Wisconsin Site Plants 49 Trees After Losing 85% to Beetles

The Wade House Historic Site in Greenbush, Wisconsin, lost 85% of its forest to invasive emerald ash borers, but now a powerful partnership is bringing the trees back.

On September 24, volunteers from National Exchange Bank & Trust, Johnsonville, and Kohler Co. will plant 49 medium to large trees across the historic campus. The project marks the second phase of a long-term reforestation effort led by the Sheboygan Rotary Club's Restoration of Our Trees Sheboygan initiative, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and Wade House.

The emerald ash borer, a destructive invasive beetle from Asia, has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees across North America since its discovery in 2002. Wade House became one of countless casualties, watching its canopy disappear over recent years.

But instead of accepting the loss, local organizations joined forces to reimagine the property's future. Wisconsin DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator Olivia Witthun worked with summer interns Emma Kimball and Casey Czerwonka to develop a detailed tree plan identifying the best planting locations across the site.

The new forest won't just replace what was lost. It will be more diverse and resilient, designed to withstand future threats better than the ash-heavy canopy that came before.

The Ripple Effect

This collaboration shows how communities can turn environmental disaster into opportunity. The Kohler Trust for Preservation provided funding, while the City of Plymouth donated mulch for the project.

Volunteers participating in Sheboygan County United Way's Day of Caring will receive hands-on training from Johnson's Nursery experts before dispersing across the property to plant. They'll learn proper techniques they can take back to their own communities.

The multi-year plan extends far beyond these 49 trees. Organizers envision a restored and expanded tree canopy that will shade the historic site for generations, creating habitat for wildlife and connecting visitors to the natural beauty that once defined the property.

What started as devastation is becoming a model for how communities, businesses, and government agencies can work together to heal the land.