Urban Forestry News

Wisconsin Tree Champions Lauded For Outstanding Community Service

Posted on by patricialindquist

By Sara Minkoff, DNR Urban Forestry Council Liaison, Sara.Minkoff@wisconsin.gov or 608-669-5447

The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council recently announced their annual awards honoring those dedicated to protecting, preserving and increasing the number of trees that line city streets, fill community parks and enhance neighborhoods throughout the state.

The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council advises the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on the best ways to preserve, protect, expand and improve Wisconsin’s urban and community forest resources.

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Five Applicants Receive DNR Urban Forestry Grants In Second Round Of Funding

Posted on by patricialindquist

During its second round of 2022 funding, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Urban Forestry Grant program awarded a total of $90,000 to five Wisconsin communities for urban forestry projects. These funds were made available through a United States Forest Service grant. 

The Village of Grafton received $25,000, the City of Greenfield received $17,238.62, the City of Monroe received $7,917.67, the Ozaukee County Planning & Parks Department received $14,843.71 and the City of West Bend received $25,000. The communities that received these must match them dollar-for-dollar.

The DNR Urban Forestry Grant program funds projects consistent with state and national goals to increase the urban forest canopy and its benefits. The urban forest encompasses trees on both public and private property.

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Sheboygan: Wisconsin’s First Tree City Of The World

Posted on by patricialindquist

By Tim Bull, City of Sheboygan Forester, Timothy.Bull@sheboyganwi.gov and
Olivia Witthun, DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator, olivia.witthun@wisconsin.gov or 414-750-8744

The City of Sheboygan has done it again. Not only do they hold the honor of being Wisconsin’s first Tree City USA back in 1976, but they are now also Wisconsin’s first community earning Tree Cities of the WORLD status! They are one of only 120 cities currently recognized, sharing the stage with San Francisco, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, Buenos Aires, Toronto, Brussels and Milan, to name a few.

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Please Help Guide The Future Of i-Tree

Posted on by patricialindquist

By Dan Buckler, DNR Urban Forest Assessment Specialist, Madison, daniel.buckler@wisconsin.gov or 608-445-4578

Whenever you hear about the benefits that trees provide to a home, community or region, there is a good chance that that information came from i-Tree, a suite of software from the USDA Forest Service and the Davey Tree Expert Company that quantifies forest structure and estimates trees’ benefits to the ecosystem. Within i-Tree, for example, a user can convert easy to-collect tree data, such as species and diameter, into estimates of the tree’s carbon storage, air pollution reduction or ability to prevent rainwater from entering the sewer system.

While i-Tree has been a foundational tool for telling the urban forest story from the local to global levels, the i-Tree program needs your help to adapt to tomorrow’s management challenges. They are urging current and future i-Tree users to attend one of three Town Hall sessions where you can share your thoughts on what i-Tree has meant to your work and how you think it should change for the future. The sessions are organized by experience level, but if you cannot make your preferred time, select any that might work for you. Additionally, if you cannot attend but are interested in providing feedback, please register as comments can be captured during the registration process.

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Arbor Day 2022 Celebrations

Posted on by patricialindquist

Did you know that 2022 is both the 150th anniversary of the Arbor Day holiday and the 50th anniversary of the Arbor Day Foundation? To mark these events, the Arbor Day Foundation is compiling all of the Arbor Day celebrations across the United States, putting them on a map, and sharing it far and wide.

To add your celebration or find one in your state, visit the Arbor Day Dates Across America webpage.

Also, a reminder that the Arbor Day Foundation requires communities to hold an Arbor Day celebration and declare a proclamation to earn or maintain Tree City USA designation in 2022. Learn more about the 2022 Tree City USA requirements here.

2022 WDNR/WAA Annual Conference A Great Success

Posted on by patricialindquist

The 2022 Annual Statewide Wisconsin DNR/Wisconsin Arborist Association (WAA) Urban Forestry Conference, “Looking Forward, Not Backwards, to Our Days in Arboriculture!” was held in Green Bay on Feb. 20, 2022.

We proudly announce that the conference hosted 435 community foresters and administrators, professional arborists, green industry professionals, nonprofit staff and students, following all COVID-19 protocols and related attendance restrictions. Those in attendance gathered to network, learn and discuss important concepts in urban forest management and practices in arboriculture.

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Protect Your Valuable Ash Trees Against Emerald Ash Borer

Posted on by brenna.denamur

By Bill McNee, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Oshkosh
bill.mcnee@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0942

Property owners with healthy, valuable ash trees are encouraged to treat them with insecticide this spring to protect against emerald ash borer (EAB). The pest is currently the most damaging threat to trees in Wisconsin, killing more than 99% of the ash trees it infests.

Ash tree branch in West Allis has been damaged by woodpeckers. Sections of bark are missing or have been flecked away.

This ash tree branch in West Allis has been damaged (“flecked”) by woodpeckers feeding on EAB larvae under the bark.
Photo: Bill McNee, Wisconsin DNR

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EAB Identified In Lincoln County For The First Time, Continues Spread Into Northern Wisconsin

Posted on by brenna.denamur

By Linda Williams, WI DNR Forest Health Specialist, Woodruff
Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0665

Emerald ash borer (EAB) continues to spread into areas of Northern Wisconsin and was detected for the first time in Lincoln County, in the Town of Harrison and the City of Tomahawk. EAB was first identified in Wisconsin in 2008, only 14 years ago. It is now in 62 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties.

S-shaped markings in an ash tree trunk where a hatchet has removed the bark.

S-shaped galleries under the bark of this ash were created by EAB larvae. You can also see epicormic branches (water sprouts) coming out of the trunk. These are a sign of significant stress in the tree. Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

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2022 Tree City USA Requirements: Arbor Day Celebration And Proclamation

Posted on by patricialindquist

An Arbor Day celebration and proclamation will be required in 2022 to earn or maintain Tree City USA designation. An Arbor Day celebration will also be required to earn or maintain Tree Campus Higher Education and Tree Line USA recognition.

There are many ways a community/campus/utility might meet this standard, including:

  • An in-person gathering (e.g. community tree planting or festival)
  • A virtual event (e.g. webinar or live streamed tree planting)
  • A social media post or campaign

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DNR Announces Additional Funding Now Available For Communities Impacted By Storm Damage

Posted on by patricialindquist

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced that five communities impacted by severe weather last July will receive an additional $123,600 of aid from reserve funds.

On July 28, 2021, Marathon County and the cities of Omro, Ripon, Tomahawk and Watertown each experienced catastrophic storm damage following severe weather conditions.

Initially, the five grant applicants sought $228,435 from the DNR’s Urban Forestry Catastrophic Storm Grant program to lessen the burden of the impacted communities. However, the grant funds were limited to $104,920.

To assist with funding, the DNR submitted a request in November to the Joint Committee on Finance to transfer additional funds from the forestry emergency reserve. 

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