Blog Articles

Gordon Ovan, formerly Redgranite… passed away peacefully in his sleep on Friday, June 3, 2022.  After completing his student teaching in Michigan, he returned to Wisconsin where he met his wife and purchased a property near Redgranite. In 1992, he received the “Gift of Life” through a kidney transplant.  This re-energized his tenacious curiosity and sustained his crusade to promote organ donation.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will host the first of several educational hunting webinars beginning July 28 for members of the public that are new to hunting or hunting curious. The webinar series is in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation, Pheasants Forever and Becoming an Outdoorswoman. The series is designed for those interested in learning about hunting, fishing and trapping. EVENT DETAILS What: Wanna Go Hunting? Let’s Get Started!

Wisconsin Academy Announces 10 Forestry Recommendations to Fight Climate Change The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters has identified ten key forestry recommendations that will offset the impact of climate change in Wisconsin. The recommendations are outlined in the newly released report, Wisconsin’s Forested Lands: Opportunities for Carbon Sequestration and Storage. This report is part of the Wisconsin Academy’s Climate-Critical Lands project, a research initiative which looks at the potential for carbon storage in Wisconsin landscapes.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)’s Division of Forestry’s Strategic Direction is a five-year plan that builds off of the Wisconsin forestry community’s 10-year Statewide Forest Action Plan. It allows us to connect our vision for the future using tangible strategies and actions.

Gregory Deering, Kaukauna…died Friday, April 29, 2022 with his wife at his side, after a 1½ year battle with Sarcoma Cancer.  He owned a cabin in Mountain, WI, where he loved spending time in the woods with his dog Maple, sitting by the fire, renovating the cabin, making Maple Syrup, hunting, and woodworking. A memorial is being established.

Rev. James Rivers, Janesville (formerly of Wild Rose)…passed away on Saturday, June 11, 2022. He retired to a Tree Farm in Wild Rose in 2001 because of his wife Nancy’s failing health.  Their woods was a Golden Sands RC&D demonstration forest for many years.

Donald Burke, formerly of Hancock…passed away peacefully from a stroke on Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at the Overland Park, KS Regional Hospital. A charter WWOA member, Don and his wife, Evelyn, were active in the Central Sands Chapter and attended many WWOA Annual Meetings.  They loved living on the family tree farm, B-Kin Land. In 2019, they relocated to Overland Park, KS to the Brookdale Independent Living Facility, closer to most of their family.

Patricia Pheifer, Neenah…peacefully went to heaven on Sunday, February 6, 2022. Alan Pheifer, Neenah…passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 11, 2021. The Pheifers enjoyed spending time with their family feeding birds and watching or hunting deer at the Al Pheifer Family Woodlands in Scandinavia In lieu of flowers a memorial is being established in their name.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) will be setting more than 10,000 traps for spongy moth (formerly known as gypsy moth) in 47 counties from mid-May through early June. DATCP requests that property owners allow trappers access to place traps and not disturb the traps once in place.

Robert “Bob” A. Borchers, Pickens, SC… passed away on Saturday, October 30, 2021 surrounded by his loving family. When he was just 18 years old, Bob purchased 168 acres in Trego, WI and together (ne and his father) they planted seedlings to grow what became Will Be Done Farms.  He was a lifelong member of the Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association.