White Pine Blister Rust Can Devastate Young Stands

Posted on by akabelowsky

By Tim Shively, DNR Forest Health Specialist
Timothy.Shively@wisconsin.gov or 608-772-6974

A close-up photo of a white pine blister rust canker as seen on a young white pine tree.

A white pine blister rust canker as seen on a young white pine tree. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) has historically held great ecological, cultural and economic value throughout Wisconsin, a tradition which continues today. For more than 100 years, however, it has been threatened by a non-native, invasive fungal pathogen called Cronartium ribicola, or white pine blister rust (WPBR).

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Impacts Of Winter Weather On Trees

Posted on by akabelowsky

By Michael Hillstrom, DNR Forest Health Specialist
Michael.Hillstrom@wisconsin.gov

A stand of pines shows heavy damage from an ice storm in April 2025.

A stand of pines shows heavy damage from an ice storm in April 2025. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

Winter damage can significantly impact the health of trees. Keeping trees healthy through the fall is important for reducing winter stress. Provide water as needed to trees until the leaves start falling (for deciduous trees) or until the ground starts freezing (for conifers).

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DNR, DATCP Teams Exemplify Interagency Teamwork

Posted on by akabelowsky

By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Outreach and Communications
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forest Health team leader Becky Gray and Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Pest Survey and Control Section manager Renee Pinski appear before the Natural Resources Board to discuss tree and forest health issues on Nov. 13, 2025.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forest Health team leader Becky Gray (left) and Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Pest Survey and Control Section manager Renee Pinski appear before the Natural Resources Board to discuss tree and forest health issues on Nov. 13, 2025. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

The spirit of interagency communication was on display during a joint meeting of the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board (NRB) and the Wisconsin Board of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (Ag Board) on Nov. 13.

The seven-member NRB is the governing body of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR); the nine-member Ag Board governs the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Each board sets policies and rules to be followed and enforced by its respective agencies. Members of both boards are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Wisconsin State Senate.

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Watch For Woodpecker Damage On Ash Trees

Posted on by akabelowsky
Woodpecker flecking on the bark of a dying ash tree is visible at Winnebago County Community Park in Oshkosh.

Woodpecker flecking on the bark of a dying ash tree is visible at Winnebago County Community Park in Oshkosh. Flecking occurs when the birds peck away at the trees to feed on emerald ash borer larvae beneath the bark. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Bill McNee, DNR Forest Health Specialist
Bill.McNee@wisconsin.gov

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages property owners to watch for woodpecker damage to their ash trees this winter.

Woodpecker damage, often called “flecking,” happens when birds peck away some of a tree’s bark to access the larvae underneath. Flecking is a common early sign that an ash tree might be infested with emerald ash borer (EAB), an invasive insect. EAB is the most damaging threat to Wisconsin trees, killing more than 99% of the untreated ash trees it infests.

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Forest Health Staffers Hit The Airwaves

Posted on by akabelowsky
Photo of Mike Hillstrom, who became the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Invasive Forest Pest Coordinator on Sept. 9, 2024.

Mike Hillstrom became the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Invasive Forest Pest Coordinator on Sept. 9, 2024. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Outreach and Communications
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167

Mike Hillstrom and Bill McNee, members of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Forest Health team, made notable radio appearances during November.

Hillstrom, the DNR’s invasive forest pest coordinator, appeared on Wisconsin Public Radio to discuss the invasive pest hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). The insect has not yet established a presence in Wisconsin.

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Arbor Day Seedling Orders Open To Fourth-graders

Posted on by akabelowsky

By Wisconsin DNR

A worker plants a red pine seedling provided by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

A worker plants a red pine seedling provided by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering free tree seedlings to every fourth-grade student in Wisconsin as part of its annual Arbor Day tree planting program.

Wisconsin fourth-grade principals, teachers and homeschoolers can now place seedling orders and coordinate delivery by completing the 2026 Arbor Day application by March 16, 2026.

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DNR Urban Forestry Grant Update

Posted on by janness

The 2026 Urban Forestry Grant application deadline was Oct. 1, 2025, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) received 71 applications, equaling over $1.1 million in funding requests. A total of $559,680 is available in grant funding for 2026.

Cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in or conducting their project in Wisconsin are eligible to apply for an Urban Forestry Grant. The grants range from $1,000 to $25,000, and grant applicants must match each grant dollar for dollar. Grants are awarded to projects that align with state and national goals for increasing the urban forest canopy and the benefits it provides. Continue reading “DNR Urban Forestry Grant Update” →

Go-To Online Resources For Urban Forestry

Posted on by janness

By Allen Pyle, UW-Extension Horticulture Outreach Specialist and Jay Dampier, DNR IRA Grant Coordinator, Jason.Dampier@wisconsin.gov or 920-765-1935

Reliable and up-to-date research-based information is vital for tree care professionals and urban foresters to make sound, scientific management decisions. To make trusted resources more accessible, UW-Extension’s Horticulture Program and Wisconsin DNR’s Urban Forestry Program have developed this curated selection of useful webpages with free information and resources for urban forestry professionals and community tree managers. Continue reading “Go-To Online Resources For Urban Forestry” →

Fourth Grade Arbor Day Seedling Orders Now Open

Posted on by janness

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering free tree seedlings to every fourth-grade student in Wisconsin as part of its annual Arbor Day tree planting program.

Wisconsin fourth grade principals, teachers and homeschoolers can now place seedling orders and coordinate delivery by completing the 2026 Arbor Day application by March 16, 2026. Continue reading “Fourth Grade Arbor Day Seedling Orders Now Open” →

After The Ice: Urban Forestry’s Role In Community Recovery And Resilience

Posted on by janness

By Lee Mueller, Davey Resource Group, Inc., Kevin Sayers, Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Paul Hickman, Urban Ashes

*Republished with permission from the authors

ice covered street trees

Photo Credit: MI DNR

Cold weather is just around the corner, so now is the time to develop or revisit winter storm response plans. Ice storms are a recurring challenge in the Midwest. Freezing rain can add substantial weight to limbs, causing even healthy trees to snap. Ultimately, events like this can offer opportunities to reassess communities’ approaches to tree management and build stronger, more resilient urban forests. Continue reading “After The Ice: Urban Forestry’s Role In Community Recovery And Resilience” →