Charles City couple named Iowa tree farmers of the year

Press Staff Report

Dennis and Rhonda Westergard of Charles City have been named Iowa’s tree farmers of the year, and a forestry field day will be held on their farm north of Charles City next week.

Greg Heidebrink, Iowa DNR district forester, said, “The Westergard’s are a fantastic family that have done some amazing things to their property. I am so proud of the work they have accomplished!”

Heidebrink said they would never ask to be recognized, but it is his honor to recognize them as the 2021 Iowa Tree Farmers of the Year.

Iowa State Extension will hold a forestry field day next Tuesday, Sept. 28, on their farm north of Charles City, discussing topics like buckthorn control, pond management, forest management, the Conservation Reserve Program, and deer and beaver depredation.

Heidebrink said the Westergards have been working on improving their property since the mid-’90s and have planted more than 100 acres of crop ground to trees.

The trees require a lot of maintenance, including some thinning now, and Denny and Rhonda get help from their two daughters, Ana and Cala, their daughters’ husbands and their grandchildren.

“Everyone also gets to help maintain and enjoy the prairie grasses and forbs they have planted over the years,” Heidebrink said.

The Westergard’s also have some existing timber across the road from their home that has been invaded by buckthorn.

The family has spent quite a bit of time battling this invasive plant over the years, Heidebrink said, and some recent tornado damage to this timber has forced them to speed up this management.

Iowa’s Tree Farmer of the Year Field Day Schedule

Tuesday, Sept. 28

Dennis and Rhonda Westergard Tree Farm, 1450 Timber Ave., Charles City.

• 9-9:30 a.m. – Registration and refreshments.
• 9:30-9:45 a.m. – Introductions and recognition of the Westergards.

Concurrent sessions:

• 10-10:30 a.m. – Tornado Damage and Tree Planting.
• 10:40-11:10 a.m. – Pond Management.
• 11:20-11:50 a.m. – Forest Management and Buckthorn Control.
• Noon – Lunch
• 1-1:30 p.m. – Mini Topic:  Iowa Tree Farm System.

Concurrent sessions:

• 1:45-2:15 p.m. – Ask a Forester.
• 2:25-2:55 p.m. – Depredation Program – Deer and Beaver management.
• 3:05-3:35 p.m. – The CRP Program and Trees.
• 3:50-4 p.m. – Wrap up and Questions.

Lunch will be provided by Dave’s Restaurant for $15, payable the day of the program. Persons wanting lunch are asked to preregister by Wednesday, Sept. 22, with the Floyd County Extension Office at 641-228-1453 or by email at  xfloyd@iastate.edu.

Instructors are Ross Ellingson, depredation biologist, Iowa DNR; Pat Grau, Grau Logs & Lumber Inc., Elkader; Scott Grummer, fisheries biologist, Clear Lake, Iowa DNR; Greg Heidebrink, district forester, Charles City, Iowa DNR; Emma Kerns, forestry specialist, Ionia; and Jason Walker, district forester, Charles City, Iowa DNR.

To get to the farm, travel north out of Charles City on Shadow Ave (North Grand Ave. in town) to 155th St. (County Rd. B33); turn right and travel east to Timber Ave.; turn north and go 3/4 of a mile on a gravel road. The Westergard house is on the east side of the road.