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Urban Forestry Award Nominations Due Oct. 31

Posted on by janness

 

2026 Urban Forestry Council Awardees / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

The Urban Forestry Council presents annual awards to outstanding individuals, organizations, communities and tribes that further urban forestry in Wisconsin. Awards are presented in the categories of Next Gen, Project Partnerships, Lifetime Achievement, Innovations in Urban Forestry, Leadership and Species Diversity. The awards are announced each year at the annual Wisconsin Arborist Association/Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Annual Conference and presented to winners in their community.

Learn more about the awards and complete the nomination form on the DNR Urban Forestry website.

New Urban Forestry LEAF Curriculum Available

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The Urban Forest Lesson Guide helps Wisconsin teachers educate students about the value of and need for our urban forests. Additionally, the Urban Forest Lesson Guide can help teachers in urban areas teach the importance of forests by using familiar urban forest surroundings to engage students and ultimately make the Wisconsin K-12 Forestry Lesson Guide units more relevant.

Take a peek at the newly added Urban Forestry Career Biographies, and you may see some familiar faces.

Visit the UW Stevens Point LEAF website to access the new and improved curriculum.

Forest Health Staffers Plan Public Appearances

Posted on by akabelowsky
Workers inspect a tree's health.

Linda Williams, DNR Forest Health specialist for Northeast Wisconsin, inspects a tree during a training session. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Forest Health Communications, Fitchburg;
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167

Linda Williams, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forest Health specialist for Northeast Wisconsin, will speak at multiple “Learn About Your Land” teaching events scheduled in September.

Continue reading “Forest Health Staffers Plan Public Appearances” →

Growing A Climate‑Ready, Wildlife‑Friendly Urban Forest In Eau Claire: CTMI Project

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By Jane Mohler

Trees in Eau Claire

Trees flank the pedestrian High Bridge Trail in Eau Claire. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

As co‑chair of the Chippewa Valley Biodiversity Partnership and a member of the Eau Claire Urban Forest Board, I joined the 2025-26 Wisconsin DNR Community Tree Management Institute (CTMI) to expand my skillset and take advantage of networking opportunities. CTMI is an advanced training course designed specifically for people responsible for urban forest management who do not have a degree/formal training in urban forestry and/or would like to hone their leadership and management skills. This program culminates in a final project utilizing the skills and knowledge gained throughout the 38 hours of instruction.

The shared goal was simple and urgent: help Eau Claire grow an urban forest that can handle a changing climate while supporting birds, pollinators and people for decades to come. We saw a quiet but powerful opportunity in the city’s Recommended Tree List. This “go‑to” list guides what gets planted along streets, in new subdivisions, around schools and in parks—and therefore, what our canopy will look like 30–50 years from now. Updating this list with climate and biodiversity in mind became the focus of my CTMI project. Continue reading “Growing A Climate‑Ready, Wildlife‑Friendly Urban Forest In Eau Claire: CTMI Project” →

Upcoming Training & Events

Posted on by janness
group learning about trees outside

Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

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

See below for information on training topics and events, including planting, urban forestry risks, invasive species, tree selection, emergency response, tree biology, climbing and several upcoming conferences. Continue reading “Upcoming Training & Events” →

Students Graduate From The Community Tree Management Institute

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By Olivia Witthun, DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator
Olivia.Witthun@wisconsin.gov or 414-750-8744

a group of people examining tree leavesCongratulations to the latest class of Wisconsin Community Tree Management Institute (CTMI) graduates! The CTMI wrapped up its sixth cohort mid-June.

CTMI is an advanced training course designed specifically for people responsible for urban forest management who do not have a degree and/or experience in urban forestry. Conversely, they may have technical skills but lack leadership and management experience.

Over six days of intensive training, students acquired the knowledge and skills needed to manage municipal trees and green space. Their exposure to various teaching perspectives gave them a well-rounded 38-hour training experience. The retreat-like setting created by the small class size and interactive learning curriculum reinforced the focus on support-network development with other students, staff and instructors. The capstone of the institute required each student to complete an applied project that benefited their community by utilizing their new skills and knowledge. Continue reading “Students Graduate From The Community Tree Management Institute” →

Go Outside Funds Available

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children learning outdoors

Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

The Go Outside Fund provides funding that helps connect youth to outdoor, nature-based learning experiences. Teachers or partner organizations may apply for funding to cover costs that facilitate getting kids outside and hands-on with nature, such as purchasing field supplies or paying for transportation and educator costs. Grants between $100 and $1,500 are available. Educators, as well as eligible organizations, are welcome to apply, with the next deadlines for applications being Sept. 1 and March 1, 2026. Continue reading “Go Outside Funds Available” →

The Urban Forestry Staff Springs Into Action For Arbor Day

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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

Posted on by janness

* 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” →

USDA Announces Availability Of New Log Truck Route Planner Tool

Posted on by akabelowsky

logoThe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced the launch of an innovative new tool, the Log Truck Route Planner, to help forest owners, mill operators and log truckers in the Pacific Northwest allocate timber and schedule log trucks. The system can assist users in coordinating routing between logging sites and sawmills, which can significantly increase the returns to log truck owners/operators, create efficiencies in the operation of sawmills and ultimately increase the market for U.S. timber products.

Continue reading “USDA Announces Availability Of New Log Truck Route Planner Tool” →