Wisconsin Liaison Matt Koepnick [email protected]

State Coordinators:
Jeff Roe: DNR Urban Forestry Team Leader: [email protected]
https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/urbanforests/

Headline News

• Markets are growing for urban wood utilization across Wisconsin. This interactive mapping tool can help connect municipalities with wood-using mills. https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/forestbusinesses/industries.html
• Development of Wisconsin’s 2020 Forest Action Plan is beginning. Input from urban forestry partners is important to the success of the plan. For more information: https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/ForestPlanning/actionPlan2020.html and https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/forestPlanning/documents/WIForestActionPlan_Feb2019.pdf.
• The WAA and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development have announced the nation’s first Arborist Apprenticeship program. Information can be found here: http://www.waa-isa.org/certification/apprenticeship-program/ and here: https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/apprenticeship/trades/arborist.htm
• The WDNR Urban Forestry program recently unveiled an interactive map that provides a new way of learning about urban forests in the state. The Wisconsin Community Tree Map plots individual trees according to species, diameter, health condition and other attributes for participating communities statewide. https://pg-cloud.com/Wisconsin/ 

People you should know:  (Who’s who in your State)

Jill Johnson, Forest Service Midwest Urban Forestry Coordinator, [email protected]

Sara Minkoff, WDNR Urban Forestry Council Liaison, [email protected]   

Laura Lorentz, WDNR Urban Forestry Partnership & Policy Specialist, [email protected]

Brad Johnson, WDNR West Regional Urban Forestry Coordinator, [email protected]

Don Kissinger, WDNR North Central Regional Urban Forestry Coordinator, [email protected]

Tracy Salisbury, WDNR Northeast Regional Urban Forestry Coordinator, [email protected]

Brian Wahl, WDNR South Central Regional Urban Forestry Coordinator, [email protected]

Olivia Witthun, WDNR East Central Regional Urban Forestry Coordinator, [email protected]

Kim Sebastian, WDNR Southeast Regional Urban Forestry Coordinator, [email protected]

Coming events in State:

Good Health Grows on Trees Conference: The Influence of Nearby Nature on Public Health. May 30, 2019, Janesville, WI https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/UrbanForests/Conference.html

Visit the following webpages for regularly updated lists of upcoming events in and around Wisconsin:

• Wisconsin Arborist Association, Events & Programs: http://www.waa-isa.org/events-programs/
• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Urban Forestry, Training & Events Calendar: https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/UrbanForests/events.html

Links of Interest:

Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council: https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/UrbanForests/members.html
Wisconsin Urban Forestry Grants: https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/UrbanForests/grants/index.html
Wisconsin Community Tree Map: https://pg-cloud.com/Wisconsin/ Wisconsin Arborist Association: http://www.waa-isa.org/
Wisconsin Urban Wood: http://wisconsinurbanwood.org/
Wisconsin Arborist Apprenticeship Program: https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/apprenticeship/trades/arborist.htm

Biography
I earned a B.S. in Urban Forestry from UW-Stevens Point, am an ISA Certified Arborist Municipal Specialist, and have been working in the tree care industry for close to 20 years. My work experience includes private, state and municipal positions in Nevada and Wisconsin. In late-2010 I returned to my hometown of Racine, Wisconsin where I hold the position of City Forester. I am also serving my second term as Secretary on the Wisconsin Arborist Association Board of Directors.