• Masking
• The CDC’s Covid-19 Community Level in Milwaukee County was HIGH last week, and masking will be mandatory for the week of July 25.
• Travel
• Mission Critical Travel in HIGH CDC Community Levels must be approved by the Regional Forester Team.
• Screening testing
• Is required for employees who are not vaccinated or have not attested to their vaccination status, if testing supplies have been received.
• View CDC Covid-19 Community Levels
• COVID-19 Quick Decision Table (see below)

• Federal Record Centers will no longer receive closed records for storage effective Dec. 31, 2022, which is 23 weeks from now or 158 days.
• Active records, which are temporary in nature, need to be digitized and located in Pinyon as our e-files records location by Jan. 1, 2023. For further information about records, please see the Forest Service Handbook (FSH) 6209.11 Chapter 40, which can be found at Office of Regulatory and Management Services (ORMS) SharePoint.  

• The Old Forest Estimation Team in the Washington Office is working with team in the RO on setting up the parameters to be used by FIA for the regional estimation. There will be a concurrence from the RF Team as part of the process. Likely to be set up for next week.

• The Ascent MKE Building, now the tallest mass timber building in the world at 25 stories and 284 ft. tall, opened its doors to residents in downtown Milwaukee July 15. A grand opening event was held July 20.
• The USDA Forest Service provided support for Ascent through the agency’s Wood Innovations program and Forest Products Laboratory fire testing. For more information about Ascent or the region’s wood products innovations and utilization program, please contact Patrick Rappold, regional wood utilization specialist, or Lew McCreery, regional wood innovation coordinator. 
• The Ascent MKE Building is the feature of a new episode in the PBS series, “Engineering the Future.”
• The Timber Skyscraper episode highlights the many layers of work needed to accomplish final construction of the Ascent building and features the Forest Service’s involvement in the project.
• Learn more about the Ascent MKE Building.
• Treatment work for the exotic spongy moth (Lymantria dispar) is done for the season.
• This story map highlights the accomplishments of the larvicide and mating disruption applications conducted in seven states across R8 and R9.
• The goal of the National Slow the Spread Program (STS) is to reduce the annual rate of spread of spongy moth. Contact John Kyhl for more information about spongy moth treatments in the region or to be added to the mailing list to receive future updates from the National Pest Suppression Tracking Report.

• Please see the Chief’s announcement from the July 22 edition of Inside the Forest Service, for a change in policy for partnership grants and agreements.

• July 25 – Chief Moore will participate with Secretary Vilsack and Under Secretary Wilkes at an engagement with the Wildland Firefighters Foundation to include a meet and greet with foundation leadership and staff, a tour of the facility, and a roundtable with Forest Service firefighters.
• July 27 – Chief Moore will meet with U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities to discuss their offer of support and potential financial assistance for certain Forest Service priorities
• July 29 – Undersecretary Wilkes will be on the Hoosier meeting with Sen Braun and employees.

• July 29 – The Chief will meet (in-person) with Rep. Stauber (R-MN-8) to discuss various topics regarding the Superior National Forest.

• [July 25] Biden-Harris administration announces USDA plans for reforestation, climate adaptation $100 million reforestation investment from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2022 expected to grow in coming years

• [July 26] Forest Service announces proposals wanted for Community Wildfire Defense Grants

• Renewable Resources is fielding questions from partners on the July 15 Request for Information (RFI) on federal old growth and mature forests stemming from the recent "Executive Order Strengthening the Nation's Forests, Communities, and Local Economies."
• Partners in industry and NGOs with interest in active forest management are expressing concern about the difficulties and potential ramifications of establishing old growth definitions.
• Renewable Resources anticipates opportunities for collaboration with State & Private Forestry and Research & Development focused on shared investment of BIL funds focused on non-native invasive species needs.
• Thanks to Susan Ellsworth for helping prompt these discussions. A national call on BIL NNIS funds is scheduled for Tuesday, July 26.

• New employee introductions
• Regional Forester Team updates
• Regional Office program announcements
• Vacancy and detail announcements