By Olivia Witthun, DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator
Olivia.Witthun@wisconsin.gov or 414-750-8744
Earth Day, Arbor Day and spring are all quickly approaching, and now is the time to start thinking about your tree plantings! Choosing the proper tree for a specific location will help ensure your tree’s long-term health and survival.
Think: “Right tree, right place.” It’s an old phrase, but the message is powerful and remains true today.
When selecting the right tree for your spot, many factors must be considered. Check out Choosing the Right Landscape Plants: Factors to Consider for a list of important considerations, such as landscape function, size and form, ornamental factors and pest issues. It even includes information on how to select high-quality trees in the nursery. Continue reading “Right Tree, Right Place”
Wisconsin winters with subzero weather can create problems for our trees. Frost cracks are one of those problems we’re seeing an uptick of lately. These longitudinal openings can run the entire length of the trunk, often extend deep into the wood, and permanently damage a tree. In wintertime, the tree may even look like it’s splitting in half! Then warmer weather comes, and the crack seems to close, repeating this process annually. Over time, frost cracks may even develop a raised area where callus tissue develops in an attempt to close over the wound, only to reopen again next winter. 
Have a job opening you need to get the word out about before the busy field season ramps up?
Now is the time to sign up for Run for the Trees: Happy Little (Virtual) 5K! Run, walk or roll to support tree planting and forest protection efforts in state parks. The program was started in 2019 when Bob Ross Inc. partnered with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to raise awareness of and money for tree planting and has since expanded to 13 states. 