Join the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Wisconsin Arborist Association (WAA) for the 2026 Wisconsin Annual Urban Forestry Conference. The conference will be held from Feb. 15 to 17 at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay. Continue reading “WAA/DNR Annual Conference Registration Open Now!”
Archives
Community Spotlight: Rhinelander — How One Small Community Is Making Urban Forestry A Priority
By Tom Jerow, Rhinelander City Forester
View of the same street before and after urban forestry efforts.
The City of Rhinelander, like many communities with populations under 10,000, has struggled to maintain a vibrant urban forestry program. Funding and staffing are its main challenges. The city also faces a variety of urban forestry issues, including pests and diseases, species diversity, community engagement, catastrophic ice storms and aging sewer and water infrastructure. The latter is one of the most significant challenges. Continue reading “Community Spotlight: Rhinelander — How One Small Community Is Making Urban Forestry A Priority”
Repurpose Your Holiday Tree!
By Dan Buckler, DNR Urban Forest Assessment Specialist
Daniel.Buckler@wisconsin.gov or 608-445-4578
To say that working on a Christmas tree farm in high school led me into forestry would be a case of significant historical revisionism. Still, that experience swam in the same waters as reading Lord of the Rings, going on family vacations to the mountains, having a nearby municipal forest and other things that showed me that trees were the way.
Since then, I have increasingly appreciated holiday trees and other green things brought into households, not (just) in the harbinger-of-gifts way, but as reminders of life against a cold, seemingly bleak background. “Things will get better,” these green things announce. “Just wait!” Continue reading “Repurpose Your Holiday Tree!”
Upcoming Trainings
*These training opportunities are provided as an information service only and do not constitute an endorsement from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
See below for information on training topics and events, including ISA certification exam preparation, plant propagation, winter tree identification, urban forest restoration, research trends and electrical hazards. Continue reading “Upcoming Trainings”
DNR Urban Forestry Grant Update
The 2026 Urban Forestry Grant application deadline was Oct. 1, 2025, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) received 71 applications, equaling over $1.1 million in funding requests. A total of $559,680 is available in grant funding for 2026.
Cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in or conducting their project in Wisconsin are eligible to apply for an Urban Forestry Grant. The grants range from $1,000 to $25,000, and grant applicants must match each grant dollar for dollar. Grants are awarded to projects that align with state and national goals for increasing the urban forest canopy and the benefits it provides. Continue reading “DNR Urban Forestry Grant Update”
Go-To Online Resources For Urban Forestry
By Allen Pyle, UW-Extension Horticulture Outreach Specialist and Jay Dampier, DNR IRA Grant Coordinator, Jason.Dampier@wisconsin.gov or 920-765-1935
Reliable and up-to-date research-based information is vital for tree care professionals and urban foresters to make sound, scientific management decisions. To make trusted resources more accessible, UW-Extension’s Horticulture Program and Wisconsin DNR’s Urban Forestry Program have developed this curated selection of useful webpages with free information and resources for urban forestry professionals and community tree managers. Continue reading “Go-To Online Resources For Urban Forestry”
Fourth Grade Arbor Day Seedling Orders Now Open
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering free tree seedlings to every fourth-grade student in Wisconsin as part of its annual Arbor Day tree planting program.
Wisconsin fourth grade principals, teachers and homeschoolers can now place seedling orders and coordinate delivery by completing the 2026 Arbor Day application by March 16, 2026. Continue reading “Fourth Grade Arbor Day Seedling Orders Now Open”
After The Ice: Urban Forestry’s Role In Community Recovery And Resilience
By Lee Mueller, Davey Resource Group, Inc., Kevin Sayers, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Paul Hickman, Urban Ashes
*Republished with permission from the authors
Photo Credit: MI DNR
Cold weather is just around the corner, so now is the time to develop or revisit winter storm response plans. Ice storms are a recurring challenge in the Midwest. Freezing rain can add substantial weight to limbs, causing even healthy trees to snap. Ultimately, events like this can offer opportunities to reassess communities’ approaches to tree management and build stronger, more resilient urban forests. Continue reading “After The Ice: Urban Forestry’s Role In Community Recovery And Resilience”
Upcoming Trainings
*These training opportunities are provided as an information service only and do not constitute an endorsement from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
See below for information on training topics and events, including urban wood, invasive species, tree rot and decay, beech leaf disease, connecting people to urban forestry and research presentations on pruning regimens, tree science and solar power. Continue reading “Upcoming Trainings”
Tree City USA – Online Portal Open, No More Paper Applications!
By Laura Buntrock, DNR Urban Forestry Partnership & Policy Specialist, Laura.Buntrock@wisconsin.gov or 608-294-0253
The online portal for Tree City USA (TCUSA) is now open, with applications due Dec. 31. If you’re new to TCUSA, you can learn more about the program on the Arbor Day Foundation’s (ADF) website or from your DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator. Please note that beginning this year, Arbor ADF is no longer accepting paper applications. You can create an account by clicking “sign up now” on the application portal login page. Within the online portal, you will have access to your historical data. More information is available on ADF’s FAQ page. Continue reading “Tree City USA – Online Portal Open, No More Paper Applications!”