Wisconsin’s holiday tree to honor waterways and wetlands

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - This year’s Holiday Tree at the State Capitol will pay tribute to the “more than 15,000 freshwater lakes, 84,000 miles of rivers and streams, more than 800 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, and millions of acres of wetlands” across Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers announced Friday in a letter to students and schools.

The letter revealed this year’s theme for the tree’s decorations, many of which are created by the students, will be “Wisconsin Waters.” The governor encouraged the students and families to find inspiration by exploring the state’s waterways and the ecosystems they support.

Evers pointed out how those waterways and wetlands supported the people of Wisconsin started long ago when the first Indigenous peoples arrived as hunters and gathers and relied on the area’s freshwater resources. It continued through to lay the groundwork for the Wisconsin’s maritime industries and, of course, offered fishers plenty of places to cast a line.

“So, when it comes to our waterways, we’ve got a lot to celebrate—and that means we have a lot to protect, too!” he wrote.

As always, handmade ornaments from kids, students, and families will adorn the tree. A statement from the governor’s office reminds people looking to make one that they need to use non-breakable material and make sure the decorations will survive the shipping process. A few more tips are:

Do not use fragile items or paper cutouts, which may tear easily
4″-6″ is a good size
The ornaments should be a color that will contrast with the tree
They should come with a ten-inch loop of ribbon or string so they can be hung from the tree

Ornaments need to be submitted by Tuesday, Nov. 22, and mailed to:

Emily Gorman

Wisconsin Department of Administration

Division of Facilities and Transportation Services

17 West Main Street, Suite 119

Madison, WI 53703