Learn About Your Land
Learn About Your Land
Learn About Your Land helps you understand key woodland topics, connects you with your local DNR forester, and prepares you to take the next steps in your woods.
In Learn About Your Land classes, Wisconsin landowners learn about things they can do to keep their woodland healthy and how to get assistance from their local DNR forester and other professionals. Every year, we host a series of three weekly classes in several counties across the state. Speakers include UW-Madison Extension Forestry educators, DNR foresters, and other natural resource professionals.
We cover topics of interest to local landowners, such as:
- Tree and plant identification
- Keeping your woods healthy
- Controlling invasive species
- Tree planting
- Timber harvests for commercial and personal use
- Tools, maps, financial assistance, and other resources for your woodlands
- How to work with foresters
- Improving wildlife habitat
- Legal considerations
- Building trails
- Maple syrup, mushrooms, and other products you can gather
- Family conversations for the future of your woodlands
Most Learn About Your Land classes are held in person, and some also have an online option via Zoom. Whether you are a new landowner, looking to become more engaged in your family’s woodland, or want to brush up on your knowledge, Learn About Your Land is a great opportunity to get your questions answered. You’ll also get to meet your county’s DNR forester, who can walk with you through your property and give you tailored advice on forest management.
We rotate through Wisconsin’s counties from year to year, so most counties have Learn About Your Land classes every 5-6 years. Classes typically happen in fall and winter in the evenings so that everyone can attend. For folks who live in a city but own land elsewhere in the state, we also hold some classes in larger urban areas.
Since 2008, more than 7,100 households across Wisconsin, representing a total of 168,000 acres, have attended Learn About Your Land. We invite you to join us at an upcoming class!
The workshops were extremely informative and enjoyable. I believe we will use much of the material and information that was shared.
—Learn About Your Land participant
Getting Things Done in Your Woods
For landowners who have already participated in Learn About Your Land classes, as well as those who are eager to get things done in their woods, we offer annual classes via Zoom focused on tangible actions you can take as a next step.
The most recent Getting Things Done in Your Woods classes were in January 2026. They covered winter wildlife monitoring techniques, identifying and managing invasive species, and how to keep your woods and trees healthy.
Thank you for providing such an excellent presentation yesterday! I use trail cameras extensively to monitor wildlife, and adding the tracking and cover plots will be an exciting addition. My primary interest is small carnivores, but I love the herps, too, and picked up some good ideas for identifying and finding.
—Getting Things Done class participant
Upcoming Events
We will hold more in-person Learn About Your Land classes in 2026, and we will hold the next set of Getting Things Done in Your Woods classes in early 2027.
Learn About Your Land (LAYL) is a program that helps landowners understand and care for their property through education and expert guidance. It provides practical information on topics like forests, wildlife, water, and land management so people can make informed decisions about their land, and connects landowners with their local DNR forester. LAYL for Peirce and Pepin Counties will be combined and happen on August 10, 17, and 24, 2026.
View Event DetailsLearn About Your Land (LAYL) is a program that helps landowners understand and care for their property through education and expert guidance. It provides practical information on topics like forests, wildlife, water, and land management so people can make informed decisions about their land, and connects landowners with their local DNR forester. LAYL for Price County will occur on Wednesday evenings on September 9, 16, and 23, 2026.
View Event DetailsLearn About Your Land (LAYL) is a program that helps landowners understand and care for their property through education and expert guidance. It provides practical information on topics like forests, wildlife, water, and land management so people can make informed decisions about their land, and connects landowners with their local DNR forester. LAYL for Oneida County will occur on Thursday evenings on September 10, 17, & 24, 2026.
View Event DetailsLearn About Your Land (LAYL) is a program that helps landowners understand and care for their property through education and expert guidance. It provides practical information on topics like forests, wildlife, water, and land management so people can make informed decisions about their land, and connects landowners with their local DNR forester. LAYL for Price County will occur on Thursday evenings on October 1, 8, & 15, 2026.
View Event DetailsLearn About Your Land and Next Steps classes are funded in part by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. For more information about these programs, contact:
Olivia Kovacs
Natural Resources Educator
olivia.kovacs@wisc.edu
608-509-3012
Page last updated February 2026.