The Green Bay Packers, along with corporate sponsors Essity and Green Bay Packaging Inc., marked another successful year of the “First Downs for Trees” program by planting trees at Ashwaubenon’s Klipstine Park on Thursday, July 19th. These sponsors provided the funds for the planting 444 trees in 17 Brown County communities. These trees will provide total lifetime benefits of $2,132,200. Continue reading “Packers participate in 8th year of tree planting”
Funding available to plant trees!
The Bay-Lake RPC announced available funding under the 2019 WI RPCs & DNR Great Lakes Basin Tree Planting grant program. This program is a partnership between Bay-Lake RPC, Wisconsin DNR, East Central Wisconsin RPC, Northwest Wisconsin RPC, and Southeastern Wisconsin RPC. Continue reading “Funding available to plant trees!”
Collecting tree seeds in Wisconsin
By Jeremiah Auer, Wisconsin DNR forest regeneration specialist, (715) 459-1999, Jeremiah.Auer@wisconsin.gov
The Wisconsin state nurseries have been producing seedlings since 1911. In that time, there have been many changes in personnel, growing techniques and distribution methods. However, something that has remained constant is the source of those seedlings: Wisconsin seeds.
The vast majority of seedlings produced at the Wisconsin state nurseries originate from seed collected from native trees. From the tiny, pepper-like seed of aspen to the large, husky black walnut, the DNR reforestation staff at the nurseries collects, cleans and stores hundreds of pounds of more than 30 varieties of native tree and shrub seed every year.
While we are able to satisfy some of our needs, we rely on members of the public to collect for us as well. For those interested in becoming seed collectors, we publish a newsletter every fall. Information on seed collection and the 2018 Seed Collector’s Newsletter can be found on the DNR website.
Our staff is always available to answer questions about seed collection or any other reforestation topic.
So, if you are looking for a fun activity for yourself or your family this fall, why not spend some time helping the Wisconsin reforestation team fill our seed coffers.
Aspen blotch miner caterpillars
By Linda Williams, forest health specialist, Woodruff. Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov; 920-360-0665
The tops of aspen leaves will appear off-colored when aspen blotch miner caterpillars feed within. Photo: Linda Williams
If you’ve noticed aspen trees seem a little pale lately, you are probably seeing damage from aspen blotch miner caterpillars. Typically, these leaf-mining insects only affect young aspen trees, but this year I’ve found uniform damage on bigger trees with large crowns. Symptoms include thinned crowns, off-color leaves with blisters on their undersides, and, later in the summer, curling and browning leaves. Tiny caterpillars spend their entire lives feeding within the leaf; they then pupate into the tunneled-out areas. Moths emerge in August and spend the winter in protected places.
I have reported this insect each year since 2012 in northeastern Wisconsin. This year, there were aspen leaf blotch miners in Marinette, Florence, Forest, Oneida, and Vilas counties, which is similar to where they were found last year. Although defoliation can be severe, aspen trees usually tolerate the situation well. Many affected aspen trees will send out new leaves after feeding by caterpillars ends. Although damage may appear severe, the effects on the trees’ overall health seems negligible.
Widespread crown dieback and delayed leaf-out of bur oak
by Paul Cigan, forest health specialist, Hayward, Paul.Cigan@wisconsin.gov. 715-416-4920 and Todd Lanigan, forest health specialist, Eau Claire, Todd.Lanigan@wisconsin.gov, 715-210-0150
Bur oak showing moderate crown dieback. Photo: Paul Cigan
Bur oak with severe crown dieback. Photo: Paul Heimstead
Widespread dieback of twigs and branches and delayed leaf-out were present on bur oak trees this spring in Barron, Burnett, Chippewa, Eau Claire Polk, Rusk, and Sawyer counties, and in parts of central and east central Minnesota. Crown dieback of between 10 – 50% was observed in both mature and sapling-sized trees, although it was more common on open-grown trees and those along woodland edges. Tufted or “broomed” leaf shoots were apparent, a result of epicormic shoots developing below dead twigs and branches. Most impacted trees recovered well by early July as crowns filled in with leaves and epicormic shoots. Leaves in recovered trees appeared generally healthy and normal-sized.
