Recognizing Wisconsin’s Tree City, Tree Campus And Tree Line USA Participants

Posted on by patricialindquist

We deeply appreciate the commitment to urban forestry demonstrated by our 2020 Tree City, Tree Campus and Tree Line USA participants. Thank you for your hard work!

2020 Tree City USA Communities – City (years): Adams (26), Albany (17), Algoma (20), Allouez (25), Altoona, City of (2), Amery (5), Amherst (24), Antigo (28), Appleton (37), Ashwaubenon (28), Athens, Village of (2), Baraboo (29), Barron (3), Bayfield (21), Bayside (13), Beaver Dam (30), Belgium (9), Bellevue (18), Beloit (33), Beliot, Town of (4), Brillion (21), Bristol (9), Brodhead (8), Brookfield (23), Brooklyn, Village of (8), Brown Deer (24), Cambridge (15), Cedarburg (31),

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The Door County Big Plant: 19,143 Trees In 30 Days!

Posted on by patricialindquist

By Nicole Matson, Coordinator, Climate Change Coalition of Door County, Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership

The Climate Change Coalition of Door County is a volunteer organization that, for the past 9 years, has engaged in a variety of activities designed to increase understanding of global warming to inspire concern and action. This spring, the Coalition launched a new program called the Big Plant. It was successful beyond all expectations.

In the 30 days beginning on Earth Day, over 19,143 trees were planted in Door County by 36 different community organizations and individuals. Through the Coalition’s coordination, outreach and publicity, these organizations and individuals joined the initiative. They got their hands dirty by giving away and planting trees in their communities and on their properties. These numbers don’t include the many other individuals and organizations who may have been inspired to plant trees to be a part of the Big Plant.

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Friend Of Forestry Award 2021: August Hoppe

Posted on by patricialindquist

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Friend of Forestry Recognition program is an opportunity for the Forestry Division to recognize individuals who have worked with us to protect and sustainably manage Wisconsin’s forests.

In 2021, we presented this award to August Hoppe. August is the co-owner of Hoppe Tree Service and his commitment to urban forestry extends to the full range of the field – from workforce development to urban wood utilization and outreach and education through presentations and workshops. Two of our partners, the Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council (UFC) and the Wisconsin Arborist Association, have been positively impacted by August’s dedication and hard work on behalf of these entities and to secure a bright future for our urban forests and the people who work in them.

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Updated Version Of The Tree Owner’s Manual Now Available

Posted on by patricialindquist

The latest version of the USDA Forest Service’s Tree Owner’s Manual is now available online here (link). This publication is a concise yet comprehensive guide to tree care basics. Playfully modeling itself on owner’s manuals that accompany automobiles and appliances, the manual covers the following topics:

  • Model Information and Parts Diagram (broad-leaf trees, palms and conifers)
  • Packaging (balled and burlapped, containerized, and bare root)
  • Installation (planting)
  • Maintenance Instructions (watering, mulching, pruning, and more)
  • Protecting Trees from Construction Damage

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Incorporating Wood Into Biophilic Design

Posted on by Kirsten Held

Part II Of The “Building with Wood” Webinar Series

Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. CT

Hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forest Products Services Team

Did you know that using real wood in your home or living spaces has health benefits? Join us virtually over your lunch break to learn about biophilic design and the many benefits of building with wood. Industry expert, Criswell Davis, will be speaking about why incorporating real, natural wood in our homes, hospitals and other businesses is the path to a more sustainable future.

Register for the free webinar by visiting the link here.

About the Speaker:


Criswell Davis, President of Mighty Oaks Consulting in Louisville, Kentucky, is the founding director of the Timber & Forestry Foundation, which promotes sustainable North American hardwoods to the design community and consumers across the United States. Criswell has been in the hardwood lumber business for more than 32 years and has presented to more than 7,000 architects, designers and students worldwide over 12 years.

 

This event is supported by a U.S. Forest Service Landscape Scale Restoration Grant. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

USDA COVID-19 Assistance For Timber Harvesters And Haulers

Posted on by Kirsten Held

On Tuesday, July 20, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it would provide up to $200 million in relief funds for timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses that have experienced losses due to COVID-19.

