Arbor day is April 28 this year, and it’s never too early to start promoting more trees in your community! The Arbor Day Foundation has created “A Tree Can Be” Marketing Toolkit to help you do just that. Continue reading “Free Tree Marketing Toolkits from Arbor Day Foundation”
As we get through a chilly February, here are a few different grant opportunities and ideas to help you think ahead to a (hopefully) warmer spring!
Grant applications are due Wednesday, March 1, 2023. The DNR will consider all complete applications received by this date. Tentative dates for round two and three funding are August 1 and November 1.
Nonprofit conservation organizations (NCOs) may apply for funding from eight Stewardship grant subprograms to help fund the acquisition of land and conservation easements. Continue reading “Grant Opportunities and Ideas”
The highest value of an urban tree is when it’s living; however, if it is killed or damaged, there are many ways to recycle it. Urban wood includes logs, brush and chips generated from urban or community trees.
Urban wood utilization is not a novel notion, but with the introduction of the emerald ash borer, it has become more prevalent. The DNR has a site for Urban Wood Utilization resources to help a community as needed with dead and fallen trees, which have become more prevalent with forest pests such as the emerald ash borer.
Once a community realizes its need to deal with wood efficiently and productively, community leaders can use the links and information listed to help manage this resource. For additional and more specific information pertinent to your area, contact your local DNR Forest Products Specialist.
For tips and resources to facilitate a healthy urban tree canopy, visit our Tree Learning Center for details. Continue reading “Urban Wood Utilization Resources”
Below is a list of pruning training videos compiled by our Urban Forestry Regional Coordinators.
Trees
Trees are struggling to survive in cities, which is not good news for communities across the United States.
One study by the USDA Forest Service has estimated that 36 million urban trees are lost each year in the U.S. Estimated loss of benefits from trees in urban areas is conservatively valued at $96 million per year. These benefits include cooling urban areas, lowering carbon emissions, removing pollution and mental health benefits amongst many others. While trees and their benefits are needed more now than ever, it’s not too late to change the trend. Continue reading “Urban Tree Loss And How To Stop It”
By: Dan Buckler, Urban Forest Assessment Specialist, daniel.buckler@wisconsin.gov
There aren’t any permanent trees in this part of Kevin Naze’s yard, but Christmas trees help blunt the winter winds for cardinals and other visiting birds.
In last month’s newsletter we posted a survey on how readers use their Christmas tree following its initial use as an umbrella for gifts.
Readers came through with pragmatic, delightful and creative ways that they put their stray Christmas trees to work. Continue reading “The Many Lives Of Christmas Trees”
Some organizations are working to get children outside due to increasing worry over “nature deficit disorder.” Nature deficit disorder, a term popularized by Richard Louv term in his 2005 book “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder,” describes a concern that children are more disconnected from nature than ever due to using technology indoors instead of playing outside. There are very real mental and physical health benefits that come from interacting with nature. Continue reading “Wheels To Woods Program – Health Benefits Of Educating Kids Outdoors”
In 2008, LEAF, Wisconsin’s K-12 Forestry Education Program, created a Forester Activity Guide. The intent of the guide was to help foresters lead age-appropriate, interactive, hands-on classroom programs for students in grades K-8 with a minimum amount of advanced preparation. The guide was promoted to foresters throughout Wisconsin and even included as part of programming during new forester orientation.
Front page of the Forester Activity Guide. Credit: LEAF
In fall 2021, LEAF staff, working with Kirsten Held, determined that an update to the guide was overdue. To be certain a new guide would meet the needs of current foresters, LEAF sought input from professionals around the state who have both field experience and an enthusiasm for working with students.
The following DNR Division of Forestry staff partnered with LEAF to create a new and improved Forester Activity Guide: Brooke Ludwig, Eau Claire; Steven Kaufman, Oconto Falls; Kara Oikarinen, Washburn; Scott Mueller, Medford; Sarah Ward, Montello; and Brian Wahl, Fitchburg.
The new Forester Activity Guide builds upon the goals set for the original K-8 guide by including more opportunities for outdoor learning around themes that foresters are frequently asked about: What Do Foresters Do?; Caring for the Forest; Forest Products & Benefits, Tree Planting and Natural Restoration and Fire.
All activities include tips for modifying lessons to urban settings and suggestions on how to use the lessons with learners from grades K-12. Lessons in the new guide all have slideshow presentations that foresters can use if their visits must take place in an indoor setting and require even less advanced preparation than lessons for the original guide. Continue reading “DNR Foresters Partner with LEAF Program to Update Forester Activity Guide”
Reserve your spot for an intensive online training with the Urban Ecology Center focusing on neighborhood transformation. The five-part training will help participants make connections between kids, parks, cities and the wider world. Save your space by submitting an application for the March 2023 session. Continue reading “Urban Ecology Center’s Neighborhood Transformation Training Available”
UW-Madison’s Extension Horticulture Program is offering an online non-credit certificate course called “Plant Diagnostics: The Step-by-Step Approach to Identifying Plant Problems.” The class runs from Feb. 1 to April 30, 2023.
As a student, you will move at your own pace through 13 modules with online videos, reading and interactive exercises. You will learn the steps of the plant diagnostic process in an easy-to-understand way. You will become familiar with appropriate unbiased, research-based resources to use in the diagnostic process. Continue reading “UW Extension Plant Diagnostic Class”
