Invasive Species Action Award
The Wisconsin Invasive Species Council is accepting nominations for the 21st annual Invasive Species Action Awards now through Feb. 16, 2025. Continue reading “Award Announcements”
Urban Forestry News
Upcoming Trainings
*These training opportunities are provided as an information service only and do not constitute an endorsement from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
See below for information on the Wisconsin Apprenticeship Conference and trainings on topics including electrical hazards, tree biology, mycorrhizal fungi and landscaping.  Continue reading “Upcoming Trainings”
DNR Recruiting For Two Forest Health Specialists
A map showing the zones of coverage for each of the six DNR Forest Health Specialists. / Graphic Credit: Wisconsin DNR
By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Outreach and Communications;
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has opened the search for candidates to fill two Forest Health Specialist openings, one in the West Central zone and one in the South Central zone.
The posting can be seen on the WiscJobs website. To be considered, candidates have until the posted deadline of 11:59 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, to submit a resume and letter of qualifications.
Continue reading “DNR Recruiting For Two Forest Health Specialists”
2024 Spongy Moth Review
By Bill McNee, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Oshkosh;
Bill.McNee@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0942
A tree shows high numbers of spongy moth caterpillars, though the majority of the caterpillars have been killed either by virus (hanging in an inverted V) or fungus (hanging in a stretched line, head down). The virus and fungus helped to quell a potential outbreak in many areas of the state in 2024. / Photo Credit: Bill McNee, Wisconsin DNR
As the 2023 spongy moth season ended, there were hopes for a return to colder and wetter conditions in 2024 so that the spongy moth outbreak would decline or even come to an end.
What wound up happening in Wisconsin was the “lost winter,” the warmest since recordkeeping began in 1895. Given this warmth, there were concerns that the widespread spongy moth outbreak would continue for a third consecutive summer, with good caterpillar survival, ongoing defoliation and high rates of tree mortality in already stressed forests.
Cooperative Enlists Public To Make Tree Health A Snap
By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Outreach and Communications, Fitchburg;
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167
The main page of the TreeSnap app as seen on a mobile phone. / Photo Credit: TreeSnap.org
It takes more than a village to foster healthy forests. More than a township, a city and a county, too. Sometimes, even more than a state.
That’s why the Great Lakes Basin Forest Health Cooperative (GLB FHC) was formed four years ago by Holden Arboretum in Ohio and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.
Geographically, the group’s region encompasses an area from New Jersey to Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is an active member.
Continue reading “Cooperative Enlists Public To Make Tree Health A Snap”
DNR Urban Forestry Grant Update
By Nicolle R. Spafford, DNR Urban Forestry Grants Manager; Nicolle.Spafford@wisconsin.gov or 715-896-7099
The 2025 Urban Forestry Grant application deadline was Oct. 1, 2024, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) received 67 applications, totaling over $1 million in funding requests. In total, $629,680 is available in grant funding for 2025. Continue reading “DNR Urban Forestry Grant Update”
Answering Common Emerald Ash Borer Yard Tree Questions
By Abby Krause, DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator; Abigail.Krause@wisconsin.gov or 608-556-5690
This summer’s detection of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Burnett County means our little metallic friend (or should I say foe?) is now known to be present statewide. While EAB has been around for the better part of two decades in Wisconsin, many homeowners are still in the thick of dealing with the fallout from this invasive pest. The management options for a handful of individual yard trees are quite different than dealing with ash in rural forests. Below is info to help with some frequently asked questions you may receive from residents, neighbors, family, friends and anyone else you may be known to as “that tree person.” Continue reading “Answering Common Emerald Ash Borer Yard Tree Questions”
Sustainable Forestry Initiative Urban Forest Improvement Grant Application Now Open
The Urban Forest Improvement Program, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program, provides grants to help organizations benchmark their urban or community forests against the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Urban and Community Forest Sustainability Standard.
These grants support the assessment of current management practices, offering valuable insights into how sustainably these forests are managed and a roadmap of opportunities for improvement. Continue reading “Sustainable Forestry Initiative Urban Forest Improvement Grant Application Now Open”
Managing Veteran Trees In The Urban Environment
By Elton Rogers, DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator; Elton.Rogers@wisconsin.gov or 414-294-8675 and Dan Buckler, DNR Urban Forest Assessment Specialist; Daniel.Buckler@wisconsin.gov or 608-445-4578
Veteran trees, also known by some as heritage trees, loom large in our imagination. If you have an image of a large, gnarly oak in your head, you’re on the right track. These are the trees that, according to the International Society of Arboriculture, are of exceptional cultural, landscape or nature conservation value. They are vitally important and deserve management attention to keep them on the landscape whenever practical. Continue reading “Managing Veteran Trees In The Urban Environment”
Fourth Grade Arbor Day Orders Now Available
Do you remember when you were in fourth grade? Did you receive a tree seedling to plant for Arbor Day?
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) nurseries have been giving away free seedlings to celebrate Arbor Day since 1984 – over two million seedlings across the state. Every fourth-grade student in Wisconsin is eligible to receive a free tree seedling from DNR nurseries to complement Arbor Day celebrations. Continue reading “Fourth Grade Arbor Day Orders Now Available”