming certified plan writers. To learn more about what a certified plan writer can do for you as a landowner, go to the about certified plan writers page.
Reasons to become certified
Becoming a certified plan writer enables you to write management plans for the Managed Forest Law (MFL) program. A certified plan writer is a private consultant or industrial forester certified by the DNR to write MFL plans. Certification is granted to individual foresters, not the company or organization they work for.
Becoming certified
A forester can become certified by fulfilling the following three requirements.
- Become a cooperating forester with the DNR educational requirements .
- Attend the Certified Plan Writer training course.
2025 Course Schedule. 2026 Certification Training is tentatively planned for a similar timeline as the 2025 course below.
2025 CPW Course Schedule Date Time Format Activity Notes & Deadlines Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025 8:30 - 11:00 a.m. Live instruction via Zoom Introduction and training kick-off Wednesday, Sept. 17 - Monday, Sept. 29 On your own time Self-study Review training materials, watch training videos and complete Knowledge Checks Approximately 8-10 hours to complete Tuesday, Sept. 30 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Live instruction via Zoom Group instruction Wednesday, Oct. 1 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Live instruction via Zoom Group instruction Afternoon (12:30 - 4:30) will be open office hours Wednesday, Oct. 1 - Sunday Oct. 5 On your own time Plan writing Write your first training plan Submit by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, October 5 Wednesday, Oct. 8 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Live instruction via Zoom Group instruction Thursday, Oct. 9 - Sunday, Oct. 12 On your own time Plan writing Correct and resubmit your first training plan & submit Additions Exercise Submit by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12 Tuesday, Oct. 14 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Live instruction via Zoom Group instruction Tuesday, Oct. 14 - Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 On your own time Plan writing Complete your second training plan Submit by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026
Contact Julie Church to sign up for the waiting list and receive notifications.
- Submit two MFL management plans for review within 120 days of the basic training course. One plan is prepared during the course and the other after the course on an area of land the department assigns. You will have one opportunity to correct any errors found in the plans.
Maintaining certification
To maintain certification, a certified plan writer must:
- prepare at least one MFL plan every two years;
- attend an MFL update training session each year;
- maintain cooperating forester status;
- submit cost data for MFL plans each year; and
- comply with the guidelines and directives of the DNR and prepare MFL plans consistent with those guidelines and directives.