Mike Grover of Oconto County was selected as the 2025 Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year.

 

Beyond his family, improving his tree farm has been one of his main life missions. Mike’s accomplishments and impacts on the land are incredible.  He’s given new life to a property that had been worked hard for 100 years as farmland.  The land was very degraded, especially with the exposed gravel pit. Mike even removed the old, rundown farm buildings to return the site to a natural state.

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Mike recognizes the long-term needs for land management and prioritizes his efforts. Soil disturbance from 100 years of farming made the soils more vulnerable to invasive plants but through Mike’s work, the land is healing. His focus on removing invasive plants has made incredible progress. Additionally the pine forests Mike planted are currently conserving and improving the soil.

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Mike also completed 3 wetland restoration projects. These were disturbed wet areas in the former farm fields. The wetland scrapes now provide excellent wetland habitat and are heavily used by wildlife.

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Other habitat work completed includes 4 acres of pollinator habitat/wildflower plantings installed near his house and throughout the property. This is such an important habitat to maintain due to the rapid decline in pollinators we are experiencing.

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We are excited to see you here on August 1st!  We hope you can join us.

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