Grants to strengthen fire suppression in 196 communities

Posted on by Kirsten Held

Fire departments in 196 Wisconsin communities will receive a total of $645,487 in grants from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forest Fire Protection Grant Program in 2016. The funding can be used for equipment, prevention, and training to enhance forest fire protection and suppression ability.  This grant program was established in 1997 to strengthen the capacity of local fire departments and county or area fire organizations to assist the DNR forestry staff in suppression of forest fires. Here’s a complete list of 2016 FFP grant recipients [PDF].  Read more in this news release or on the DNR website, keyword grants.

For more information, contact Chris Klahn (christopher.klahn@wisconsin.gov), DNR cooperative fire control specialist, 608- 297-2214.

BMPs found to protect water quality

Posted on by Kirsten Held
Map of 2015 BMP Monitoring Sites on private, nonindustrial forestland in Wisconsin

The Wisconsin forestland sites monitored by the 2015 BMP teams. Coniferous trees represent sites that were in the Managed Forest Law (MFL) program and deciduous trees represent sites not in the MFL program. Note: Some dots are close together making the total number of sites difficult to determine on this map.

Newly-released results from 2015 monitoring for the application and effectiveness of Wisconsin’s Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Water Quality show excellent results. The effectiveness of BMPs that were applied correctly was extremely high (99.6%) at protecting water quality, but when BMPs were applied incorrectly or not applied, BMP effectiveness rates woefully dropped (6.3% and 9.4% respectively).  Even with the low water quality protection of BMPs that were applied incorrectly and not applied, no major impacts were reported on any of the monitored sites.   Read more details about the results from the monitoring of 36 non-industrial private forestland (NIPF) sites (26 of the landowners are enrolled in the MFL program) in the 2015 BMP Monitoring Report.

For more information, contact Forest Hydrologist Dave Kafura, david.kafura@wisconsin.gov, (715) 416-4140

Managing seed orchards for tree improvement

Posted on by Kirsten Held
White pine plantation

White pine plantation near Lake Tomahawk

Soon after the beginning of the nurseries in Wisconsin, managers realized they had a special role to play in the development of trees, especially when it came to disease resistance, growth, and form. In conjunction with the UW system, USDA Forest Service scientists and researchers and our own tree geneticist, nursery staff established a number of seed orchards.  Throughout the decades, we have explored and invested in new sites, creating a tree improvement program that is stocked with species in various stages of development and/or characteristic selection.

Continue reading “Managing seed orchards for tree improvement” →

Reforestation monitoring update

Posted on by Kirsten Held

2016 was the second season reforestation staff have use the revised protocol for monitoring reforestation sites. Due to ample rainfall and warm weather, the seedlings across the state are performing very well. This fall we are looking at sites that have gone through 3 and 7 years of growth and have visited 25 sites so far.

By Jeremiah Auer, jeremiah.auer@wisconsin.gov, (715) 424-3700

 

Transline® herbicide trial begins

Posted on by Kirsten Held

In keeping with the Reforestation Program’s mission of providing pertinent information to forestry professionals, we began a new herbicide field trial with Transline® (clopyralid). Many foresters and landowners are interested in applying herbicides after a site has been planted to inhibit weed competition. However, in the case of Transline®, not all species are referenced on the label. In addition, the varying rates prescribed may impact species differently. All of this can create a challenge for a forester or landowner when managing competition within the planting. Continue reading “Transline® herbicide trial begins” →

Herbicide testing in nursery environment

Posted on by Kirsten Held

Over the course of several years of monitoring new plantings on landowner properties throughout the state, reforestation staff encountered a wide range of herbicide prescriptions, with varying results. Often, staff encountered trees showing a high degree of stress, or even mortality, which appeared to be linked to the herbicide application.  The decision was made to test some herbicide treatments in our nursery to see how stock reacted to the chemical at various rates and application timings, under more controlled conditions than what is typically found on outplanted stock.  We selected Dupont Oust XP (Sulfometuron Methyl) as our test chemical, since it is the most widely used pre-emergent herbicide currently in use in Wisconsin.

Continue reading “Herbicide testing in nursery environment” →

Greenwood students plant class tree

Posted on by Kirsten Held

Every spring, the nursery receives an order for Arbor Day seedlings from Greenwood Elementary.

Greenwood Elementary students planting tree

Greenwood Elementary students plant a class tree.

Nothing unusual there since the reforestation program provides more than 35,000 free seedlings to 4th-grade classrooms throughout Wisconsin every spring. What caught our attention about this order is that each year it included an additional request: a single hardwood seedling.  We caught up with the local DNR Forester, Chris Schmitz stationed in Neillsville, to ask about this unique outreach project in Clark County.

Continue reading “Greenwood students plant class tree” →

Team looking at natural regeneration issues

Posted on by Kirsten Held

The Division of Forestry created a Natural Regeneration Ad Hoc Team to review and recommend natural regeneration monitoring protocols in an effort to provide a more cohesive statewide strategy for achieving successful natural regeneration. Forest regeneration was identified as an implementation issue in the Division’s Strategic Direction. Forest regeneration monitoring was also identified as an opportunity for improvement in forest certification audits on state lands.

Continue reading “Team looking at natural regeneration issues” →

Words of inspiration from reforestation staff

Posted on by Kirsten Held

During the seedling lifting season each spring, it has been a tradition at the Griffith Nursery to offer inspirational words and thoughts to the staff on a dry erase board in the employee break room. Drawing on witticisms from famous athletes, authors, political figures, and comedians seems to provide a bit of levity during an often stressful time.

This past spring, one of the quotations struck a chord with me, as it put a much-maligned tree species into a different perspective:

 “The jack pine grows to any shape that suits the light, suits the winds, suits itself.”

~ Milton Acorn

Find the light. Lean into the wind. Survive. Thrive. Be the jack pine!

By Jeremiah Auer, jeremiah.auer@wisconsin.gov, (715) 424-3700