Forest Land Leasing Options
Landowners can lease their woodlands for sustainable purposes like maple syrup harvesting and hunting, and it’s worthwhile to address issues specific to each activity. MAPLE…
Category Ownership 101
Read More
50 Years of Stewardship
About 50 years ago, Tom Wedel and his wife Eva were living in Crystal Lake, Illinois, north of Chicago. They knew they wanted to buy…
Getting to Know Your Forest Health Team: Linda Williams on Spruce budworm
By Denise Thornton Spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) has been causing defoliation in Wisconsin since 2012 according to Linda Williams, Wisconsin DNR forest health specialist. This…
Are YOU a Scientist?
By Denise Thornton Many Wisconsin landowners—the concerned and the curious—are joining the growing ranks of citizen scientists (CS) who collect information about their property to…
The Outstanding Vision of a Lady Landowner
By Denise Thornton The view from horseback connects Denise Marino to her land. “It was a dream to have land so I could have my…
Messengers Matter
By Steve Swenson, Program Director As a teenager, Peggy Timmerman would have characterized her mother’s interest in nature as over-enthusiastic. Plants individually labelled…
Quiz: When Can Someone Claim Your Property? Adverse Possession Defined
Everyone probably has a book on their shelf that is not actually theirs. Picked-up along the way and the rightful owner long forgotten. It’s now…
The Importance of Surveying Your Land – Rick and Susan Case’s Cautionary Tale
“Our neighbor surveyed a line and that’s when we realized half of our new barn was on their property,” stated Rick. “We assumed that land…
Ask the Expert: Should I Seek Forest Certification?
Nearly everyone and everything – from tax accountants to organic produce – can be certified, and the same is true of family forest owners. Certification…
How Big Is Rural Wisconsin?
Wisconsin’s population at the time of the 2010 census was around 5.6 million people. It will come as no surprise that most people (and Wisconsin’s…
Three Friends You Must Have
“It’s not what you know that counts, but who you know.” – Author unknown Imagine a race to solve an everyday rural problem, in which…
Rural Neighbors: Like Peanut Butter and Jelly
“Distance might separate rural neighbors, but relationships are still important.” –Jim Weber, rural woodland owner in Iowa County A simplistic look at rural landowners might…
Agricultural Leases: Handshake Agreement or Written Contract?
By Laura Paine, Grazing Broker, Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development “Experience teaches you that the man who looks you straight in the eye, particularly…
Can I Trespass On My Own Land?
Here’s the scenario: You own 40 acres of land, 20 acres of which is leased to a local farmer, and 20 acres in woodland. You…