Instructors
Our impressive list of past and current instructors includes professionals from all fields of conservation and private landowners at the forefront of good land stewardship
Michael Anderson is a consulting plant ecologist, restorationist, and the owner of BioLogic Environmental Consulting of Fitchburg. He designs, implements, and manages prairie, savanna, and woodland restorations, conducts vegetation surveys, and develops and implements management plans based on landowner goals. Following his passion for native plants, he has conducted research on state and federally listed endangered species and is always on the lookout for new sightings of rare species. Mike was a founding member of the Woodland School and has taught Prairie Restoration and several plant identification courses.
Jenny Bardeen is the Landowner Incentive Program Coordinator. As the LIP coordinator, she has worked with a Guidance Team to develop the program and also administers it.
Jeb Barzen is the Director of Field Ecology at the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, where he has overseen the development and implementation of restoration plans on the 200-acre site for over 15 years. Jeb has also been involved in a variety of projects in Southeast Asia and founded The Blufflands Project as a means to help landwoners restore native prairie and oak savanna within the Lower Wisconsin River watershed. He has taught the Prescribed Fire class for the Woodland School.
Rich Beilfuss is Deputy Director of Field Ecology at the International Crane Foundation and also serves as Africa Program Director. For over ten years, he has coordinated the restoration and management activities on ICF's remnant and restored wetlands, prairies, and savannas. He instructs the Prescribed Fire class.
Dan Bohlin owns land near Lancaster, WI, and is a veteran of several Woodland School courses. He was the host landowner for the Forested Flyways field day, co-sponsored by the Woodland School in June 2005.
Fred Clark, is a consulting forester and owner of Clark Forestry, Inc., providing forestry and natural area management services and specialized consulting statewide. Fred has an M.S. in Forest Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was formerly a forest ecologist with the Wisconsin DNR and a forest inventory specialist for The Nature Conservancy. When not managing his business, he collects and restores hopelessly derelict boats. Fred was a founding member of the Woodland School and has taught a variety of forestry classes, including Timber Harvest and Woodland Fire.
John Exo has worked in the natural resources field for 17 years. He has been a natural resources educator with the University of Wisconsin-Extension since 1998 as the Lower Wisconsin River Basin Educator. Prior to this, John worked in watershed management for Dane County, the University of Wisconsin and Sauk County, doing policy development, education and soil and water conservation, respectively. John currently specializes in urban stormwater, invasive species and river restoration education and public involvement in natural resource management issues. He is currently conducting an oak savanna restoration on a glacial esker on his property along Rowley Creek in Columbia County. He teaches Invasive Species courses for the Woodland School.
Bob Hay is the Cold Blooded Species Manager with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. He teaches a Reptile and Amphibian class for the Woodland School.
Buddy Huffaker is the executive director of the Aldo Leopold Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin, where he works on a variety of land management issues, including the integration of agriculture and conservation, technical and financial assistance programs, and the ethics of land ownership. He has taught Grassland Safari and Your Land, Your Vision.
Brad Hutnik, a forester with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, was recently assigned to the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway where his primary duties include providing forestry and land management expertise to the Riverway Board. A former staff forester with Clark Forestry, Inc., Brad is a graduate of the UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources and has been actively involved in the development of Wisconsin Family Forests. Brad teaches Timber Stand Improvement, Invasive Species, and plant identification classes for the Woodland School.
Darcy Kind is the Landowner Incentive Program Biologist for prairie and savanna habitat. She works directly with landowners by providing information about restoration and management and helping them apply for program funds.
Gigi La Budde serves as education coordinator and ecologist for the Community Forestry Resource Center, where she works with forest landowner groups, resource managers, loggers, and farmers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. She is the owner of Bison Belly Futures, an ecological restoration consulting business serving the Driftless area, where she strives to act on the belief that all who hold title to the land have both the privilege and the responsibility to restore the land to long-term health and biodiversity. Gigi is an organic Goldenseal grower and a volunteer land steward for The Nature Conservancy. Gigi has instructed many Woodland School classes, including Invasive Species and Forest Biodiversity.
