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Menomonie Urban Forestry Board reviews Arbor Day, accepts student wood‑toy project and readies planting of 73 trees
Summary
At its May 20 meeting, the Menomonie Urban Forestry Board recapped a successful Arbor Day, reviewed a UW‑Stout student wood‑toys project using city ash logs, agreed to develop a welcome packet, and noted 73 trees will be delivered and planted the week of May 26, 2026.
The Menomonie Urban Forestry Board met May 20 in City Hall and recapped recent outreach and planting efforts while scheduling near‑term plantings and outreach work. Chair Liz Usborne called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. and members approved the April 15, 2026 minutes by voice vote.
Board members said the Arbor Day celebration at the Menomonie Public Library was successful and received media coverage, including from WQOW News 18 and the Leader‑Telegram; the group thanked Chair Liz Usborne for a speech that was shared in the library’s monthly e‑newsletter and discussed broader distribution to other outlets. Members also reviewed the Field Day tree‑planting effort, which involved many volunteers including UW‑Stout students and Urban Forestry Board members. The board discussed logistics for future plantings, including taking delivery of trees in spring but holding them in the City’s gravel bed for fall planting to better coordinate with school schedules.
Megen Hines reported on a yearlong UW‑Stout senior engineering project that turned ash trees removed from city boulevards into wooden toys. Students presented a wooden duck and tractor to the City, and the City is storing several ash logs for Professor Kevin Dietsche to continue student work using the material.
The board agreed to adapt the Arbor Day Foundation Tree Board Handbook into a Menomonie‑specific welcome packet; member Barbara Hauck agreed to draft initial content and meet with staff member Megen Hines before the June meeting for review. The group also reviewed parking‑lot items and added a proposal to list trees planted under the Trillion Trees pledge and to schedule a tour of City forested areas in place of the July meeting. Member Keith Gilland volunteered to draft a list of tour locations; the tour will be added to the June 2026 agenda.
In the Urban Forester report, members heard that several trees were removed after recent storm damage and that 73 trees are scheduled for delivery by vendor Legacy Trees on Tuesday, May 26, 2026; the board expects those trees to be planted that week. There were no recent City Council actions reported that directly affected the board.
Formal actions recorded in the minutes include a motion by Keith Gilland, seconded by Barbara Hauck, to approve the April 15, 2026 minutes as written; the motion carried. The meeting adjourned at 2:04 p.m. on a motion by Gilland, seconded by Ryland Erdman. The Urban Forestry Board’s next meeting is scheduled for June 17, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers.
