Tree Inventory Accounts Available

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By Dan Buckler, DNR Urban Forest Assessment Specialist, Madison, Daniel.Buckler@wisconsin.gov or 608-445-4578

Do you have a tree inventory but have had a hard time keeping it current, or you’re interested in inventorying some trees of your own? The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is funding several accounts for communities or organizations to edit data within the Wisconsin Community Tree Map, a compilation of tree inventories from around the state. The map shows where trees are located and includes information about each tree, such as diameter, health condition and street address.

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Tree City USA: Wisconsin By The Numbers

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Since 1976, Tree City USA has been a catalyst for community tree care and a powerful force for promoting urban forestry. This program, sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation (ADF) and administered in Wisconsin by the DNR, provides communities with a tangible goal and national recognition for their community forestry efforts. Wisconsin has 201 Tree City USAs, ranking it second in the nation!

A 2020 summary by ADF provides the following statistics on Wisconsin’s Tree City USAs:

  • 60% of Wisconsin lives in a Tree City USA
  • $51,319,634 was spent on urban forestry management ($14.65 average per capita)
  • 31,413 trees were planted
  • 20 communities received Growth Awards

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DNR Offering Surface Water Grant Funding

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The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Surface Water Grant Program is accepting applications from eligible organizations to support projects that protect and restore Wisconsin waterbodies.

More than $6 million is available to provide cost-sharing grants to support projects in the following areas:

  • Education, outreach and organization development
  • Planning for lakes, rivers and watersheds
  • Lake protection planning and implementation
  • Restoration of surface water, shorelands and wetlands
  • Management plan implementation
  • Aquatic invasive species prevention and control
  • Land acquisition/conservation easements

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EAB Found In Barron County

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By Paul Cigan, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Hayward, Paul.Cigan@wisconsin.gov or 715-416-4920. 

Emerald ash borer (EAB) has been discovered for the first time in Barron County, in the town of Lakeland. Dead and dying green ash were observed and larval specimens were subsequently lab-confirmed. Most of the green ash across a 20-acre area are either dead or dying from EAB attack.

Dead and dying green ash trees with characteristic woodpecker damage

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Heterobasidion Root Disease (HRD) Found In Fond Du Lac And Racine Counties

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By Bill McNee, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Oshkosh, bill.mcnee@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0942

Heterobasidion root disease (HRD), formerly known as annosum root rot, was recently found in Fond du Lac and Racine counties for the first time. Thinned pine stands were surveyed by DNR forestry staff in four eastern counties where the disease had not been previously found (Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Racine and Winnebago counties).

Counties where Heterobasidion root disease (HRD) has been found as of August 2021 are shown in green.

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Oak Wilt Symptoms Visible Now

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By Linda Williams, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Woodruff, Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0665. 

Symptoms of oak wilt are showing up. Look for leaves that suddenly wilt and drop from the tree. Oak wilt is a non-curable, fungal disease specific to oaks. Trees in the red oak family will die quickly from this disease, while trees in the white oak family will die more slowly, with a branch or portion of the crown becoming infected. 

This tree is actively wilting from oak wilt infection and will drop most of its leaves within about 4-6 weeks.

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Oak Timberworm, Not Your Average Weevil

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By Linda Williams, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Woodruff, Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0665

Oak timberworm, Arrhenodes minutus, is a primitive weevil that can cause defects and degrade in red and white oak timber. They can also infest elm, poplar and beech. Egg-laying females will seek out trees that are damaged, wounded, nearly dead or recently dead. After the eggs hatch, the larvae bore across the grain through the tree then “U-turn” back across the grain to the point of origin, taking two or three years to complete their life cycle and creating a lumber defect called a wormhole. When infested wood is split for firewood, the weevils may emerge in homes or garages if they had already pupated when the firewood was split. 

Male oak timberworm on a Northern red oak that was damaged in a storm.

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Lacebugs: Delicate But Damaging

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By Linda Williams, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Woodruff, Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0665

Lacebugs are tiny, delicate-looking insects that can cause leaves to turn a little off-color. They are typically found feeding on the undersides of leaves, where they insert their mouthparts and suck the sap from the leaves. From the top of the leaves, these areas where the feeding damage occurs are stippled with small white or yellow specks, often in a generally circular pattern. Recently congregations of adult and nymph lacebugs were noted on the twigs of basswood, but it was unclear if they were feeding on the twigs or just resting there. 

Lacebug adults and nymphs have congregated on this basswood twig.

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Woolly Aphids Observed And Reported On Social Media

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By Linda Williams, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Woodruff, Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0665

Have you noticed small, white fluffy things floating through the air? If you have a chance to look closely at these small bits of fluff, you’ll see that they’re actually insects; these are woolly aphids. They produce waxy filaments that help them avoid predators that don’t want to chew on their fluffy excretions.

Woolly alder aphid group is protected by the waxy filaments covering them.

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