Council News and Updates
Council on Forestry Welcomes Special Guest to the March Meeting
March 2025
The Wisconsin Council on Forestry held its March 11, 2025 meeting at the State Natural Resources Building in Madison. A highlight of the meeting was the chance for Council members and guests to meet Karen Hyun, Ph.D, the new DNR Secretary. The meeting gave Secretary Hyun the opportunity to learn more about the Council's goals and activities. She offered to support the Council by bringing forward concerns and initiatives to other leaders at the Cabinet level and solicit their support. More
information about Secretary Hyun can be found at Secretary and Executive Team |
| Wisconsin DNR.
Council on Forestry Holds January Meeting
January 2025
The Wisconsin Council on Forestry held their first meeting of 2025 on January 28 at the USDA Forest Products Laboratory in Madison. The Council welcomed two new members, Senator Jamie Wall and Representative Lori Palmeri, and said goodbye to Jennifer Youngblood, the Forest Supervisor of the Chequamegon/Nicolet National Forest who is moving to Alaska to accept the position of Forest Supervisor of the Chugach National Forest. The Council was treated to a tour of the Forest Products Laboratory in the afternoon. An in-depth article of the meeting and tour can be found in the meeting materials.
Council on Forestry Holds November Meeting
November 2024
The Wisconsin Council on Forestry held their last meeting of 2024 on November 19 at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Service Center in Rhinelander. The Council formally approved several items, including a forest health position paper, a letter in support of the Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP), a letter to the Governor outlining the Council's forestry priorities for the 2025-2027 biennial state budget, and the recommendation letter for a forest industry initiative to include an industry strategic plan and roadmap. The Council also approved a white paper detailing industry challenges as background for the need for a strategic industry planning effort. As a new initiative, the Council also decided to examine potential concerns about regeneration of red pine and oak Wisconsin forests with the formation of an ad hoc committee. More information is available on the meeting materials page.
Council on Forestry Holds September Meeting and Field Tour
September 2024
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.
WI Council on Forestry Welcomes Special Guests
May 2024
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.
Left to Right: Heather Berklund (Chief State Forester), Sarah Godlewski (WI Sec. of State), Jennifer Youngblood (USDA Forest Service, Forest Supervisor - Chequamegon-Nicolet), Tony Dixon (USDA Forest Service Eastern Region), Matt Dallman (COF Vice-Chair), Tom Hittle (COF Chair), Jim Copeland (USDA Forest Service Deputy Regional Forester -Eastern Region)