By Jay Dampier, DNR IRA Grant Coordinator
Jason.Dampier@wisconsin.gov or 920-765-1935

Arbor Day story time

This April and early May, communities across Wisconsin came together to celebrate Arbor Day. The DNR supported over 40 in-person events statewide. From Marshfield to Menasha and from New Richmond to New Glarus, staff fanned out across the state engaging communities in Arbor Day celebrations.

These events were part of a broader celebration: Governor Tony Evers proclaimed April 21–25 as Forest Appreciation Week, aligning with Earth Day and Arbor Day to honor the vital role forests play in Wisconsin’s ecology, culture and economy.

Many of the Arbor Day events throughout the state included DNR staff presenting on topics such as how to plant and care for trees and the benefits of trees in our communities. Other events included planting trees in parks, in new subdivisions and along streets. Many of these events included student participation where kids helped plant trees, while other events gave free seedlings to students. These efforts support Wisconsin’s Trillion Trees Pledge, which aims to plant 100 million trees, with 1 million in urban settings by 2030. Since the pledge’s inception in 2021, nearly 43 million trees have been planted, marking significant progress toward this ambitious goal.

Tree planting in Gilman

There were also poster contests, tree story readings, sing alongs and even an unofficial record for the loudest Arbor Day cheer. Activities like this foster a personal connection to the environment while contributing to the state’s commitment to reforestation and urban greening, while also meeting Tree City USA requirements. Tree City USA is national initiative encouraging communities to meet standards for urban forestry management, including holding annual Arbor Day celebrations.

Chilton Arbor Day celebration

The DNR’s Urban Forestry Coordinators and other DNR staff are closely tied to the Tree City USA program. Staff play a key role in the Tree City USA approval process. Wisconsin continues to be a leader in Tree City USA participation with 190 cities holding the Tree City USA designation, ranking Wisconsin third nationwide, behind Ohio and Illinois.

Together, we’re not only planting trees but also nurturing the roots of stronger, greener communities across Wisconsin.