Urban wood

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grant Program Request For Applications

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The Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service is now requesting applications for the Fiscal Year 2021 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Grant Program. The USDA anticipates that up to $5.4 million in new funds will be available for reforestation, ecosystem restoration and forest health improvement in the Great Lakes Basin through an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

This year, the USDA is announcing and awarding funding through two grant opportunities at the same time: 1) Cooperative Weed Management Areas and 2) Forest Restoration.

Submit applications by 6 p.m. EST on July 8 in Grants.gov through two separate Requests for Applications:

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Municipal Forestry Institute

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The Municipal Forestry Institute (MFI) is a week-long, high-level training opportunity to educate people in the leadership and managerial aspects of urban forestry. Urban forestry professionals from across the county will come together for a week-long intensive educational program that delivers a challenging opportunity to grow a more successful community tree program. Learn and master leadership and management tools of program administration, coalition building, strategic thinking, program planning and public relations. 

MFI 2021 will be held Sept. 26-Oct. 1 in Bowling Green, Ohio. 

To learn more and to register, visit this webpage.

Tree Health Monitoring Program Available

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By Dan Buckler, DNR Urban Forest Assessment Specialist, Madison, daniel.buckler@wisconsin.gov or 608-445-4578

Joseph OBrien, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Monitoring for tree health enables managers to anticipate maintenance needs. However, health monitoring is often inconsistent, generic or requiring advanced knowledge of insect pests or diseases. There can be a better way, and this might be one.

Since 2015, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have spearheaded a tree health monitoring initiative called Healthy Trees, Healthy Cities (HTHC) that uses a simple methodology for lightly trained observers to identify potentially problematic trees. Disparate organizations have successfully employed the procedure, from Boy Scouts to the New York City Housing Authority. And now, the Wisconsin DNR has partnered with USFS and TNC to incorporate the methodology into the Wisconsin Community Tree Map, should any communities or organizations be interested in trying it out. One does not need to have a current tree map license to pursue this effort.

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Celebrating A Successful 2021 Arbor Day

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By Patricia Lindquist, DNR Urban Forestry Communications Specialist, Madison, Patricia.Lindquist@wisconsin.gov or 608-843-6248 

Despite significant challenges this year, many communities adapted their annual Arbor Day celebrations or came up with creative new ideas. Thanks to everyone for going above and beyond in 2021!

A big thank you to the 43 communities who participated in the Arbor Day Social media campaign! All together, these communities created 159 posts for Facebook, Twitter and their local government websites during Arbor Week. We’re thrilled that so many of you helped spread the word about the benefits of trees and proper tree planting and care practices.

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Congratulations To 2021 Bird Cities!

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Ninety-one communities received Bird City Wisconsin status in 2021. Greenfield and Wauwatosa are first-time recipients.

The following communities have renewed their status: Algoma, Altoona, Amery, Appleton, Ashland, Bailey’s Harbor, Baraboo, Bayfield, Bayside, Beaver Dam, Brookfield, Brown County, Brown Deer, Chenequa, De Soto, DeForest, Door County, Eau Claire, Egg Harbor, Elm Grove, Ephraim, Ferryville, Fond du Lac, Fontana-on-Geneva Lake, Fox Point, Glendale, Grafton, Grantsburg, Green Bay, Green Lake, Hales Corners, Horicon, Howard, Hudson, Janesville, Kaukauna, Kenosha County, Kenosha (City), La Crosse, Lake Geneva, Madison, Manitowish Waters, Manitowoc, Marinette, Marquette County, Mayville, McFarland, Menomonie, Mequon, Milwaukee (City), Milwaukee County, Monona, Muskego, Newburg, New London, Oconomowoc, Oconto, Osceola, Oshkosh, Ozaukee County, Pittsville, Plover, Plymouth, Port Wing, Prairie du Chien, Presque Isle, Racine, Reedsburg, Rice Lake, River Falls, River Hills, Rome, Sauk City/Prairie du Sac, Sheboygan, Shorewood, Shorewood Hills, Stevens Point, Sturgeon Bay, Superior, Taylor County, Trempealeau, Washington Island, Waunakee, Wausau, West Bend, Whitefish Bay, Whitewater, Williams Bay and Wisconsin Rapids.

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First Downs for Trees Celebrates 11 Years

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On April 20, the First Downs for Trees program celebrated its 11th year by distributing 411 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.

On average, NFL teams produce more than 450 tons of carbon dioxide per year in travel, and the Packers wanted to reduce those effects as a part of their Green Team initiative. The donated trees help the Packers offset their carbon footprint. These trees also increase the urban forest canopy and provide a plethora of environmental, economic, social and health benefits to Brown County residents.

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Feature Story: Dennis Fermenich, Greenfield’s City Forester

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Love Wisconsin, a digital storytelling organization, recently wrote a series on municipal workers at the local level. One of the stories featured Dennis Fermenich, the city forester for Greenfield. Here is a link to the full article.

Copied below are a few segments of Dennis’ story:

Getting started as the Greenfield city forester: At first, everyone in the city didn’t welcome me. But there were certainly people in the city who wanted the trees and wanted forestry to move forward. I’ve outlived several of those people that were kind of anchors on my heels, to the point where I’m now working with the city and enjoying this amazing support from the public works department, from City Hall; they recognize the contribution that forestry makes to the city.

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1000 Friends Of Wisconsin’s Leafing Out Webinar Series

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Leafing Out, Episode 6: Small Insects Can Cause Big Tree Problems with August Hoppe

Thursday, May 20th, 2021, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

This webinar has been produced in collaboration with the Hoppe Tree Service

Join 1000 Friends and August Hoppe, from Hoppe Tree Service to learn about the insects that might be bugging your trees.

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Funding Opportunity Available For Nonprofits Through The DNR

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Nonprofit conservation organizations (NCOs) are encouraged to apply for grants to help fund land acquisition through the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program. Applications are due Aug. 1, 2021, for the following NCO grant subprograms:

  • Habitat Area grants
  • Natural Area grants
  • Stream Bank Protection grants
  • State Trail grants

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