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Forestry & Community Commitment

Dennis' Awards & Recognition

• Recipient of the 2016 Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association’s Award of Merit; This award is given to an individual  who has clearly made outstanding contributions to the logging, trucking, machinery or forest profession that occurred “above and beyond” the normal activities expected from the candidate, while performing his/her job duties.  The contributions must have occurred consistently over a period of time exceeding five years.  Candidates are nominated for this award by their peers and must have “name recognition” throughout the region, rather than a limited area.

• Recipient of the 2014 National North Central Region Tree Farmer of the Year Award.  Annually, the American Tree Farm System awards the Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year (OTFY) to recognize private landowners that have done an exceptional job of forest management on their property and are also actively promoting sustainable forestry.  Through this award program, these individuals are honored as leaders in good forestry while their land demonstrates the benefits of good forest management.

• Recipient of the 2013 Einari Vidgrén Foundation Global Logger of the Year for Forestry Activism.  This is the first time this award has been given to someone in the United States.  Industrial Counsellor Einari Vidgrén, the founder of Ponsse, established the Einari Vidgrén Foundation in 2005 in order to increase appreciation for the work performed within the field of mechanized wood harvesting.  The purpose of the Foundation is to heighten awareness of the entrepreneurship related to timberharvesting and to make the mechanized harvesting sector more interesting as a potential workplace, especially among young people.  

• Recipient of the 2013 National Forest Resource Association’s “Outstanding Forestry Activist Award.” The Mission of the Forest Resources Association (FRA) is to promote the interests of forest products industry members in the economical, efficient, and sustainable use of forest resources to meet the needs of the wood fiber supply chain through private enterprise.  Part of their mission is to recognize excellence through award programs, such as this.

• Recipient of the 2012 State Forest Resource Association “Forestry Activist Award.”  Same premise as award listed above, just at a State level rather than National.

• Recipient of the 2012 Statewide Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year Award

• Recipient of the 2008, 2009, & 2010 WI Tree Farm District 5 Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year Awards

 

Boards, Committees, & Organization Affiliation’s

• Serves on the Oneida County Economic Development Corporation Board  of Directors 2015 – present

• Serves on the Elders Committee at his church, Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tomahawk, WI. 2012 - present

• Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the Forest Industry Safety & Training Alliance (FISTA) from 2011 – present

• Member of the WI Woodland Owners Association (WWOA) 2008-present

• Member of the WI Tree Farm Family since 1994

• Member  of the WI Tree Farm Committee 2008 - present

• Serves on the Elcho School District, School Forest Committee 2003 – present

• Volunteered to be on the Town of Enterprise Comprehensive Land Use Planning Committee

• Member of the Board of Directors for the Timber Producers of MI & WI from 1999 -2004

• WI Forestry Resources Education Alliance (WFREA) Board of Directors from 1996 – 2009

• Participation in several forestry related meetings and/or committees, ie:

  • Round table with Senator Ron Johnson

  • Meeting with Cindy Polzin (Governor’s Senior Director of Legislative & Local Affairs)

• Chair of the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association (GLTPA) Coordination Committee, which has led to additional involvement, including:

  • Numerous meetings, discussions & public education regarding the Northern Long-Eared Bat and the impact of its listing as a Federal “Threatened or Endangered Species”

  • Meetings and participation in demonstrations with WI State Patrol to address and test  Load Securement regulations for the timber industry on a local, state and federal level.

  • Organization and participation in several tours of forest industry facilities (ie: local paper and saw mills, equipment dealers, etc) and logging jobs (including his own) for several individuals, including but not limited to:

    • Heather Thompson (Growmark Inc) and Dan Wickersheim (Insight FS)

    • Ryan Murray (Deputy Secretary & COO of WI Economic Development Corp.)

    • State Senator Roger Roth Trou

    • U.S. Senator Ron Johnson Tour

    • U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Tour

    • Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch

    • November 2015 Forestry Tour organized by Rep. Czaja for 18 State Legislators

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Other Involvement & Activities

• Professor for the Heavy Equipment Operators certificate program offered through Nicolet Technical College April & May 2016

• WI Master Logger Verification Inspector

• In 2003 and 2007 Dennis and his logging crew were filmed and interviewed for different “Into the Outdoor” television series episodes; 2014 they were interviewed for GLTPA’s “Forestry Myths – Debunked” video.

• Donated the 2014 State Capitol Christmas Tree, as well as time and equipment to cut and harvest the tree from Schoeneck family property

• Donated equipment and time to cut and haul 2015 State Capitol Christmas Tree

• Participation in Log-A-Load for Kids® Charitable Harvests in 2001, 2002, 2008, and another is planned for April 2016. (Log A Load For Kids® is a nationwide campaign through which loggers and other forest industry professionals donate the value of a load of logs, or any amount they can, to help make hospital stays easier for children. Proceeds are donated to the Children's Miracle Network hospitals.

Through GLTPA, Log-A-Load charitable harvests are, first and foremost, an educational program that introduces children to forestry science, history and modern-day harvesting practices. The premise is simple: Experts in their fields – loggers, foresters, biologists, and teachers – are stationed throughout an area that has been designated for harvesting.

• He has spoken at several adult conferences regarding topics such as “Logger’s Involvement in Forestry” (FISTA Workshops), “A Logger’s Perspective” (WWOA- Conference, Feb. 2013), Forestry Activism” (Forest Resource Assoc. Lake States Fall Meeting, October 2013), “The Northern Long-Eared Bat” (WWOA Conference, Jan. 2015) and participated in a forestry panel at the 2013 Sustainable Forestry Conference in Florence, WI and the 2014 Statewide Cooperating Foresters Meeting in Stevens Point, WI.

• In recent years the local news station has interviewed Dennis for several different segments regarding forestry and sustainable forest practices.  

• Instrumental in the development of the Elcho School Forest and Education Center and participates in the Annual School Forest Day held every spring.

• Worked with the Learning Experiences & Activities in Forestry (LEAF) when the program began in 2004, to develop appropriate forestry curriculum for middle school classes. Continues to provide tours of his active logging jobsites to students and teachers through the program.

• Served as a WI Hunter Education Program instructor

• The Schoeneck’s have hosted 2 Tree Farm Field Days on their property, first in 2008 and then again in 2013, assisted with the 2009 Field Day held on the Milhalko Tree Farm and with the Becker Field Day in September 2014, and has attended many others. 

• Hosted a field day for a regional Forest Resource Association meeting on Schoeneck Tree Farm property in October 2015

• Volunteered at Tree Farm Booth at the 2014 Farm Technology Days

• Regularly has individuals tour his active logging jobsites

  • Local business people (banks, lawyers, accountants, etc)

  • Legislators and/or their Representatives (Rick Sense – District Chief of Staff for Congressman Reid Ribble; Nathan Schwanz – Staff Assistant for Rep. Sean Duffy)