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It’s A Good Time To Work On Oak Trees

Posted on by akabelowsky
A person prunes a tree during the winter months.

Winter is an ideal time to perform pruning and trimming work on oak leaves. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Outreach and Communications, Fitchburg
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167

Winter is an ideal time to perform trimming, cutting and brush removal work on and near oak trees.

For one thing, it’s a low-risk period for the trees to be infected with oak wilt, a fungal disease spread by beetles. When a red oak is infected with oak wilt, it will die that year; the disease also stresses trees in the white oak group, often fatal with bur oaks and swamp white oaks.

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Woodpecker Flecking On Ash Means EAB

Posted on by akabelowsky
Photo showing that woodpecker flecking on green ash and white ash, from birds feeding on emerald ash borer larvae, will often be extensive and very noticeable.

Woodpecker flecking on green ash and white ash, from birds feeding on emerald ash borer larvae, will often be extensive and very noticeable. / Photo Credit: Linda Williams, Wisconsin DNR

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

Ash trees that are flecked by woodpeckers will have the outer layers of their bark chipped off by the birds. Woodpeckers do this to punch through the remaining bark more easily to get at the tasty emerald ash borer (EAB) larvae living there.

Flecking usually starts at the top of the tree, providing a sure sign that insects are under the bark. Although the problem could be caused by ash bark beetles, the more common culprit is EAB.

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Tree Disease Maps Have Migrated

Posted on by akabelowsky
The Wisconsin web map for Heterobasidion root disease, available through ArcGIS Online.

The Wisconsin web map for Heterobasidion root disease, available through ArcGIS Online. / Map Credit: Paul Cigan, Wisconsin DNR

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

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Forest Health program hosts two interactive web maps on its webpage:

Heterobasidion Root Disease

Oak Wilt Seasonal Harvesting Opportunities

Continue reading “Tree Disease Maps Have Migrated” →

McNee To Speak At Green Bay Conference

Posted on by akabelowsky
Photo showing a few periodical cicadas trying to hitch a ride on the T-shirt of Bill McNee, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forest Health specialist for northeast Wisconsin, in 2024 at Big Foot Beach State Park in Lake Geneva.

A few periodical cicadas try to hitch a ride on the T-shirt of Bill McNee, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources forest health specialist for northeast Wisconsin, at Big Foot Beach State Park in Lake Geneva in 2024. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Outreach and Communications, Fitchburg;
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167

Bill McNee, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) forest health specialist for the Southeast region, will give a public presentation on Saturday, Jan. 25, at the Green Bay Winter Landowner Conference.

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Please Submit Trees Planted This Year!

Posted on by janness

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

Autumn is a wonderful time for planting trees. And after the trees go in the ground, please take a few minutes to document the effort in the Wisconsin Tree Planting Map. The map was designed to help track trees planted to advance the state’s pledge to the Trillion Trees Initiative.

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Tree City USA: Wisconsin Can Take The Lead In Growth Awards Earned With Your Help

Posted on by janness

By Abby Krause, DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator; Abigail.Krause@wisconsin.gov or 608-556-5690

Tree City USA is an annual recognition program presented by the Arbor Day Foundation that allows communities to publicly demonstrate their continued commitment to the care of their local urban forest. Returning Tree City USA communities are also eligible to apply for Growth Awards. These awards recognize community forestry programs that go above and beyond the four core tenets of Tree City USA.

Wisconsin has consistently proven to be a national leader in the stewardship of the forests outside our front doors all across the state. In 2023, we saw participation from Milwaukee, our state’s most populous city, down to Ephraim, a village of only a few hundred residents. We ranked third nationally in both programs with 194 Tree City USA communities and 26 Growth Awards. Only Ohio and Illinois ranked higher. Continue reading “Tree City USA: Wisconsin Can Take The Lead In Growth Awards Earned With Your Help” →

DNR Recruiting For Two Forest Health Specialists

Posted on by akabelowsky
A Wisconsin map showing zones of coverage for each of the six DNR Forest Health Specialists

A map showing the zones of coverage for each of the six DNR Forest Health Specialists. / Graphic Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Outreach and Communications;
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has opened the search for candidates to fill two Forest Health Specialist openings, one in the West Central zone and one in the South Central zone.

The posting can be seen on the WiscJobs website. To be considered, candidates have until the posted deadline of 11:59 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, to submit a resume and letter of qualifications.

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Cooperative Enlists Public To Make Tree Health A Snap

Posted on by akabelowsky

By Art Kabelowsky, DNR Outreach and Communications, Fitchburg;
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167

Screenshot of the main page of the TreeSnap app as seen on a mobile phone.

The main page of the TreeSnap app as seen on a mobile phone. / Photo Credit: TreeSnap.org

It takes more than a village to foster healthy forests. More than a township, a city and a county, too. Sometimes, even more than a state.

That’s why the Great Lakes Basin Forest Health Cooperative (GLB FHC) was formed four years ago by Holden Arboretum in Ohio and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

Geographically, the group’s region encompasses an area from New Jersey to Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is an active member.

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Forest Health and Climate Change Resources

Posted on by akabelowsky

By Carmen Hardin, Director, DNR Applied Forestry Bureau, Rhinelander;
Carmen.Hardin@wisconsin.gov

A graphic shows changing tornado risk trends in the United States from 1980 to 2020. All Wisconsin counties are showing an increase in tornado days.

A graphic shows changing tornado risk trends in the United States from 1980 to 2020. All Wisconsin counties are showing an increase in tornado days. / Map Credit: Inside Climate News, Stephen M. Strader et. al., Nature Magazine

We are often asked difficult questions about our forests, their health and how climate change is impacting them. Here is a curated collection of resources that may help you answer some of those questions. Continue reading “Forest Health and Climate Change Resources” →

Treatment Of EAB Infestations In Yard Trees

Posted on by akabelowsky

By Abby Krause, DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator;
Abigail.Krause@wisconsin.gov or 608-556-5690

This summer’s detection of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Burnett County means our little metallic friend (or should I say foe?) is now known to be present in all 72 Wisconsin counties.

While EAB has been around for the better part of two decades in Wisconsin, many homeowners are still in the thick of dealing with the fallout of this invasive pest.

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