Care for your woods

New Oak Wilt Vectors Emergence User Interface Available Online

Posted on by patricialindquist

By Kyoko Scanlon, DNR Forest Pathologist, Kyoko.Scanlon@wisconsin.govor 608-235-7532 and Elly Voigt, DNR Forest Health Communications Specialist and Lab Technician, Eleanor.Voigt@wisconsin.gov or 608-273-6276

Oak wilt is a serious disease that occurs when insects carrying oak wilt fungal spores land on a healthy oak tree’s fresh wound. To prevent oak wilt infections, it is important to avoid pruning, wounding and harvesting oaks when these insects are abundant, generally April through July.

Predicting exactly when these insects start to emerge in the spring can be difficult as their emergence is highly weather-dependent, and spring weather varies significantly from year to year.

Continue reading “New Oak Wilt Vectors Emergence User Interface Available Online” →

1000 Friends Of Wisconsin’s Leafing Out Webinar Series

Posted on by patricialindquist

Leafing Out, Episode 4: Selecting Your Tree, Fruit Trees with Paul Schwabe

Thursday, March 25, 2021, 12:00-1:00 PM

This webinar has been produced in collaboration with the Dane County Tree Board

Join 1000 Friends and Paul Schwabe from Johnson’s Nursery in Menomonee Falls to hear the secrets to a bountiful fruit tree. Paul is a sales rep at Johnson’s Nursery and has many years of wisdom to share with us.

Paul will cover the optimal site conditions for fruit trees and then grow your knowledge of apple and peach trees during his presentation. When his talk is finished, Paul will be available for any of your fruit tree questions.

Continue reading “1000 Friends Of Wisconsin’s Leafing Out Webinar Series” →

Fall Workshop Series Now Available on Video

Posted on by patricialindquist

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Urban Forestry and UW-Madison, Division of Extension Fall 2020 Workshop Series is now available for viewing on YouTube. Use the links below to watch the videos:

Please complete the survey in the comments section on YouTube after viewing each video.

Oak Wilt Vectors Emergence User Interface Now Available

Posted on by eleanorvoigt

By Kyoko Scanlon, Forest Pathologist, Kyoko.Scanlon@wisconsin.gov or 608-235-7532 and Elly Voigt, Forest Health Communications Specialist and Lab Technician, Eleanor.Voigt@wisconsin.gov

Oak wilt is a serious disease of oaks that spreads to new areas when insects carrying oak wilt fungal spores land on a fresh wound of a healthy oak tree. To prevent oak wilt infections, it is important to avoid pruning, wounding and harvesting of oaks when these insects are abundant.

Predicting when these insects emerge in spring can be difficult as their emergence is highly weather-dependent and spring weather varies significantly year to year. The good news is that a new online interface is now available to provide users with localized information about the emergence status of the two most important insects that transmit oak wilt in Wisconsin. Because the interface uses a degree-day model constructed from insect trapping data and actual weather data, it is useful to refine the beginning of the periods when pruning, wounding and harvesting of oaks should be avoided.

Continue reading “Oak Wilt Vectors Emergence User Interface Now Available” →

Featured Species: Washington Hawthorn

Posted on by patricialindquist

T. Davis Sydnor, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org

Scientific Name: Crataegus phaenopyrum

Native to: East Central U.S. (southern Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and southeastern Missouri)

Mature Height*: 20 to 30 feet

Spread*: 20 to 30 feet

Form: upright oval to rounded vase shape; has 1 to 3-inch thorns (some cultivars have fewer thorns)

Growth Rate*: slow-moderate

Foliage: alternate, simple, triangular-shaped, three to five-lobed, doubly serrate margin and dark green in summer

Continue reading “Featured Species: Washington Hawthorn” →

New emerald ash borer county detections: an update from DATCP and DNR

Posted on by margueriterapp

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), in partnership with the Wisconsin DNR, has detected emerald ash borer in four new counties (Dunn, Oconto, Pepin and Shawano). Please read this DATCP article for more information.

Adult emerald ash borer beetle.

Adult emerald ash borer beetle.

If you are a landowner and have questions about ash trees in your woodlot, contact your local DNR forester using the Forestry Assistance Locator.  

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.

Continue reading “Report surviving elm in the forest” →

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.

Continue reading “Arbor Day 2020: Celebrating trees in a time of social distancing” →