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.

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

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

1. Goal: Increase/promote equitable tree canopy: Objective: support IRA grant for tree planting.
2. Goal: Support tree preservation: Objective: Develop tree preservation resolution for county properties, that can be used as a model for other communities
3. 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.
4. 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
5. 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

The Tree Board is conducting an inventory of all heritage oak trees in the County. We have develpoped a crowdsourced webmap where anyone can add their heritigate oak tree to the inventory.

Dane County Heritage Oak Project

The Dane County Tree Board has partnered with schools and the WI DNR to grow trees from locally adapted heritage seed. If you have recieved one of our unique trees, please map where you planted it here so we can keep track of our project successes. 

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

• Adam Alves, Dane County Parks
• Brian Wahl, Wisconsin DNR

• Lisa Johnson, Dane County Extension Horticulture Educator