Blog Articles

June Kingsbury, Mountain – passed away January 31, 2020.  June loved the outdoors and enjoyed attending many Annual Meetings and Phoenix Falls Chapter events with her husband, Jim, when she was in good health.  Visitation services are scheduled for Thursday, February 6, 2020 at Gruetzmacher Funeral Home in Suring from 1 p.m.

Robert Olson, Seeley – passed away June 22, 2019.  Robert “Bob” served as a WWOA Board Member from 1995-1998.  He was the founding President of the WWOA Northwest Chapter.  Noted in foreign affairs circles in his own right, Bob’s passion for his woodland came from his father, Sigurd Olson.  Sigurd was a noted American author, environmentalist, and advocate for the protection of wilderness.  In 1998, Bob created the Listening Point Foundation in Ely, MN to…

Author Bruce Grierson published an article called “The Kid in You” in Psychology Today, that sparked an interest with us at WWOA.  Grierson poses the question, “What if what we loved doing between ages 9 and 11, is what most of us ought to be doing for our actual jobs as adults?” Could you dig deep and recall what you were doing at age 10? Things that you were passionate about at that age?

Release Date: December 26, 2019 Media Contact: Brian Kuhn, Director, Bureau of Plant Industry, (608) 224-4590 High-resolution photo: Evergreen with EHS  MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) advises consumers who purchased evergreens this holiday season to check for an invasive pest called elongate hemlock scale (EHS) and properly dispose of any holiday greenery that may show signs of infestation.

Contact: FPAC.BC.Press@usda.gov   WASHINGTON, D.C., December 16, 2019 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) seeks public comments on its interim rule for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), USDA’s flagship program that helps producers plan and implement 150-plus conservation practices on working lands. The rule – now available on the Federal Register – takes effect upon publication and includes changes to the program prescribed by the 2018 Farm Bill.

Marvin Deffner, Wausau – passed away November 1, 2019.  A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 9th at Calvary Lutheran Church in the Town of Pine River, Lincoln County, N365 Cain Creek Road, Merrill, WI.

Howard Unrath, Clintonville – passed away September 12, 2019.  He was an active Wolf River Chapter member and officer.  He was a familiar face at WWOA’s Annual Meeting for many years.

Raymond Hanson, Madison & Wisconsin Rapids – passed away August 23, 2019.  Ray was a Charter member of WWOA.  Memorials in Ray’s name may be directed to Habitat for Humanity of Dane County, 3101 Latham Drive, Madison, WI 53713; Agrace Hospice Care, 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Madison, WI 53711 or Oakwood Village Prairie Ridge, 5565 Tancho Drive, Madison, WI  53718.

Patricia Gehrke, Winter – passed away Wednesday, September 4, 2019.  Pat and Mike always looked forwarded to attending the Annual Meeting and Pat’s warm smile could light up a room.  Memorial services are scheduled for Thursday September 12 at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Ladysmith, WI.

The Wausau and Marathon County Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department is beginning the process of updating its Fifteen-Year Forest Plan which will guide the management of our 30,195-acre Marathon County Forest from 2021 – 2035. Please help us with this important process. We want to hear from you about issues to address with plan revisions. Please submit feedback by September 25, 2019.