Care for your woods

Gypsy moth populations rebound in 2020 – look for egg masses this fall

Posted on by margueriterapp

By Bill McNee, forest health specialist, Oshkosh, bill.mcnee@wisconsin.gov, 920-360-0942

The summer of 2020 saw a major rebound of the gypsy moth population after several years of weather conditions that were unfavorable for the non-native, defoliating pest. A mild winter and average summer temperatures/precipitation during the caterpillar stage were all favorable for a population increase.

Gypsy moth egg masses are tan-colored lumps about the size of a nickel or quarter.

Female moth laying eggs on tree trunk.

Continue reading “Gypsy moth populations rebound in 2020 – look for egg masses this fall” →

Interactive HRD stump treatment guidelines available online

Posted on by margueriterapp

The HRD stump treatment guidelines are now available in an interactive format to make it easier to obtain stand-specific recommendations. You can find the link called “Interactive guidelines” on the right side bar under “Additional Resources” at the DNR HRD webpage. The user will be asked a series of questions and then a stand-specific recommendation will be provided at the end. The interactive guidelines incorporate Exceptions and Modifications described in the guidelines. Check it out!        

Report surviving elm in the forest

Posted on by margueriterapp

You can help keep native elm trees in the forests of Wisconsin! The US Forest Service continues to work on a project to identify Dutch elm disease (DED)-tolerant American elms native to Wisconsin forests. The goal of the project is to identify and propagate survivor American elms, especially from the colder hardiness zones 3-4, and develop a series of clone banks. Selections would eventually be screened for tolerance to DED. Ultimately, the goal is to make DED-tolerant American elm available for reforestation in northern areas, particularly as a component on sites currently forested by black ash.

If you live in hardiness zones 3 and 4, please look for evidence of surviving elms and report them to the US Forest Service.

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Arbor Day 2020: Celebrating trees in a time of social distancing

Posted on by patricialindquist

Many Wisconsin communities found creative and resourceful ways to celebrate Arbor Day this year. These celebrations included drive-through tree giveaways, videos, art contests, games and puzzles, self-guided tree walks, small in-person celebrations and tree planting following social distancing guidelines, and more! Here is a sampling of the Arbor Day events that took place in Wisconsin this spring:

Adams: The city of Adams held a celebration on April 16th. Mayor Roberta Pantaleo read the Arbor Day Proclamation, and City Forester Joel Fell and another public works employee planted two trees in Burt Morris Park and four trees along boulevards.

Cedarburg: Please follow this link to read how Cedarburg Green celebrated its Year of the Tree despite Covid-19.

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Cedarburg Green celebrates Year of the Tree despite Covid-19

Posted on by patricialindquist

By Jeanne Mueller, Cedarburg Green

“2020 is the year to focus on trees” read the headline in Cedarburg’s local newspaper. In January, a proclamation signed by Cedarburg’s mayor kicked off Cedarburg Green’s yearlong, multi-faceted promotion of trees. Cedarburg Green’s first success, a community talk on “Selecting the Right Trees for your Yard”, exceeded attendance expectations by over 225%. Interest in trees at this standing-room-only, inaugural event, held on February 24, seemed to be setting the stage for great things to come. Another hopeful sign was the mounting orders for trees being received as part of the organization’s annual bare-root tree sale.

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Updated emerald ash borer silviculture guidelines now available

Posted on by margueriterapp

By Bill McNee, forest health specialist, Oshkosh, bill.mcnee@wisconsin.gov, 920-360-0942

The Division of Forestry has completed a revision of the emerald ash borer silviculture guidelines to help foresters prepare for and respond to the arrival of emerald ash borer (EAB) in a forest stand.

Cover page of new guidelines. Continue reading “Updated emerald ash borer silviculture guidelines now available” →

New insect and disease factsheets available

Posted on by margueriterapp

By Mike Hillstrom, forest health specialist, Fitchburg, Michael.Hillstrom@wisconsin.gov, 608-513-7690

The forest health team has produced four new factsheets since the start of 2020. These resources are designed to be informative, 2-page documents for a wide audience that includes landowners, foresters and natural resource professionals, educators, and more. The new factsheets of 2020 are linked below, and more will be announced as they are finalized:

Please check them out and our other recently updated factsheets about Heterobasidion root disease, oak wilt, conifer bark beetles, and hickory decline and mortality. You can find all of these and more forest health publications in the publications catalogue and on the DNR forest health webpage.

Apply now for the 5th Wisconsin Community Tree Management Institute

Posted on by patricialindquist

Sponsored by the WI Department of Natural Resources in cooperation with partners

Wisconsin Community Tree Management Institute (CTMI) is a unique training experience designed for municipal staff with tree management responsibilities but without a strong background in urban forestry. The program is ideal for staff who spend just part of their time dealing with trees. Conversely, those with a background in urban forestry but new to management, will also find it useful. CTMI consists of approximately 38 instruction hours and requires students to complete an out-of-classroom project.

If you’re interested in applying, don’t wait – the 2020/21 class is filling quickly! The application deadline is June 12, 2020. See “How to Apply for CTMI” near the end of this article for instructions.

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Educational HRD video now available

Posted on by margueriterapp

By Kyoko Scanlon, forest pathologist, Kyoko.Scanlon@wisconsin.gov, 608-235-7532

The Wisconsin DNR recently created a short video on Heterobasidion root disease (HRD) to compliment the updated guidelines that were released in 2019. The 5-minute educational video covers HRD biology, its significance as a tree disease, signs and symptoms, as well as preventative measures that landowners can take to reduce its introduction and spread. This is a great video for forestry professionals, landowners and the general public to learn more about HRD. Continue reading “Educational HRD video now available” →

Celebrate Arbor Day – plant a tree from your couch!

Posted on by patricialindquist

Happy Arbor Day! Join us in celebrating from home today. Post a photo of your favorite tree on social media, tag @arborday, and use the hashtag #arbordayathome. The Arbor Day Foundation will plant a tree on your behalf.

Learn more at celebratearborday.com.

For more tips on how to honor Arbor Day using social media, check out this recent DNR newsletter post.