Landowner Feature

Family, Tradition And Nature

Posted on by Kirsten Held
Dennis and Mary Krueger of Waupaca County.

Dennis and Mary Krueger of Waupaca County. / Photo Credit: Krueger family

Family, tradition and nature are three strong pillars to build a happy and successful life. Just ask Dennis Krueger and his wife, Mary, who have made a family and a forest together.

“We have always believed in the importance of traditions in building memories,” Mary Krueger said.

They remember starting the tradition of an annual “Fall Walk in the Woods” in 1988, visiting the farm owned by Dennis’ grandfather. The idea was hatched when a teacher gave their eldest daughter (age 10) an assignment to collect different types of leaves.

“[We] picked an early October afternoon, loaded a backpack with plastic bags to collect leaves and nuts and brought a lunch of peanut butter sandwiches and apples,” Mary Krueger said. “[Our] daughters (ages 10, 8 and 5) and son (age 3) thought this to be the best picnic ever, as we walked a logging trail in a piece of the hardwoods on Grandpa’s farm and settled on a large rock on top of a hill to have lunch.”

Continue reading “Family, Tradition And Nature” →

Following The Right Path

Posted on by Kirsten Held
Note: This is the first in a series of articles featuring Managed Forest Law landowners.  This feature of Jim Schiller was written by Art Kabelowsky, a communications specialist in the Division of Forestry.  Kabelowsky took the photos as well.
Managed Forest Law forest landowner Jim Schiller walks down a path in his woodland.

Forest landowner Jim Schiller teams up with DNR’s Managed Forest Law program on his successful woodland property near New Glarus.

Not even a chilly, overcast Monday afternoon could dampen the enthusiasm of Jim Schiller as he showed off his favorite place.

While taking a visitor on a tour of his 29-acre woodlot west of New Glarus in Green County, Schiller paused frequently to explain the past, present and future of each section of the property.

A few red oak trees here, some walnut trees there, a group of white oak trees planned on the other side of the path … spots where he’ll plant conifer seedlings to help protect his deciduous trees … areas where he has begun work to control invasive species such garlic mustard … his thoughts on when and what to harvest.

“You’ve always got to be thinking ahead,” Schiller said. “That’s the main thing I’ve gotten out of all of this.” Continue reading “Following The Right Path” →