Continue reading “Widespread crown dieback and delayed leaf-out of bur oak”
Be on the lookout for beech leaf disease
By Kyoko Scanlon, forest pathologist, Fitchburg. Kyoko.Scanlon@wisconsin.gov; 608-235-7532
Early striping from BLD as seen looking up into the canopy. Photo: The Ohio State University.
Although beech leaf disease (BLD) has not been found in Wisconsin, forest owners and managers should keep an eye out for it on American (Fagus grandifolia) and, to a lesser extent, European (Fagus sylvatica) beech trees. Beech leaf disease is becoming a serious issue in parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Ontario. Its cause is not yet known.
Balsam fir mortality in many counties around the state
Counties shaded in blue are where balsam mortality has been reported, but it is even more widespread than this map indicates.
By Linda Williams, forest health specialist, Woodruff, Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov, 920-360-0665 and Paul Cigan, forest health specialist, Hayward Paul.Cigan@wisconsin.gov, 715-416-4920
Reports of balsam fir suddenly turning rusty red to brown and dying have been coming in steadily this spring and summer. The accompanying map shows where this has been reported so far this year.
Spoiler alert! There are no insect or diseases involved. It appears the cause may be unusually severe winter drying or winter damage.
Continue reading “Balsam fir mortality in many counties around the state”
Defoliation of black cherry trees by cherry scallop shell moth
By Mike Hillstrom, forest health specialist, Fitchburg. Michael.Hillstrom@wisconsin.gov, 608-513-7690
Caterpillars of cherry scallop shell moths (Rheumaptera prunivorata) are defoliating black cherry trees of all sizes in far southeastern Jefferson County and slightly into Walworth County. Many cherry trees have been completely defoliated. This is the third consecutive year of damage in this location. Defoliation by cherry scallop shell moth caterpillars has increased each year; hopefully natural enemies that typically cause the populations to crash show up soon and do their job as multiple years of defoliation is stressful to trees. In addition to cherry scallop shell moths, there is concern about possible attack on black cherry trees by peach bark beetles (Phloeotribus liminaris), but none have been reported yet.
Continue reading “Defoliation of black cherry trees by cherry scallop shell moth”
Fall webworms start making an appearance
By Todd Lanigan, forest health specialist, Eau Claire, WI. Todd.Lanigan@wisconsin.gov; 715-210-0150
A silken nest full of caterpillars, excrement and debris. Photo: Todd Lanigan
Web-like nests of fall webworm (Hyphantrea cunea) caterpillars, a common native pest active from July through September, are beginning to appear in parts of the state. A common native pest throughout most of the U.S. and southern Canada, fall webworm caterpillars feed on leaves of almost all shade, fruit, and ornamental trees and shrubs, except for conifers. They typically form nests of loose webbing over the tips of tree branches. Although populations of fall webworm caterpillars are rarely large enough to cause lasting damage to trees, the presence of nests and feeding damage from caterpillars can greatly affect trees’ aesthetic value. Typically, trees recover from feeding damage on their own, but defoliation for more than two or three years in a row could make trees more susceptible to diseases and pests.
Forest Health Program welcomes new forest invasive plant coordinator
By Jodie Ellis, communications specialist, Madison. Jodie.Ellis@wisconsin.gov; 608-843-3506
Michael Putnam, DNR Forestry’s new forest invasive plant coordinator.
The Forest Health Program is excited to welcome Mike Putnam as its new forest invasive plant coordinator. Mike has been working with the program as an LTE for more than four years in Madison; his new position is in Rhinelander. He’ll be focusing on invasive plants prevention and management with DNR foresters and partners, so please reach out to him with field work opportunities.
Continue reading “Forest Health Program welcomes new forest invasive plant coordinator”