By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Forest Health Outreach and Communications, Fitchburg
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167
The Wisconsin Department of Resources (DNR) has debuted a new Forest Health fact sheet on twolined chestnut borer (Agrilus bilineatus), a native beetle that attacks already weakened oaks in Wisconsin.
Continue reading “DNR Debuts Fact Sheet On Twolined Chestnut Borer”
Urban Forestry grant applications are opening soon!
Beginning July 1, 2024, cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in –or conducting their projects in – Wisconsin can apply for a regular or startup 2025 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Urban Forestry grant. The total 2025 available funding is $559,680, with a possible release of $139,920 of catastrophic storm reserve to fund a second round in March 2025. Continue reading “2025 DNR Urban Forestry Grant Application Opening Soon”
Congratulations to Tracy Salisbury, who began her retirement in May. Tracy has been with the DNR as an urban forestry coordinator in northeast Wisconsin since 1998.
“I enjoyed working with a variety of customers in my service area for the past 26 years,” Tracy said. “I had the opportunity to collaborate with the Green Bay Packers, American Transmission Company, Rotary Clubs and others on various projects. It was never a dull moment in the division’s urban forestry program!” Continue reading “DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator Tracy Salisbury Retires”
Jay Dampier joined the Urban Forestry Team on June 3 as the new Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) grant coordinator. This is a federally funded project position that will be overseeing $4 million of federally funded grants awarded to Wisconsin communities, tribes and nonprofits. These IRA funds were allocated to the urban forestry program by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service in 2023. As part of the Justice 40 Initiative, 100% of the funds will be used to improve the urban forest resources and lives of those living in disadvantaged communities throughout the state. Continue reading “Urban Forestry Welcomes Jay Dampier As New IRA Grant Coordinator”
The DNR’s Urban Forestry program is again thrilled to welcome two interns this summer. Priscilla Loh and Taylor Colman, both students at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, are based in the Milwaukee office, where they work on inventory and assessment projects to improve our understanding of local forests. Meet them below. Continue reading “Urban Forestry Interns Join DNR For Summer Field Season”
At first glance, the Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) tree seems appealing, with its white blossoms in spring and colorful leaves in fall. Digging a little deeper, however, reveals the grim reality of this common urban tree. Once introduced for its ornamental value, this invasive species has become a significant threat to Wisconsin’s ecosystems. Continue reading “Unearthing The Ugly Truth About The Callery Pear”
Join the Wisconsin Arborist Association (WAA) for its summer conference. It will be held at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls University Center in River Falls, Wisconsin, on Friday, July 26, 2024. The program will have a little something for everyone, Planting for the Future and feature two educational tracks, one indoors and one outdoors.
Topics include:
Continue reading “WAA Summer Conference And Tree Climbing Competition July 26-28”
WI DNR/UW Extension
Community Engagement For Urban Forestry Projects
Watch this recorded webinar, which includes a presentation by the University of Wisconsin division of Extension’s organizational and leadership development program staff. The community engagement portion starts at 5:20. Continue reading “Upcoming And Recorded Webinars”
A swath of pine dead due to high water table mortality in 2020 in northeast Wisconsin.
By Alex Hornung, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Plover;
Alexandra.Hornung@wisconsin.gov
Many pine stands across central and northeast Wisconsin are being impacted by the change from high levels of precipitation to extreme drought that has occurred over the last 5-7 years.
Drastic or sudden changes can be particularly stressful to trees of all species, but especially to pine stands that prefer well-drained soil types.
By Bill McNee, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Oshkosh
Bill.McNee@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0942
With this spring’s weather bringing above-average rainfall across most of Wisconsin, we will likely see moderate to heavy mortality of spongy moth caterpillars at many locations this summer.
Last year, the statewide May-June period was the third-driest since recordkeeping began in the late 1800s, according to the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. As a result, the effectiveness of the caterpillar-killing fungus, Entomophaga maimaiga, was limited. Spring 2024 is noticeably wetter, and thus, increased effectiveness of E. maimaiga is likely.
Continue reading “Watch For Spongy Moth Caterpillar Diseases”