Loggers and truckers can apply for assistance from July 22 through Oct. 15, 2021. To be eligible for the assistance money, timber harvesting and hauling businesses must have experienced a gross revenue loss of 10% or more between Jan. 1 and Dec. 1, 2020, compared to the period of Jan. 1 to Dec. 1, 2019.

A further explanation of the available financial assistance, complete with program details and application instructions, can be found on the USDA’s website.

Wisconsin’s Forest Resource: Past, Present And Future

Posted on by Kirsten Held

By Collin Buntrock, DNR Forest Products Team Leader and Brian Anderson, DNR Forest Inventory Analyst

Forests are an essential part of Wisconsin’s past and present. Wisconsin’s forests cover over 40% of the total land area, encompassing nearly 17 million acres. Since the cutover of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Wisconsin’s forests have been expanding consistently in acreage, volume and annual growth rate. Those trends largely continue today.

The U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program has taken inventories of Wisconsin’s forests — and the nation’s forests as a whole — since the 1930s. This inventory program provides critical information on Wisconsin’s forests to inform how we manage, utilize, and conserve our forestland. The U.S. Forest Service administered this annual program in close cooperation with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Division of Forestry.

Since 1968, Wisconsin has provided funding to intensify the inventory by doubling the number of permanent plots from which data are collected. This offers more reliable data on areas smaller than on a statewide basis. It is critical in a landscape like Wisconsin, given the considerable heterogeneity and great number of important forest types.

The data collected through the FIA program can be used in a variety of ways. Uses include: decisions around forest management and planning by a wide array of ownerships; assessing the sustainability of forest management practices like harvest volumes over time; taking stock of trends in forest health such as mortality related to Emerald Ash Borer and oak wilt; and evaluating wildlife habitat conditions at landscape scales such as ruffed grouse habitat. Combined with other data sources, analyses on forest health, harvesting, and species compositional changes provide essential feedback on how we manage our forests and changes we should note. Continue reading “Wisconsin’s Forest Resource: Past, Present And Future” →

Preliminary Seedling Availability: Spring 2022

Posted on by Kirsten Held

Proper tree planting requires a lot of decision-making. One of those decisions is which species and age are the most appropriate and cost-effective to plant. The Wisconsin Reforestation Program would like to take some of the unknowns out of that process by giving landowners and property managers an early peek at what we anticipate having available in fall 2021 for planting in spring 2022.

This list is preliminary, as some species may be added or subtracted depending on health, growth and other factors as the growing season progresses. Tree and shrub seedlings will be available to purchase on the first Monday of October (Oct. 4, 2021). Even with the expected high demand, we anticipate having various species and ages available to all customers.

The quantity designations are relative to a particular species based on historical sales and projected demand. For example, typically white pine 3-0 sales are about 250,000 seedlings. In 2022, the available quantity, due to several factors, including increased demand in 2021 for 2-year-old seedlings and a lower than anticipated seed germination in 2020, is approximately 75% of the anticipated need. Hence the quantity will be referred to as “limited.” In contrast, our balsam fir had an above-average germination, are growing great and the inventory is above the projected sales, hence an “adequate” quantity designation.

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Emerald Ash Borer Identified In Iron County For The First Time

Posted on by patricialindquist

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

Emerald ash borer (EAB) has been detected for the first time in Iron County, in the Town of Oma. Many of the black ash at this site are already dead, with other trees still declining. EAB was first identified in Wisconsin in 2008 and has now been found in 60 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties.

Did you know that it takes fewer EAB larvae to attack and kill a black ash compared to a green ash or white ash? This means that black ash will have fewer galleries under the bark and consequently less woodpecker flecking than you would typically see with green ash or white ash. 

EAB was federally deregulated as of Jan. 14, 2021 and Wisconsin instituted a state-wide quarantine in 2018, so there are no regulatory changes due to this find. Emerald ash borer silviculture guidelines were created to help landowners make decisions about management in their woods. All forest sites are a bit different and it can be overwhelming to try to decide what management, if any, should be done in your stand and these guidelines are designed to help answer those questions.

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