Events

Forest Health Staffers Plan Appearances

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Two workers inspecting a tree's leaves.

Mike Hillstrom and Linda Williams of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forest Health team look over a tree during a walking tour put on by the Cambridge Tree Project on July 10, 2025. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Outreach and Communications, Fitchburg
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167

Mike Hillstrom, Invasive Forest Pest Coordinator for the Wisconsin DNR Forest Health Team, will make a presentation on forest health to the Heartland National Christmas Tree Organizations Convention, scheduled for Friday, Aug. 7, at Hann’s Christmas Farm, 848 Tipperary Road, Oregon, WI 53575.

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The Urban Forestry Staff Springs Into Action For Arbor Day

Posted on by janness

Laura Buntrock hosted an urban forestry booth at Rhinelander’s Earth Day Sustainability Fair, where she educated the public on the benefits of urban trees, provided resources and answered questions.

April and May might just be the busiest months of the year for the Urban Forestry staff. This small but mighty team participates in as many Arbor Day, Earth Day and Forest Appreciation Week events as they can fit into their schedules. Municipalities, schools and nonprofits tend to spread out their events over a couple months rather than scheduling them all on Arbor Day, which allows the staff to get to more events.

The Urban Forestry team’s involvement in these events varies and can include tree planting, seedling distribution, education and tree-related activities, such as competing for the loudest Arbor Day cheer. If you have an event you would like an Urban Forestry staff member to attend at any time of the year, get your request in early!

Here are just a few of the events that Urban Forestry staff attended. Continue reading “The Urban Forestry Staff Springs Into Action For Arbor Day” →

Upcoming Training & Events

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* These training opportunities are provided as an information service only and do not constitute endorsement by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

group of adult learning to identify treesSee below for information on training topics and events, including the WAA Summer Conference, leadership, pollinator habitats, safety, tree ID and the ISA Annual Conference. Continue reading “Upcoming Training & Events” →

GLTPA And Master Loggers Gather For Spring Celebration

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Larry Krueger, right, accepts the Wisconsin Merit Award from GLTPA executive director Henry Schienebeck. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Brian Zweifel, Wisconsin DNR Forest Products Specialist

The Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association (GLTPA) held their 2026 Spring Celebration in Harris, Michigan, on April 1.  Each year, loggers and forestry professionals from Wisconsin and Michigan attend this conference to network, see the latest products and technology from over 60 exhibitors, and earn continuing education credits for training provided as part of the conference. This year’s training focused on wilderness first aid, worker’s compensation and chainsaw safety.

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Markets Matter Convening Highlights

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By Elle Soderberg, Wisconsin DNR Forest Products Specialist

Leaders from across the forest products industry, government agencies, research institutions and economic development organizations recently gathered in Madison for the U.S. Endowment’s Markets Matter Convening. The event focused on the central challenge facing the forest sector today: Developing sustainable markets for low-value wood fiber, including small-diameter timber and mill residues.

Throughout the convening, participants emphasized that while the forest products industry continues to face significant economic and market pressures, there are also growing opportunities for innovation, collaboration and investment. Continue reading “Markets Matter Convening Highlights” →

International Mass Timber Conference

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A booth made entirely of mass plywood is displayed at an expo.

Freres, an Oregon-based mass plywood producer, created this unique booth entirely from mass plywood. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Alex Anderson, Wisconsin DNR Forest Products Specialist

For the last 10 years, stakeholders in the mass timber industry have gathered in Portland, Oregon, for the annual International Mass Timber Conference (IMTC).

The 2026 IMTC was well-attended by a variety of businesses showing off their wares: mass timber fastener manufacturers, mass plywood and cross-laminated timber (CLT) producers and fabricators, engineering and building firms specializing in mass timber applications, and many others from a host of different sectors came to network and show off new, unique products. More than 3,000 attendees from 28 different countries attended the 2026 IMTC, which was about six times the size of the inaugural event, held in 2016, and nearly twice the size of the event five years ago.

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Forest Products Webinar Series: Recordings Available Now

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The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forest Products Service Team recently completed its webinar series highlighting Wisconsin’s forest industry. The sessions focused on product utilization and market development for urban wood, biochar and mass timber, along with economic trends for state and county economic development.

Webinar recordings are available to gain valuable insights and practical knowledge that support sustainable growth across Wisconsin’s forest sector. Details of the sessions are as follows:

Continue reading “Forest Products Webinar Series: Recordings Available Now” →

Calendar Of Events

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LSLA Hardwood Lumber Grading Class – July 27-29, 2026

LSLA Education will offer a Hardwood Lumber Grading Short Course in Antigo, Wisconsin, from July 27-29, 2026. The course is open to everyone interested in lumber grading. This class is targeted at beginners and therefore will be ideal for sawyers, edgermen, trimmermen, grading trainees, salespeople, managers and supervisors. This course will cover topics such as clear vs. sound cuttings, wood characteristics and defects, hardwood lumber manufacturing standards, species, kiln dried lumber and hands-on lumber grading. For complete details, including the topics that will be covered in the course, list of area hotels and registration link, see the brochure.

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Spring Weather Damages Trees

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Red pine damaged by the April 2nd, 2026, ice storm in central Wisconsin. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Michael Hillstrom, DNR Invasive Forest Pest Coordinator, Fitchburg
Michael.Hillstrom@wisconsin.gov or 608-513-7690

Spring 2026 has seen a variety of tree stress events. Wisconsin trees have experienced snow and ice damage, severe storms that resulted in wind, hail and flood damage and swings in temperatures that brought leaf out and subsequent frost damage.

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Invasive Species Action Month: Action Awards, Awareness Weekend

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The 2025 winners of the Invasive Species Action Awards. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Mackenzie Manicki, DNR Invasive Plant Specialist, Madison

In Wisconsin, June is Invasive Species Action Month (ISAM), and plenty of activities are planned to educate and motivate residents and visitors into action.

Invasive species are defined as nonnative organisms whose introduction can cause harm to the environment, the economy, or pose threats to human health.

Continue reading “Invasive Species Action Month: Action Awards, Awareness Weekend” →