Green-striped mapleworm in northern Wisconsin

Posted on by margueriterapp

By Linda Williams, forest health specialist, Woodruff, Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov, 920-360-0665

Green-striped mapleworm caterpillars feed gregariously, so where you see one, you’re bound to see more. Their preferred hosts are red and sugar maple, but they can feed on oak and beech as well, especially if those species are mixed in with maples. As they feed, they leave behind only the main veins of the leaves. The adult moth is the lovely rosy maple moth.

Green-striped mapleworm caterpillar clinging to the underside of a maple leaf.

Green-striped mapleworm caterpillar.

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Spruce budworm and balsam fir mortality in northern Wisconsin

Posted on by margueriterapp

By Linda Williams, forest health specialist, Woodruff, Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov, 920-360-0665 

Spruce budworm defoliation was severe in many areas of northern Wisconsin this year. New needles on balsam fir and spruce were eaten, although in most areas the balsam fir had greater amounts of defoliation than the spruce. Feeding by this native caterpillar for several years in a row can cause trees to start to decline and even die, which is occurring in a number of areas of northern Wisconsin.

Mortality of balsam fir due to repeated defoliation by spruce budworm. Green trees in this photo, including hardwoods and pines, are not fed upon by spruce budworm.

Mortality of balsam fir due to repeated defoliation by spruce budworm. Green trees in this photo, including hardwoods and pines, are not fed upon by spruce budworm.

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Redheaded pine sawfly reported in northern Wisconsin

Posted on by margueriterapp

By Linda Williams, forest health specialist, Woodruff, Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov, 920-360-0665 

For the second year in a row, colonies of redheaded pine sawfly have been reported on understory red pine in northern Wisconsin, with the most reports coming from Vilas County. Redheaded pine sawfly was also noted in Portage County in central Wisconsin this year.

Redheaded pine sawfly larvae feed as a group, as shown in this photo where many sawflies are clustered on a single twig.

Redheaded pine sawfly larvae feed as a group.

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Jack pine budworm defoliation seen in Juneau County

Posted on by margueriterapp

By Todd Lanigan, forest health specialist, Eau Claire, todd.lanigan@wisconsin.gov, 715-210-0150

Jack pine budworm, a native defoliator of jack pine and other conifers, caused defoliation of jack pine in the Town of Clearfield, Juneau County. Defoliation levels ranged from light to moderate, with some areas along roadways having higher levels of defoliation.

Jack pine trees defoliated by jack pine budworm.

Jack pine trees defoliated by jack pine budworm.

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August is Tree Check Month!

Posted on by patricialindquist

Donald Duerr, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

The USDA is encouraging everyone to spend 10 minutes checking their trees for the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB). August is an ideal time to spot this devastating pest as it emerges from trees.

Although ALB has not been discovered in Wisconsin, it is crucial that we keep an eye out for it. The quicker any infestations are discovered and reported, the easier it will be to eradicate. Three states currently have regulations in place for ALB: Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio.

ALB attacks a wide variety of trees including maple, elm, ash, birch, poplar, and willow. Signs of infestation include dime-sized exit holes, shallow scars in bark, sawdust-like material on the ground or tree branches, dead branches, and the beetle itself. Note that the Asian longhorned beetle is sometimes confused with the white-spotted pine sawyer, a native longhorned beetle.

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Urban Forestry Economic Contributions Survey

Posted on by patricialindquist

We want to give you a heads-up and urge you to fill out a survey that may be coming your way. 

There is a study underway led by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources that is evaluating the economic contributions of the urban forestry sector in the Northeast-Midwest region of the U.S.  This study is the first in the nation to focus specifically on the economic contributions of urban forestry across multiple states. 

A random sample of businesses, non-profits and local governments will receive an invitation to participate in a web survey in late summer.  Look for an email with the subject line The Urban Forestry Economic Contributions Study Invites You to Participate from The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources <noreply@qualtrics-survey.com>.  The questions will ask about your organization’s sales and revenue (or budgets) in 2018.  There will also be questions about the number of full- and part-time employees for that year. 

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CTMI postponed until Fall 2021

Posted on by patricialindquist

After much deliberation, WI DNR Urban Forestry has decided to postpone the Community Tree Management Institute (CTMI) for one year.  The health and safety of others is paramount.  Due to the pandemic, it’s just not feasible to come together in person for this training.  Group interaction and networking are an integral part of the CTMI experience, so we will look forward to coming together in the fall of 2021 with the start of the next CTMI class (exact dates to be determined). 

For more information, please contact Olivia Witthun, 414-750-8744 or Olivia.Witthun@wisconsin.gov.

Wisconsin Urban Wood and the City of Marshfield partner on an urban wood use agreement

Posted on by patricialindquist

Wisconsin Urban Wood (WUW) and the City of Marshfield have joined efforts in a “Use Agreement” that serves as the conduit between the city’s logs and WUW’s sawmill and woodworker partners in the area. Through the use agreement, WUW members are granted access to the city’s marshalling yard to recover and remove city logs. The use agreement reduces disposal costs and the wood finds its way back into the community in beautiful ways.

Every year thousands of trees are removed from Wisconsin’s streets, backyards, parks and other green spaces due to storms, construction, disease or insects such as the Emerald Ash Borer. This process costs money and time for municipalities while bringing little value back to the community. Much of this removed urban wood is suitable for lumber, flooring, furniture, art, architectural design and household goods. By establishing this urban wood use agreement, Marshfield can utilize this local, sustainable and renewable resource to boost the local economy and reduce community expenses.

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Invasive plant virtual workshop

Posted on by patricialindquist

Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org

The Village of Gays Mills is teaming up with the Wisconsin First Detector Network (WIFDN) and Extension to host a virtual workshop on invasive plants. Titled “Invasive Plants: Know Them, Control Them,” the workshop will take place on zoom on September 30th from 9 am-10:30 am.

The workshop will provide you with the basic information needed to recognize and manage invasive plants common – or coming – to western Wisconsin. Presenters include Anne Pearce, WIFDN Coordinator, and Dr. Mark Renz, Professor and Extension Weed Specialist, UW-Madison. Here is the agenda:

  • 9:00 am – Impacts of invasive plants to landowners and communities
  • 9:15 am – Identification of priority and early detection invasive plants in southwestern Wisconsin
  • 9:45 am – Invasive plant management planning, tools, and techniques
  • 10:15 am – Questions and answers

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Urban forestry standard survey

Posted on by patricialindquist

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is seeking input from the urban-forestry community to understand the value and challenges facing urban forests, and gauge interest in the development of an urban forestry standard. To assist with this, please complete this 13-questions survey which will take no more than 15 minutes of your time.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SFISurveyUrbanForestry

To learn more about this initiative, you can view a webinar SFI conducted on June 9th to explore this opportunity.

Please respond to this survey by August 28, 2020. For queries about the survey, please email Jason.Metnick@SFIprogram.org.