Paul Cigan, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Hayward;
Paul.Cigan@wisconsin.gov or 715-416-4920
Oak and aspen forests with heavy defoliation from spongy moth. Additional defoliation coupled with ongoing drought in the upcoming 2024 growing season is expected to put significant stress on affected forests. / Photo Credit: Paul Cigan, Wisconsin DNR
Maintaining a healthy and productive forest often requires — more than ever before — a working knowledge of how to anticipate, prevent and mitigate environmental stressors that threaten to undermine it. The list of stressors includes drought, impact of forest insects and diseases.
In a recent and timely article, Denise Thornton of My Wisconsin Woods taps the expansive knowledge of the DNR’s Forest Health team and a state climatologist to bring focus to the threats facing forests this year.
She also lists steps that can be taken to ensure health and proactivity are maintained in your forests.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and UW-Madison Extension have teamed up to offer young tree training pruning workshops at five locations around the state. Wachtel Tree Science will be presenting the information in a morning-indoors-afternoon-outside format. The cost is $35 including lunch, and ISA Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be offered. 
On April 20, the First Downs for Trees program celebrated its 13th year by distributing 403 trees to 16 Brown County communities for planting. First Downs for Trees is a cooperative effort between the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) and corporate sponsors Essity and Green Bay Packaging, Inc.
The Arbor Day Foundation’s Recertification 
