The cover of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ 2024 Forest Health Annual Report. / Graphic Credit: Wisconsin DNR

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

Hot off the digital presses, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has made its 2024 Forest Health Annual Report ready for review and download.

This year’s edition contains 58 pages of reporting on forest health issues throughout Wisconsin, detailing methods employed by the DNR and other agencies to control pests and diseases.

Among the highlights:

• Natural enemies of the spongy moth (a virus and a fungus) saw an uptick in numbers that helped to reduce statewide defoliation levels in comparison to 2023.
• With the discovery of emerald ash borer in Burnett County, the ash-killing pest has now established a confirmed presence in all 72 Wisconsin counties.
• Storm damage during the high-risk period for oak wilt infection resulted in many new infections in 2024. The disease is known to be present in 66 counties.
• The detection of elm zigzag sawfly in Portage County in July was the first in Wisconsin. However, it was quickly followed by discoveries in 20 other counties.

Updates are provided on many other forest health issues, covering all regions of the state.

The DNR’s Forest Health webpages contain a page with links to previous years’ annual reports.