Month: November 2022

Free Seedlings For Wisconsin Fourth-Graders

sugar maple seedlings

One-year-old sugar maple seedlings growing in Wisconsin nursery bed.

Every year since 1984, Wisconsin 4th-grade students have been eligible to receive a free tree seedling from DNR state nurseries to complement their Arbor Day observations. The application period for the “2022-23 Arbor Day Free Tree Seedlings for Wisconsin 4th Graders” is now open. School principals, 4th-grade teachers and 4th-grade homeschool parents are encouraged to visit the DNR’s tree planting webpage to order seedlings for Wisconsin 4th-grade students.

The seedlings will be shipped next spring in time for Arbor Day celebrations.  They come with a plastic bag for protection and instructions on how to plant and care for them. Planting a seedling and watching it grow can be a great learning tool for students. Find ideas for planning an Arbor Day celebration on this DNR webpage.

If you have any questions about the free seedling program for Wisconsin 4th-graders, please contact Carey Skerven at the Griffith State Nursery (Carey.Skerven@wisconsin.gov).

Urban Wildlife Management Grants Available

Applications for the Urban Wildlife Damage Abatement and Control Grant are open. The deadline to apply is Dec. 1.

Municipalities in an eligible urban area can apply. The grant provides a 50% cost share with a maximum award of $5,000.

Urban Wildlife Damage Abatement and Control (UWDAC) Grants help urban areas develop wildlife plans and implement specific damage abatement and/or control measures for white-tailed deer and/or Canada geese. Continue reading “Urban Wildlife Management Grants Available”

 ISA 2022 International Conference Registration Open

The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) is hosting its 3rd Annual International Virtual Conference on Dec. 13-14. Join ISA for this engaging and compelling virtual event and take advantage of the opportunity to network with colleagues, businesses and arboricultural professionals worldwide.

This year’s virtual event provides a lineup of on-demand educational breakout sessions led by industry leaders from around the globe, sharing their thoughts and views about research, practice and technology. Continue reading ” ISA 2022 International Conference Registration Open”

Ambrosia Beetles Attack Sugar Maple Regeneration

By Kyoko Scanlon, DNR Forest Pathologist, Fitchburg, kyoko.scanlon@wisconsin.gov

This summer, the Forest Health Lab received sugar maple seedlings with brownish yellow leaves, which were sent by a Waukesha County landowner who observed many understory sugar maple seedlings and saplings quickly turning brown throughout the summer. This mortality continued until the end of September. The landowner wanted to know why these plants were dead and dying.

Seeding with yellow leaves surrounded by green seedlings.

Affected seedlings exhibit yellow and brown leaves. Photo: Wisconsin DNR

Continue reading “Ambrosia Beetles Attack Sugar Maple Regeneration”