By Nicolle R. Spafford, DNR Urban Forestry Grants Manager; Nicolle.Spafford@wisconsin.gov or 715-896-7099
Beginning July 1, 2025, cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in –or conducting their projects in – Wisconsin can apply for a regular or startup 2026 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Urban Forestry grant. The total 2026 available funding is $559,680, with a possible release of $139,920 of catastrophic storm reserve to fund a second round in March 2026. Continue reading “2026 Urban Forestry Grants Announced”
When your newly planted trees are getting comfortable in their new homes, you’ve pulled the splinters from your hands and you find yourself at a desk asking yourself, “What now?”, we have an answer for you.
Are you a forestry expert interested in working with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), forest industry professionals and natural resource leaders to ensure sustainable management practices of Wisconsin’s forest resources?
Arbor Day’s roots began in the late 1800s in Nebraska where, according to the Arbor Day Foundation, residents of Nebraska City felt a lack of trees in their community. The secretary of the Nebraska Territory at the time, J. Sterling Morton, proposed a statewide tree-planting holiday, and on April 10, 1872, the first Arbor Day was celebrated. 
For the last few years, our urban forestry team has been writing social media posts for Wisconsin communities to post during Arbor Week. We encourage you to use social media to celebrate the many benefits of trees and inform the public about the importance of tree care.
Schools that connect students to nature and trees can register as a Tree Campus K-12 site. This Arbor Day Foundation program recognizes schools that inspire the next generation through experiences with nature inside and outside of the classroom. Schools need to meet four program goals to qualify.