Dane County Tree Board

Trees are an important component of Dane County’s infrastructure. At this time, the health of many trees in Dane County is threatened not only by disease and insects, but by the effects of community growth. To ensure the future health of our trees, more management information and public education is needed. The Dane County Tree Board is committed to bringing information to the citizens of Dane County about one of our most treasured resources: trees.

Tree Care

Tree Diseases & Insects

Find an Arborist

FAQs

The Board’s Mission, Vision, Goals and Objectives

Mission Statement- Advocating for equitable healthy community forests in Dane County

Vision Statement – Increased canopy cover and healthy community forests for all

Goal: Increase/promote equitable tree canopy: Objective: support IRA grant for tree planting.
Goal: Support tree preservation: Objective: Develop tree preservation resolution for county properties, that can be used as a model for other communities
Goal: Support forestry careers and opportunities: Objective: Collaborate with community organizations to support forestry careers. Support county relationships with vocational training programs. Add an advisory Tree Board position for student member.
Goal: Advocate and support Dane County Forestry Programs: Objective: Advocate for funding levels that meet Tree City USA requirements, $2 per person in the county
Goal: Increase education/knowledge about trees: Objective: Coordinate with communities and the Tree Canopy Collaborative on educational materials for children and adults. Objective: Develop a tree related educational network to explore opportunities, and leverage support for tree related education

Accomplishments

Community Projects

Dane County Vegetation Maps

A 50 year inventory of Heritage Oaks (oaks older than 200 years) in Dane County. In 1976 Walter Scott initiated an inventory of all oaks greater than 200 years old. These same trees were inventoried in 2001 and then again in 2023. This was a crowd sourced project involving the public, anyone can contribute to the project and add a tree.

Heritage Oak Web Map

Map your progeny oak received from the Dane County Tree Board. in 2024 the Dane County Tree Board gave away 650 heritage oak seedlings and initated enviornmental education curriculem through growing trees at 5 school locations in Dane County.

Heritage Oak Progeny Map

Dane County Old Growth Forest (> 100 years old). Data was created using data from the 1939 Bordner Survey and recent vegitaion mapping.

Dane County Old Growth Forest

Dane County 1834 Historic Vegetation and Original Witness Trees. This map represents what the landscape looked like prior to Euro-American arrivals to Wisconsin

1834 Historic Vegetation

Partnerships

Cambridge Tree Project
Capitol Area Regional Planning Commission
Dane County Extension
Tree Canopy Collaborative
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Wisconsin DNR Nursery
State Cartographer’s Office

Tree Board Members

Tree Board Chair - Matt Noone, Senior Environmental Resources Planner, Capital Area Regional Planning Commission
Tree Board Vice-Chair - Jay Weiss, Cambridge Tree Project
Tierney Bocsi, UW-Madison PhD student
Cathy Brodbeck, Certified Arborist
Tedward Erker, Citizen
Cory Rich, Operation Fresh Start, Legacy Construction & Conservation Manager
Michele Ritt, Dane County Board Supervisor
Laura Wyatt, Horticulturist, Certified Arborist
Kate R Kendziora, Madison Gas and Electric

Advisors

Adam Alves, Dane County Parks
Brian Wahl, Wisconsin DNR

Tree Board Staff

Lisa Johnson, Dane County Extension Horticulture Educator