Events

Photo Collage Of Arbor Day Celebrations

Posted on by patricialindquist

Scroll down to see how communities around the state celebrated Arbor Day in 2023!

Governor Tony Evers attended the village of Germantown’s Arbor Day celebration on Friday, April 28. Village Park and Recreation staff organized the event with help from Wendland Nursery and the Wisconsin DNR. In addition to village staff and leaders, there were approximately 35 elementary students in attendance, all part of the Kids Club (an after-school program at County Line School). DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator Olivia Witthun spoke with the students and presented the community with their 19th annual Tree City USA award. Olivia was assisted by DNR Forestry staff Mike Warnke and Kim Sebastian. The local nursery provided a planting demonstration and gave each student a plant or vegetable to go home with.

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First Downs For Trees Celebrates 13 Years

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On April 20, the First Downs for Trees program celebrated its 13th year by distributing 403 trees to 16 Brown County communities for planting. First Downs for Trees is a cooperative effort between the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) and corporate sponsors Essity and Green Bay Packaging, Inc.

The program donates trees to participating communities based on the number of first downs in the previous season.

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Back On Track In Titletown! 2023 WDNR/WAA Annual Conference

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Heather Berklund, DNR Chief State Forester, provided a welcome address

Heather Berklund, DNR Chief State Forester, provided a welcome address at the 2023 WAA/DNR Annual Conference

The 2023 Wisconsin DNR Urban Forestry/Wisconsin Arborist Association (WAA) Annual Conference, “Back on Track in Titletown!” was held in Green Bay on Feb. 19-21, 2023. Conference attendees gathered to network, learn and discuss important concepts in urban forest management and practices in arboriculture.

The conference hosted approximately 890 community foresters and administrators, professional arborists, green industry professionals, nonprofit staff and students. We didn’t quite beat our record of 922 attendees, but we came very close!

DNR staff and the WAA developed a program designed to enrich arboriculture and urban forestry knowledge in the industry statewide. This year, presentations included but were not limited to: 

  • Wisconsin Trees and the Law
  • Advance Your Urban Forest by Improving Work Specifications and Contracts
  • Physical Traits of Urban Trees and Stormwater Mitigation: Let’s Explore the Linkages
  • National Models to Grow an Inclusive Workforce
  • Transplanting Large Trees Bareroot
  • Tree Water Use and Sap Flow
  • Climate Change and Drought: Approaches to Tree Selection

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Spongy Moth Management Webinar: March 8 at 6 p.m.

Posted on by patricialindquist

By Michael Hillstrom, Forest Health Specialist, Fitchburg, Michael.Hillstrom@wisconsin.gov

Spongy moth populations increased dramatically in 2022 and the outbreak is expected to continue in 2023.

Landowners interested in learning more about spongy moth management options are encouraged to attend an upcoming webinar hosted by UW Extension at 6 p.m. on March 8, 2023.

This is a free event, but registration is required. DNR Forest Health Specialist Mike Hillstrom and UW-Madison Insect Diagnostic Lab entomologist PJ Liesch will discuss a variety of effective management tactics for reducing spongy moth damage in varied settings from high value urban trees to forests.

A flyer for an upcoming webinar about spongy moth management that will take place virtually at 6pm on March 8, 2023.

UW Extension’s spongy moth management webinar can help you prepare to care for your land this spring.

WAA Conference Registration Available

Posted on by kirsten.biefeld

The 2023 Wisconsin Arborist Association (WAA) and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Annual Conference will be held on Feb. 19-21 in Green Bay, WI. Early Bird Registration cost is $275 until Jan. 27. You can find conference details here.

This conference is intended for professional arborists, community foresters, nursery professionals, park and recreation directors and staff, tree care workers, landscape architects and green industry professionals.

It will be followed by the Exhibitor Social with the famous Blue Light Special with proceeds supporting the WAA’s Student Scholarship Fund. Continue reading “WAA Conference Registration Available” →

Arbor Day 2022 Celebrations

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Did you know that 2022 is both the 150th anniversary of the Arbor Day holiday and the 50th anniversary of the Arbor Day Foundation? To mark these events, the Arbor Day Foundation is compiling all of the Arbor Day celebrations across the United States, putting them on a map, and sharing it far and wide.

To add your celebration or find one in your state, visit the Arbor Day Dates Across America webpage.

Also, a reminder that the Arbor Day Foundation requires communities to hold an Arbor Day celebration and declare a proclamation to earn or maintain Tree City USA designation in 2022. Learn more about the 2022 Tree City USA requirements here.

2022 WDNR/WAA Annual Conference A Great Success

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The 2022 Annual Statewide Wisconsin DNR/Wisconsin Arborist Association (WAA) Urban Forestry Conference, “Looking Forward, Not Backwards, to Our Days in Arboriculture!” was held in Green Bay on Feb. 20, 2022.

We proudly announce that the conference hosted 435 community foresters and administrators, professional arborists, green industry professionals, nonprofit staff and students, following all COVID-19 protocols and related attendance restrictions. Those in attendance gathered to network, learn and discuss important concepts in urban forest management and practices in arboriculture.

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Register Now for the Annual WAA/DNR Urban Forestry Conference!

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Join the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Wisconsin Arborist Association for the 2022 Wisconsin Annual Urban Forestry Conference. The conference will be held on Feb. 20 – 22 at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay with select sessions available for attendance virtually.

The in-person conference is limited to 462 attendees this year. This is approximately half of our usual attendance.

The early bird discount is available until Jan. 28. Prices will go up on Jan. 29.

To register for the in-person conference, go here.

The virtual conference will be available for viewing all of March. Register for the virtual conference here.

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Save The Date: February WAA / DNR Annual Conference

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Join the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Wisconsin Arborist Association for the 2022 Wisconsin Annual Urban Forestry Conference. The conference will be held on Feb. 20 – 22 at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay with select sessions available for attendance virtually.

The DNR and the Wisconsin Arborist Association developed three days of enriching educational programming on the latest in research, innovations and industry developments and issues in the arboriculture and urban forestry industry.

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ISA International Virtual Conference

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The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) is holding its 2021 International Virtual Conference from Dec. 13 – 16 bringing together practicing arborists, urban foresters, top researchers and educators.

Industry leaders from around the globe will teach more than 40 educational sessions on current research, practice and technology. This year’s keynote speaker is Valerie Trouet, author of “Tree Story,” and professor in the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona. Attendees can earn more than 20 CEUS while networking with fellow industry experts. View the full agenda here.

Sessions will be available to watch during the conference and up to 30 days on demand after the event.

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