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Lumber Milling At McFarland High School

By Peter Lindblad, HNG News Reporter, PLindblad@hngnews.com

Reprinted with the author’s permission.

The price of wood is soaring. To save a little money, the technology education department at McFarland High School has devised an ingenuous DIY cost-saving scheme.

Since 2019, Steve Pennekamp’s woodworking classes have been milling their own lumber. The village, in a partnership with the students, provides the logs, removed from projects around town. Continue reading “Lumber Milling At McFarland High School”

International Society Of Arboriculture Credential Renamed

The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist Municipal Specialist® credential will now be called ISA Certified Urban Forest Professional.

New Logo, Same Benefits

As an ISA Certified Urban Forest Professional, you continue showing the public, employers and peers that you have achieved the critical knowledge and skills needed to manage trees as a community asset providing societal benefits in an urban forest context. Continue reading “International Society Of Arboriculture Credential Renamed”

Winter Tree ID

How do you learn to identify trees in the middle of a Wisconsin winter when most of the leaves are on the ground?

LEAF’s Winter Tree Key follows the dichotomous process of our regular tree key but uses detailed illustrations of buds, twigs and features other than leaves for identification. The key also includes an illustrated glossary defining the specific vocabulary involved in this process. Winter tree identification can be a bit more demanding. Continue reading “Winter Tree ID”

Grant Opportunities

Great Lake Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program

The Great Lake Thriving Communities Grantmaking Partnership will distribute $40 million to organizations working in and for underserved communities throughout the Great Lakes region. All grants will be given to environmental and public health efforts in underserved communities across Region 5 as defined by EPA. Continue reading “Grant Opportunities”

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.

Below is information on the online Arborist Certification study group, Climate Adaptation Planning series, Extension Landscape and Grounds Maintenance workshops and Woody Species Management training. Continue reading “Upcoming Trainings”

Gov. Evers, DNR Announce 2025 Urban Forestry Program Grant Recipients

Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced the Urban Forestry (UF) Grant Program recipients for the 2025 grant year. In addition to helping fund projects consistent with state and national goals for increasing the urban forest canopy,  reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere, and improving the quality of life and public health of communities, the UF Grant Program will help advance goals outlined in Gov. Evers’ Trillion Trees Pledge commitment, which includes planting 1 million trees in urban areas by the end of 2030. Continue reading “Gov. Evers, DNR Announce 2025 Urban Forestry Program Grant Recipients”

Please Submit Trees Planted This Year!

By Dan Buckler, DNR Urban Forest Assessment Specialist; Daniel.Buckler@wisconsin.gov or 608-445-4578

Autumn is a wonderful time for planting trees. And after the trees go in the ground, please take a few minutes to document the effort in the Wisconsin Tree Planting Map. The map was designed to help track trees planted to advance the state’s pledge to the Trillion Trees Initiative.

Continue reading “Please Submit Trees Planted This Year!”

Tree City USA: Wisconsin Can Take The Lead In Growth Awards Earned With Your Help

By Abby Krause, DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator; Abigail.Krause@wisconsin.gov or 608-556-5690

Tree City USA is an annual recognition program presented by the Arbor Day Foundation that allows communities to publicly demonstrate their continued commitment to the care of their local urban forest. Returning Tree City USA communities are also eligible to apply for Growth Awards. These awards recognize community forestry programs that go above and beyond the four core tenets of Tree City USA.

Wisconsin has consistently proven to be a national leader in the stewardship of the forests outside our front doors all across the state. In 2023, we saw participation from Milwaukee, our state’s most populous city, down to Ephraim, a village of only a few hundred residents. We ranked third nationally in both programs with 194 Tree City USA communities and 26 Growth Awards. Only Ohio and Illinois ranked higher. Continue reading “Tree City USA: Wisconsin Can Take The Lead In Growth Awards Earned With Your Help”

Grant Opportunities

Five Star And Urban Waters Restoration Grants Due Jan. 30, 2025

The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration grant program seeks to develop community capacity to sustain local natural resources for future generations by providing modest financial assistance to diverse local partnerships focused on improving water quality, watersheds and the species and habitats they support. Continue reading “Grant Opportunities”