Scott Lyon, left, Wisconsin DNR Forest Products Services team leader, and Scott Leavengood, director of Oregon Wood Innovation Center. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR
By Brian Cole, Wisconsin DNR Forest Product Specialist
On Wednesday, April 1, at the Fitchburg Service Center, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forest Product Services team held its first Wisconsin Local Use Dimension Lumber Grading (WLUDLG) class for 2026.
Along with 10 Wisconsin students, we had the pleasure of hosting Scott Leavengood. Scott is the director of the Oregon Wood Innovation Center (OWIC) and has worked in Wood Products Extension with Oregon State University (OSU) since 1994.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z133, more affectionately known at “The Z”, is the standard that contains arboriculture safety requirements for pruning, repairing, maintaining and removing trees, cutting brush and using equipment in such operations. If you’re reading this newsletter, you, your staff or your contactors likely participate in work that falls under the purview of this standard. 
The Wisconsin Arborist Association (WAA) is accepting 
The congressionally mandated National Urban and Community Forestry (NUCF) Ten Year Action Plan creates a guiding framework that optimizes innovations, resources and collaborations for the field of urban and community forestry. Input gathered through this voluntary form is part of the stakeholder engagement process and will help update the NUCF Ten Year Action Plan.
The 
Erin Stoekl was selected in late October to lead the Forestry Services Section for the City of Milwaukee. Erin has worked for City of Milwaukee forestry for 11 years and has been in the industry for 16 years. Over the past three years, she has served as one of three District Managers, overseeing forestry operations for the southern portion of the city. Prior to this position, Erin served for seven years as the Property Maintenance and Compliance Manager.
The online portal for Tree City USA (TCUSA) is