Governor Walker: Forestry HQ moving to Rhinelander by January 1st

RHINELANDER — Gov. Scott Walker says the Department of Natural Resources' forestry operations will move from Madison to Rhinelander.

The governor announced Wednesday that the forestry headquarters will be housed in a DNR service center in the northern Wisconsin city. Members of the forestry leadership team will move into the facility by Jan. 1.

The rest of the DNR's forestry positions will move to Rhinelander or locations north of state Highway 29 in phases.

The 2017-19 state budget Walker signed in September requires the DNR to move the forestry headquarters from Madison to a northern Wisconsin facility by the beginning of 2018.

Walker said in a news release Wednesday that moving the headquarters north will enable the DNR to work more closely with the forestry industry.