Updates from the Board

Your Comments are Needed on the WI State Budget

March 29, 2023 by Nancy Bozek

Have you benefitted from these programs – walked in your woods with a WI DNR forester, used WI Forest Landowner Grant Program cost-sharing, met with a Tax Law Specialist about your Managed Forest Law or Forest Crop Law plan, attended a winter woodland owner conference with WDNR speakers, learned from an article in Wisconsin Woodlands magazine that was authored by WDNR staff, or attended a WWOA chapter field day with WDNR staff presenting – don’t take these benefits for granted!

The WWOA Board of Directors met on Monday, March 27, 2023 to discuss proposed forestry budget initiatives for the Wisconsin State Budget 2023-25. Here is their letter to members of the Joint Committee on Finance regarding forestry budget initiatives WWOA letter to WI Joint Committee on Finance.

WWOA members are encouraged to contact members of the Joint Committee on Finance or their State Senator or Assembly person to express their support verbally or in writing for forestry initiatives within the State Budget. If legislators do not hear from woodland owners about forestry issues, then forestry items become easy to delete from or not include in the state budget.

In 2017, the Forestry Mill Tax (provided dedicated financial support forestry programs) was sunset. Funding for forestry programs now comes General Purpose Revenue (GPR). This means that forestry expenditures compete with other state program needs making it vital that woodland owners speak up to maintain these programs for the health of Wisconsin’s forests.

Voice your opinion by:

attending one of the Joint Committee on Finance Budget Listening Sessions (arrive early!) on April 5 in Waukesha, April 11 in Eau Claire, April 12 in Wisconsin Dells, and April 26 in Minocqua
using the Joint Committee on Finance website to submit comments
directly contacting members of WI Joint Committee on Finance members and contact information
contacting your state legislators (look up under Who Are My Legislators?)

Other natural resource budget information can be found at
State Budget – Conservation Fund Report (Informational Paper 65) 2023– the Forestry Account starts on pg 18

Call for Nominations- WWOA Board of Directors

January 30, 2023 by Nancy Bozek

The WWOA Nomination Committee is looking for you or someone you know to fill three WWOA Board of Director positions that will become vacant at the close of the 2023 Annual meeting in the Wisconsin Dells this September. Directors whose terms are expiring are Kirk Dahl, Keith Dobberstein and Arlene Roehl.

To qualify as a candidate for the WWOA Board of Directors, one must be a woodland owner and voting member of WWOA, and agree to uphold WWOA’s Mission Statement and By-Laws. Candidates must be willing to give time and energy to help enhance and achieve the goals of WWOA through their work on the board, WWOA committees, and chapters. Good communication skills and the ability to use email and Zoom are essential for communication purposes.

Biographical sketches must be received by May 20, 2023 at the WWOA Office, PO Box 285, Stevens Point, WI 54481. Ballots will be mailed to all voting members in June 2023. If you are interested in serving on the WWOA Board or nominating someone, please contact the WWOA office (715) 346-4798 or wwoa@uwsp.edu for more information.