Rhinelander was chosen over two other finalists to house the state's Division of Forestry.
Governor Scott Walker made the announcement in Rhinelander Wednesday.
The Division within the Department of Natural Resources in Madison will be relocating over time to the DNR Service Center on Sutliff Avenue...
"....we had a plan, looked at different options, narrowed it down to a couple of finalists, different places from Hayward to Wausau to Rhinelander and for a variety of reasons decided this was the right place to have the Division of Forestry, not as a branch office but THE office..."
Walker says State Forester Fred Souba, Jr. will be the first to move north...
"....our Chief Forester will be here officially by December 1, with the key management team arriving by the beginning of the year...."
Walker says with the U.S. Forest Service offices here, Great Lakes Timber Professionals, DNR regional offices and county foresters along with supporting businesses in this region, it means Rhinelander was the logical place to be...
"....we've already got a good number of people here that work in Forestry. We want the whole Division to be here so we can be better partners..."
State Forester Fred Souba, Jr. says the move makes sense...
"...I think it's a great opportunity. It's something that will allow us to serve and support the forest products industry here in Wisconsin. There will be a transition period as the Governor mentioned, but overall I believe it will be a good thing for the forest economy and northern Wisconsin...."
Walker was joined by DNR Secretary Dan Meyer, Representative Rob Swearingen, county and city officials and business representatives at the DNR Ranger station.
