By Laura Lorentz, DNR Urban Forestry Partnership and Policy Specialist
This past October Will Erikson, of DNR’s Green Tier Legacy Community (GTLC) program, and I staffed a booth at the 119th League of Wisconsin Municipalities (the League) Annual Conference in Appleton. Each year the three-day conference attracts hundreds of municipal professionals; among them elected officials, directors of parks and forestry, city engineers, and consultants.
Communities of all sizes and locations were represented and we had the opportunity to discuss emerald ash borer, tree canopy assessments, the Wisconsin Community Tree Map, and the Green Tier Legacy Community program with a diverse group of attendees.
The ties between the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, the Green Tier program, and the Urban & Community Forestry program are clear when you read the mission statements of each organization (provided below). In addition to the complementary missions of each group there are foundational and intentional relationships between them. Bylaws of the Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council specify that one voting member be from the League, currently represented by Curt Witynski, the organization’s Assistant Director. The League was also among the six non-profits, along with the DNR, to sign the Green Tier Legacy Community charter in 2010. Since its signing, 18 communities and four counties have joined the GTLC program, making the commitment to move towards a sustainable future. Is your municipality or county actively engaged in community forestry, the League of Wisconsin Municipalities, and the Green Tier Legacy Community program?
If you are interested in more information on any of these groups, check out their websites or feel free to contact me at laura.lorentz@wi.gov or (608) 264-9237.
Mission Statements:
The League of Wisconsin Municipalities engages and empowers Wisconsin municipalities by providing timely and accurate information, effective public policy analysis and advocacy, and relevant educational support.
The mission of the Green Tier Legacy Community Charter is to help communities across the state of Wisconsin move continuously toward a sustainable future through initiatives that promote environmental stewardship, economic growth, public health, and social equity.
The mission of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Urban and Community Forestry program is to encourage, enable and enhance sound management of Wisconsin’s urban and community forest ecosystems.