Wisconsin's Forests — Celebrating Our Connection to Wood
Uncover the hidden connections between the Midwest’s forests and your daily life with Discover Wisconsin! Kicking off the winter adventures, we begin at Northcentral Technical College’s Wood Technology Center of Excellence in Antigo, where students learn to kiln dry lumber and master the skills behind turning logs into strong, finished wood products.
Next, head to Beaver Creek Reserve to craft your own custom pair of classic wooden snowshoes—durable, quiet, and rooted in a tradition that dates back thousands of years. Continue your exploration of wood’s versatility at Great Lakes Veneer in Marion, seeing how wood becomes baseball bats, skateboard surfaces, and beautiful flooring, all produced with sustainability in mind.
Then, visit Three Brothers Bat Company in West Salem to watch family craftsmanship in action as hand-turned and CNC-machined baseball bats are made for Major League players. After that, discover how hardwood maple transforms into sports floors with Action Floor Systems, bringing gymnasiums across the country to life.
Up North at Pukall Lumber, a third-generation family business, see how local logs are sustainably milled to serve Northern Wisconsin communities. At Madsen Guitars, learn how a luthier crafts custom acoustic guitars using unique woods, including prized Wisconsin wood, to create instruments with exceptional sound.
We then hit the ice with iconic wooden Beaver Dam Tip-Ups, essential for Wisconsin ice fishing adventures. Our journey warms up with Snowbelt Hardwoods, where wood waste is repurposed into eco-friendly heating pellets that fuel kilns and stoves sustainably. Grab a bite at Oakfire Pizza in Lake Geneva, where wood-fired ovens crafted from oak, maple, and ash produce perfect Neapolitan pizzas.
Finally, visit The Wood Cycle, where urban trees are transformed into custom furniture and keepsakes, giving these trees a second life and preserving meaningful memories. This episode celebrates the lasting role of wood and the forests of Wisconsin, from education and craftsmanship to warm homes and delicious food.
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