How do you learn to identify trees in the middle of a Wisconsin winter when most of the leaves are on the ground?
LEAF’s Winter Tree Key follows the dichotomous process of our regular tree key but uses detailed illustrations of buds, twigs and features other than leaves for identification. The key also includes an illustrated glossary defining the specific vocabulary involved in this process. Winter tree identification can be a bit more demanding. Continue reading “Winter Tree ID”
Great Lake Environmental Justice Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program
The Great Lake Thriving Communities Grantmaking Partnership will distribute $40 million to organizations working in and for underserved communities throughout the Great Lakes region. All grants will be given to environmental and public health efforts in underserved communities across Region 5 as defined by EPA. Continue reading “Grant Opportunities”
*These training opportunities are provided as an information service only and do not constitute an endorsement from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Below is information on the online Arborist Certification study group, Climate Adaptation Planning series, Extension Landscape and Grounds Maintenance workshops and Woody Species Management training. Continue reading “Upcoming Trainings”
Large egg masses are seen on a tree at the Kettle Moraine State Forest-Southern Unit in 2021. / Photo Credit: Bill McNee, Wisconsin DNR
By Bill McNee, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Oshkosh
Bill.McNee@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0942
Part Two of a report on spongy moth in Wisconsin in 2024 and 2025. Part One was published in December.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is encouraging property owners to examine their property for spongy moth egg masses and plan for action this spring if needed. Each spongy moth egg mass contains hundreds of eggs that will hatch into hungry, leaf-eating caterpillars this spring. Large numbers of these invasive caterpillars can be a tremendous nuisance that may cause tree mortality.
Continue reading “Make Plans Now To Fight Spongy Moth In 2025”
Winter is an ideal time to perform pruning and trimming work on oak leaves. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR
By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Outreach and Communications, Fitchburg
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167
Winter is an ideal time to perform trimming, cutting and brush removal work on and near oak trees.
For one thing, it’s a low-risk period for the trees to be infected with oak wilt, a fungal disease spread by beetles. When a red oak is infected with oak wilt, it will die that year; the disease also stresses trees in the white oak group, often fatal with bur oaks and swamp white oaks.
Woodpecker flecking on green ash and white ash, from birds feeding on emerald ash borer larvae, will often be extensive and very noticeable. / Photo Credit: Linda Williams, Wisconsin DNR
By Linda Williams, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Woodruff
Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0665
Ash trees that are flecked by woodpeckers will have the outer layers of their bark chipped off by the birds. Woodpeckers do this to punch through the remaining bark more easily to get at the tasty emerald ash borer (EAB) larvae living there.
Flecking usually starts at the top of the tree, providing a sure sign that insects are under the bark. Although the problem could be caused by ash bark beetles, the more common culprit is EAB.
Heavy, wet snow can bend and deform small trees and cause branch breakage or whole tree failure of larger trees. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR
By Michael Hillstrom, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Fitchburg
Michael.Hillstrom@wisconsin.gov
Winter damage can significantly impact the health of trees. Keeping trees healthy through the fall is important for reducing winter stress. In dry falls, like the one Wisconsin experienced in 2024, you can help trees go into winter healthy by continuing to provide water to them until the leaves start falling (for deciduous trees) or until the ground starts freezing (for conifers).
A group of woolly alder aphids on an alder branch. / Photo Credit: Linda Williams, Wisconsin DNR
By Linda Williams, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Woodruff
Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0665
Have you seen white lumps of fluff on alder stems? Woolly alder aphids congregate together for the winter. These aphids produce white filaments from their bodies to protect them from predators. When they congregate, they can look like a big clump of snow stuck to alder branches.
Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced the Urban Forestry (UF) Grant Program recipients for the 2025 grant year. In addition to helping fund projects consistent with state and national goals for increasing the urban forest canopy, reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere, and improving the quality of life and public health of communities, the UF Grant Program will help advance goals outlined in Gov. Evers’ Trillion Trees Pledge commitment, which includes planting 1 million trees in urban areas by the end of 2030. Continue reading “Gov. Evers, DNR Announce 2025 Urban Forestry Program Grant Recipients”
By Dan Buckler, DNR Urban Forest Assessment Specialist; Daniel.Buckler@wisconsin.gov or 608-445-4578
Autumn is a wonderful time for planting trees. And after the trees go in the ground, please take a few minutes to document the effort in the Wisconsin Tree Planting Map. The map was designed to help track trees planted to advance the state’s pledge to the Trillion Trees Initiative.
