The University of Illinois is taking the lead on a three-year research project exploring urban forestry’s effects on health care spending. The project will be the first to focus specifically on urban forestry’s economic return on investment. Health expenditures of over 4 million people will be analyzed with LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) canopy coverage. The project will also result in a free, online tool that can be used to estimate a community’s return on investment for their urban forest.
For more information contact Ellen Clark (EllenA.Clark@Wisconsin.gov), Urban Forestry Communication Specialist, at 608-267-2774.
Where one chapter ends another begins. Su DaWalt, Urban Forestry Financial Specialist, is retiring from her work at Wisconsin DNR. In this role her primary responsibility was to coordinate the policy and implementation of our Urban Forestry grant and financing programs. She has implemented many process improvements to streamline and document the grant process for staff and potential applicants. She helped document and share other potential funding sources. Additionally, she worked with numerous partners, grant applicants and staff to improve, implement and train them in the various processes and materials. Su will be missed, but we know she will do amazing things in her retirement. 
