Wisconsin Council on Forestry

The Wisconsin Council on Forestry held their fall meeting at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Service Center in Rhinelander on September 17th with a field tour on the 18th. In addition to the Council’s ongoing business items, a portion of the first day focused on the Pelican River Forest Conservation Easement in preparation for the field tour. The tour was hosted by staff from The Conservation Fund, the current owners of the property, along with the land manager from Huber Resources Corporation. The sometimes-unreliable fall weather held out for a beautiful day for the 19 individuals on the tour, including the tour guides, Council members, and individuals interested in learning more about working forest conservation easements.  A total of five tour stops were visited to highlight The Conservation Fund’s forest management activities and accommodations for public access. More detailed information about the meeting and tour, with photos is available on the meeting materials page​. 

The Council of Forestry was very excited to welcome two special guests at our May 29, 2024 meeting at the State Forestry Headquarters in Rhinelander. Wisconsin Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski and USDA Regional Forester Mr. Tony Dixon were able to spend the day with us. 

Secretary Godlewski has a keen interest in WI forestry and engagement in the Council’s industry initiatives. She is currently the Chair of the Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands (BCPL) which manages 78,000 acres of School Trust Lands. BCPL engages in a range of forest land management activities that include sustainable forestry, and land transactions to enhance public access, timber revenue potential and public access. Secretary Godlewski expressed strong support for the work of the Council and a commitment to remain connected to our work.

Mr. Tony Dixon is the recently appointed Regional Forester for the USDA Forest Service’s Eastern Region. As Regional Forester, he will oversee management of more than 12 million acres of the National Forest System lands in the Northeast and Midwest including 17 national forests and one national tallgrass prairie. The Eastern Region contains 20 states and tribal nations. Mr. Dixon expressed interest in maintaining strong ties with state and private landowners and the many other partners throughout the Northeast and Midwest.