Heavy seed crop leads to sparse-looking trees

Posted on by margueriterapp

Todd Lanigan, forest health specialist, Eau Claire, Todd.Lanigan@wisconsin.gov, 715-839-1632

You may have noticed some of the elms and maples had a lot of brown in them at the end of May and early June. Some elms and maples produced a lot of seed this spring, which reduced the amount of energy available for producing leaves. With fewer leaves and more of the brown, papery seeds, the trees can take on a thin, brown appearance.

Heavy seed years can occur for many reasons. It happens naturally from time to time and it can also be stimulated by environmental stressors. A couple of examples of environmental stressors are: excessive moisture, winter injury and frost damage to roots.

The cause of this year’s heavy seed production is anyone’s guess. There does not appear to be a common pattern between the affected trees to indicate whether it was simply a normal heavy seed year or related to an environmental factor.

 

Browning on tamarack needles

Posted on by margueriterapp

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

Defoliation from larch casebearer (Coleophora laricella) is showing up in some areas of northeast and northcentral Wisconsin. The defoliation is patchy and of moderate intensity, resulting in trees with various degrees of browning due to the insect’s feeding habits. Some appear pale yellow or brown throughout the crown while others only have partial browning.

Defoliated larch needles turn yellow then brown.

Defoliation by larch casebearer will cause needles to turn yellow then brown. Trees will usually send out more needles and be green again by mid-summer.

Continue reading “Browning on tamarack needles” →

Branch flagging caused by jack pine resin midge

Posted on by margueriterapp

Paul Cigan, forest health specialist, Hayward, Paul.Cigan@wisconsin.gov, 715-416-4920

Jack pine shoots are flagging over a large area of northern and west central Wisconsin this summer due to feeding injury from the jack pine resin midge. Symptoms include scattered dead branch tips and pitch masses on terminal buds and on twigs where larvae feed.  

Jack pine with dead branch tips caused by jack pine resin midge. Photo: Paul Cigan.

Jack pine with dead branch tips. Photo: Paul Cigan.

Continue reading “Branch flagging caused by jack pine resin midge” →

Fireworks can cause wildfires

Posted on by laurahayes

Fireworks can cause wildfires. Don's let your fun turn into flames.Forestry officials suggest caution with fireworks
By: Amy Luebke, DNR

Each year the use of both legal and illegal fireworks causes wildfires in Wisconsin.  Anyone using legal fireworks should do so only in a clear area away from buildings, vehicles and shrubbery and should have water or a fire extinguisher handy.  Remember that wildfires can occur anytime the ground is not snow covered.  Make sure you are aware of your local weather conditions and plan accordingly.  Fireworks can cause wildfires.  Don’t let your fun turn into flames!

WAA Summer Conference

Posted on by margueriterapp

WAA Summer Conference

Join the WAA (Wisconsin Arborist Association) for their summer conference and picnic at the Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake on Tuesday, July 16th. The program committee has put together another excellent lineup for this event. They are offering two educational tracks, one indoors and one outdoors- a little something for everyone.

Topics include:

  • Cold hardiness of EAB
  • Pruning young trees
  • Tree care for wildlife
  • Toxic Wisconsin plants
  • Aerial inspections
  • Nutrients, soils and air spade use
  • Tree ID basics
  • Portable sawmill demonstration

For more information or to register, visit the WAA website at http://www.waa-isa.org/events-programs/summer-conference/.

Invasive plant management on roadsides workshops

Posted on by margueriterapp

Invasive plants have been shown to impact Wisconsin’s economy, environment and human health. Roadsides are a key area where these unwanted plants establish and spread. These right of way habitats are challenging to work in but focused efforts can be successful in preventing spread and reduce invasive plant populations.

To help educate and jumpstart management, The University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension along with 4-Control are conducting roadside invasive plant workshops throughout the state. We invite you to attend one of these five regional workshops. While this training is available to anyone interested, the focus will be on training staff of municipalities that manage vegetation on roadsides. Continue reading “Invasive plant management on roadsides workshops” →

Inaugural ‘Good Health Grows on Trees’ conference a success!

Posted on by margueriterapp

Whether it be a hike through the woods, time spent with your family at a local park or sitting beneath the shade of that stately red oak in your backyard, we, as urban forestry professionals and enthusiasts, experience and recognize the physical, mental and spiritual benefits of spending time outdoors in nature.

For decades, scientists have been researching and documenting the health benefits that trees and nature provide, and as urban populations continue to rise, the impact of nearby nature on human health has generated a lot of interest in our world of urban and community forestry.

To further that conversation in Wisconsin, the first ever ‘Good Health Grows on Trees: The Influence of Nearby Nature on Public Health’ conference was hosted by the DNR Urban Forestry program at the Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville on May 30th.  Continue reading “Inaugural ‘Good Health Grows on Trees’ conference a success!” →

Changes in DNR Urban Forestry grant staff

Posted on by margueriterapp

There are some new faces in the DNR Urban Forestry grant staff.

Chase O’Brien started on June 10th as the Urban Forestry Grant Manager located in the Madison office. He has spent the last 3 ½ years working in the DNR Forest Tax Program. He has a degree in Geography & Earth Science with a GIS concentration from UW – La Crosse. Chase enjoys spending his free time seeing live music, traveling, crafting food and drink and playing Ultimate Frisbee. His contact information is Chase.OBrien@wisconsin.gov and 608-640-6143.

Nicolle Spafford is the Forestry Division Budget and Grant Specialist located in the Tomahawk office. She’s been working with our program for several months now, but you’ll be seeing even more of her in the future. Nicolle has been with the DNR Division of Forestry for 28 years. She enjoys spending her free time at her daughter’s academic and sporting events, running races with her daughter, bicycling, reading/collecting books, traveling, training for a marathon and collecting wine corks. Her contact information is Nicolle.Spafford@wi.gov and 715-453-2188 ext. 1274.

Information on the Urban Forestry Grant Program can be found at https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/UrbanForests/grants/index.html. DNR Urban Forestry grant staff may also be reached at DNRUrbanForestryGrants@wi.gov.

Soliciting teachers and students for school tree inventories

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There is a small sign in the Milwaukee DNR office that instructs the reader to “Learn of a pine tree from a pine tree.” In other words, to better understand something, one has to see it, feel it, smell it, rather than just reading about it. In urban forestry, this manifests itself in tree inventories, or surveys of individual trees in a given area. Municipalities have recognized the importance of these tree inventories for years, and now, led by a few pioneering teachers, so have some schools. Continue reading “Soliciting teachers and students for school tree inventories” →

Spring 2019 chainsaw safety training

Posted on by margueriterapp

Routinely, DNR North Central Urban Forestry Coordinator Don Kissinger puts a call out to his networking group regarding chainsaw safety training. This past winter he hit the jackpot and received a great response and a first ever request for an Advanced Training. Thus, two courses occurred this past April (Basic & Advanced). Continue reading “Spring 2019 chainsaw safety training” →