WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) - Wisconsin is a national leader when it comes to protecting an often overlooked but invaluable resource… trees. Don Kissinger is Wisconsin DNR Regional Forestry Coordinator and says, when it comes to “Tree City USA” designations, “We’re in the top three in the nation when it comes to Tree City USA communities.” Ohio ranks first, but when new rankings come out later this year, Kissinger expects that Wisconsin may surpass Illinois for the number two spot since. Kissinger says our state keeps gaining on Illinois, and now, “Wisconsin has 190 Tree Cities this year, last year we were at 182.” In order to earn the “Tree City USA” designation, a community needs to meet four standards, which include having a comprehensive tree maintenance ordinance, and spending at least $2 per capita on a forestry program. Many of the state’s “Tree City USA” communities are located in central Wisconsin and include Marshfield, Antigo, Stevens Point, Merrill, Rothschild and the Village of Weston.