The Lakeland Times

Wisconsin's Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils (RC&Ds) was established in 1962 through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Lumberjack RC&D was established as a local council in the Northwoods in 1968. Resource Conservation and Development is "a rural development program focusing on conservation development and the use of area natural resources to improve social, economic, and environmental conditions for area citizens," according to the Lumberjack RC&D website.

Lumberjack was a federally funded council under the USDA legislation until 2011. With the recession of 2008, the RC&D Program itself had gone unfunded. While many RC&Ds were forced to close at that time, Lumberjack RC&D was able to remain strong and successful, even after losing its federal funding. Today, Lumberjack continues to fund conservation projects across 10 counties in Northern Wisconsin that fit with its mission and vision.

The reason for the continued success of Lumberjack RD&C is due to the dedication of its council members and executive committee. One of those people, past president Wayne Plant.

Current board member Larry Sommer presented Plant with a plaque from the RC&D, thanking him for his years of service and all he has done to keep Lumberjack growing and thriving.

"Wayne has been a staple within the Lumberjack Council for decades," Sommer said, addressing the council members at their October quarterly meeting. "Nobody left around here knows for sure exactly when he started, because he's outlasts so many."

Over the decades, Plant has overseen the creation of Lumberjack's Community Grant Program. He has been integral in the disbursement of hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money that have gone to very worthy natural resources project in Northern Wisconsin.

Lumberjack RC&D is also responsible for the state's Forest Inventory Program, and Plant has overseen that program for more than 20 years. He was also responsible for the hiring of two foresters to run that program, including Coleman Kaiser, who is running the program now.

Another project of which Plant has been an integral part is the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) program created by Lumberjack. That program is now called FLOW and it serves Forest, Oconto, Marinette and Langlade Counties. That program is run by Derek Thorn.

In other invasive species work, Plant was also the president of Lumberjack RC&D in 2012 when the council approved the measure to become the fiscal sponsor for the Timberland Invasives Partnership (TIP). TIP is one of 14 Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs) in Wisconsin focused on terrestrial invasive species. TIP was recently awarded its largest Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant under that program to date. Abby Vogt runs the program in a four-county area.

Plant was also president in 2014 when the council voted to become the fiscal sponsor for another CISMA, the Wisconsin Headwaters Invasives Partnership (WHIP), which is run by Rosie Page. That CISMA is involved in terrestrial invasive species work in Oneida, Vilas and Langlade Counties. WHIP also just received their largest GLRI grant to date and was able to expand their efforts into Langlade County in the last year.

Under Plant's guidance, Lumberjack RC&D also hired their current executive director, Tracy Beckman. Beckman and Plant have worked together through various changes, both internal and external, to set the foundation for Lumberjack RC&D's success for years to come.

"Through countless grand and audits, changed in employees and council members, Wayne has been steadfast in his support of Lumberjack's employees and programs," Sommer said. "His leadership has proven to be an integral part of why Lumberjack is so successful." Sommer concluded his speech with the presentation of an Outstanding Service Award, which Plant accepted amid a standing ovation.