Ken Lallemont is a certified Game of Logging instructor. He is the founder and owner of Lallemont Timber Resources, LLC.
Rick Livingston has served as a county forester for almost two decades, most recently in Sauk County. A native of Merrill, WI, Rick holds a degree in Natural Resource Management from UWSP. Rick teaches Timber Stand Improvement.
Amy Martin serves as the Natural Areas Coordinator at Troy Gardens in Madison. For her master's degree from UW-Madison's Institute of Environmental Studies she conducted research on a series of prairie restorations on the Leopold Memorial Reserve.
Jeff Nania, Project Manager with the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, has designed and executed nearly 100 wetland restorations on private land throughout Wisconsin. He has taught Wetland Restoration for the Woodland School.
Jim Olive is an instructor with the Forest Industry Safety Training Alliance (FISTA). He teaches Chainsaw Safety classes.
Jeannine Richards has worked for the Aldo Leopold Foundation since 2003. She started as an Ecological Restoration Associate and currently serves as the Projects Coordinator, in which capacity she organizes the Woodland School. She is also involved in the Foundation's prescribed fire program on the Leopold Memorial Reserve and through the Blufflands Project. She has taught Prairie Restoration and Prescribed Fire classes.
Paul Stearns has been working as a forester for the State of Wisconsin since 1997 in both northern and southern Wisconsin. Currently he serves as one of the two DNR Foresters for Sauk County. Prior to his current position, he worked as a forester in various locations throughout the western United States at both the state federal levels. Paul has been an instructor for the Woodland School since 2003. Paul teaches courses in Global Positioning Systems and Timber Stand Improvement.
Jen Stewart is a conservation technician with Sauk County Land Conservation Department in Baraboo where she helps landowners with exotics, erosion and other issues. Jen has taught several Invasive Species courses for the Woodland School.
Steve Swenson coordinates restoration and management activities with prairie and savanna landowners in Sauk, Dane, and Iowa counties as the director of The Blufflands Project. He also serves as the ecologist forthe Aldo Leopold Foundation, where he oversees all aspects of management and restoration on the 1,600-acre Leopold Memorial Reserve and the 400-acre Potter Preserve. He teaches Prairie Restoration, Forest Biodiversity and Prescribed Fire.
Partners
The Woodland School is made possible through the support and collaboration of a number of partner organizations. Their contributions to this season's classes are described below. Partner contributions vary by year based on the needs and offerings of the Woodland School
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The Aldo Leopold Foundation, Baraboo, administers and coordinates the Woodland School. ALF also provides classroom instruction and use of facilities. |
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BioLogic Environmental Consulting, Fitchburg, was involved in founding the Woodland School. This fall, BioLogic is providing classroom instruction. |
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Bison Belly Futures, Spring Green, has helped this fall with classroom instruction, planning, and promotion for the Woodland School. |
| Blue Mounds Area Project, Blue Mounds, assists in advertising and promoting the Woodland School. | |
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Clark Forestry, Baraboo, was one of the founders of the Woodland School and was involved in planning and design of the fall courses. |
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Community Forestry Resource Center has helped the Woodland School with classroom instruction, planning and promotion of workshops. |
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The Forest Industry Safety and Training Alliance, Inc. conducts our popular Chainsaw Safety classes. |
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The Nature Conservancy supports the Woodland School through help with class planning and promotion. |
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The Sauk County Land Conservation Department is involved in planning for the Woodland School. |
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UW Extension is involved in planning for the Woodland School. |
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Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has kindly provided funding for the Woodland School through the Forest Stewardship Program. The WDNR also provides classroom instruction. |
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Wisconsin Family Forests has been involved in promotion of the Woodland School classes. |