Forest Management Strategies for a Changing Climate
Adaptation in Action: Reducing the Long-term Impacts of Severe Disturbances
Recorded Mar. 18, 2026
Join us as we explore practical applications of Strategy 3 from The Adaptation Workbook created by the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS). Laura Domyancich-Lee, Senior Ecologist with Friends of the Mississippi River, will present on work they have been doing on floodplain restoration and resilience in the Upper Mississippi River Basin. Nick Koltz, Integrated Service Forester with the Wisconsin DNR, will discuss enrichment planting within the Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area.
PRESENTERS
Laura Domyancich-Lee
Senior Ecologist, Friends of the Mississippi River
Laura Domyancich-Lee (she/her) is a senior ecologist with Friends of the Mississippi River, where she works to protect and restore natural areas within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. With extensive experience in plant and wildlife community ecology and habitat restoration, Laura brings both scientific expertise and hands-on field knowledge to her work. She is passionate about strengthening native ecosystems and fostering resilient landscapes along the Mississippi River and beyond.
Outside of her professional work, Laura can often be found exploring outdoors in every season — deepening her relationship to the landscapes she works to conserve and restore. She grew up in Illinois and developed a special connection to the Mississippi River at an early age, hiking along the bluffs in northwestern Illinois with her family and skating on the frozen backwaters of the river in the winter. She received her bachelor’s degree in Forest Ecosystem Restoration from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Nick Koltz
Integrated Service Forester, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Nick Koltz is a forester with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. He has been serving as a Forester with the DNR since 2000 and has experience working on public lands in northern Wisconsin as the Sawyer County Forest Liaison and as an Integrated Forester on public & private lands out of Janesville for over the last 17 years. Nick received his bachelor’s degree in forest management at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1999.
Scott Hershberger
Forestry Communications Specialist, Forestry & Wildlife, UW-Madison Extension
Scott Hershberger is the Forestry Communications Specialist with UW-Madison Extension’s Forestry & Wildlife Program. He coordinates the team’s marketing and communication strategy and creates website content, fact sheets, social media posts, and videos to reach Wisconsin woodland owners. He also collaborates on outreach events for landowners about climate resilience, helps lead a 20-state climate-focused community of practice for Extension forestry professionals, and participates in the WICCI Forestry Working Group. Scott has a master’s degree in science communication with a focus on climate change communication.
Additional Resources
Continuing Education
This webinar has been pre-approved for the following:
1.5 Society of American Foresters (SAF) Cat. 1 CFEs
1.0 Wisconsin DNR Cooperating Forester CEUs
Please contact wfc@uwsp.edu for more information. CEUs and CFEs are not available for those watching the recorded session.
Evaluation
The Wisconsin Forestry Center and the webinar presenters appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.
Please complete the evaluation form for the March 18 webinar NIACS Strategy 3: Reducing the Long-term Impacts of Severe Disturbances.
Thank you!
This series is possible through a grant from the Wisconsin SFI® Implementation Committee. The mission of the Wisconsin SFI® Implementation Committee (WI SIC) is to promote and enhance SFI and sustainable forestry practices within Wisconsin through grassroots collaboration with stakeholders, partners, and those who benefit from managed forests.
The Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI) is a statewide collaboration of scientists and stakeholders formed as a partnership between UW-Madison’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. WICCI’s goals are to evaluate climate change impacts on Wisconsin and foster solutions.
Meet Your Hosts
Wisconsin Forestry Center
The Wisconsin Forestry Center (WFC) is dedicated to serving the needs of Wisconsin’s forestry community through partner-driven professional and workforce development, applied research, and community outreach initiatives that promote vibrant, sustainable forests and forest-based economies.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Wisconsin’s 17 million acres of forestlands and millions of urban trees significantly enhance the quality of life in our state. The Wisconsin DNR dedicates itself to the sustainable management and protection of this precious resource so that it continues to provide a host of ecological, economic and social benefits for years to come. Learn about Wisconsin forestry by visiting the Division of Forestry publications catalog, external news site and forestry videos.