Urban Forestry News

Urban Forestry, Green Tier and the League of Wisconsin Municipalities

Posted on by Ellen Clark

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. Continue reading “Urban Forestry, Green Tier and the League of Wisconsin Municipalities” →

Tree City and Tree Campus USA applications due

Posted on by Ellen Clark

Tree City and Tree Campus USA application deadlines are right around the corner, December 31! You can access information and application materials for these Arbor Day Foundation recognition programs from the DNR Urban Forestry website or Arbor Day Foundation’s website. Tree City and Tree Campus applicants are encouraged to use the online application form, though hard-copy applications are available. These national award programs recognize efforts to raise awareness of the importance of trees and integrate trees and proper tree care in Wisconsin communities, around utility lines and facilities, and on college campuses. Continue reading “Tree City and Tree Campus USA applications due” →

Community Tree Management Institute was a success

Posted on by Ellen Clark

CTMI studentsThe first of three sessions was held for Wisconsin’s Community Tree Management Institute (CTMI).  Twenty-six students from across the state met in Green Lake, WI October 17-18.  These municipal tree managers (who lack technical and program management in arboriculture) learned the foundations of urban forestry.  Through hands-on training and exercises, students learned about: canopy and measurement tools, tree benefits, awareness and support, politics and policy, leadership, partnerships, legal issues, ordinances, budgeting, tree boards and utilities.  Instructors for session I included: municipal foresters, public works directors, a UW Extension agent, utility representatives, consultants and DNR staff.  The variety of instructors, their perspectives and interactive components is meant to appeal to all learning styles.  Continue reading “Community Tree Management Institute was a success” →

Making room for sustainable sourcing

Posted on by Ellen Clark

By Dwayne Sperber, owner, Wudeward Urban Forest Products and appointed member, Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council

When a company has publicly committed to corporate social responsibility, environmental conservation, or working with and through the local community, a new construction project is the time to put these philosophies into action. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done.

Designs may get drawn up with the best sustainably-minded intentions — locally-sourced, low emissions, recycled, reused, energy efficient, the list goes on. But as familiar as the design and construction industries are with using environmentally-friendly materials, most of these products do not come in standard sizes, colors or volumes. And they don’t always fit seamlessly into a standard construction management process. Continue reading “Making room for sustainable sourcing” →

Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council meeting

Posted on by Ellen Clark

Council group photo MNThe Urban Forestry Council held their most recent quarterly meeting on October 13 at The Oxbow Hotel in Eau Claire. This was the second time the Wisconsin Council met with their colleagues in Minnesota, board members from the Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee and MN DNR urban forestry staff. In addition, they were joined by Urban Forestry Council members from several additional states: Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan. The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council and Wisconsin DNR were pleased to welcome these urban forestry representatives from the region for the meeting. Continue reading “Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council meeting” →

Healthcare facilities using green spaces to help in healing

Posted on by Ellen Clark

Imagine taking a relaxing walk in a wooded area, listening to the sounds of wind through trees, birds, and water running down a stream and seeing beautiful, vibrant shade of green. This type of an environment has shown numerous benefits, from cleaner air and water to increased health benefits like reduced stress and blood pressure. Continue reading “Healthcare facilities using green spaces to help in healing” →

2017 Urban and Community Forestry Questionaire

Posted on by Ellen Clark

This month, nearly 700 communities across the state will receive a request in the mail to complete a questionnaire for an important project to determine the current management of community tree populations in Wisconsin.  The study is being jointly conducted and sponsored by the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Urban & Community Forestry Program, and the USDA Forest Service.  It serves to provide important information for the state program since the last community survey in 2008 and as a student project at UW – Stevens Point.

Continue reading “2017 Urban and Community Forestry Questionaire” →

Hoppe Tree Service partners with Brown Deer High School to utilize urban wood

Posted on by Ellen Clark

This fall semester, students at Brown Deer High School won’t have to worry about whether or not they have enough lumber supplies and project ideas to perform during their Industrial Arts Wood Shop classes. This is thanks to a partnership between the school and Hoppe Tree Service.   The partnership centers around the concept of using locally sourced urban wood from Hoppe Tree Service’s Urban Wood Lab Store.  The agreement not only provides lumber for the school, but also allows the student’s non-profit “business” to earn money by processing wood and creating crafts that Hoppe’s Urban Wood Lab Store can then sell to consumers. Continue reading “Hoppe Tree Service partners with Brown Deer High School to utilize urban wood” →

Conversations about the Wisconsin Community Tree Map

Posted on by Ellen Clark

The following article was written by Elizabeth Dierickx, Marketing Specialist at Plan-It Geo, LLC, based on conversations she has had with DNR staff members.

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Dan Buckler, DNR Urban Forest Assessment Specialist and Laura Lorentz, DNR Urban Forestry Policy & Partnership Specialist to talk about Wisconsin’s new Community Tree Map. This exciting tool has brought a lot of new excitement and opportunity to the states community forests; the Community Tree Map has the potential to assists the urban forestry team in developing policies based on data driven analysis, has given them a better tool to make recommendations, and helped to create awareness about the urban forest with community members and decision makers. Continue reading “Conversations about the Wisconsin Community Tree Map” →