Publications

Revised Factsheets, Guidelines Now Available

By Elly Voigt, DNR Forest Health Lab Technician and Communications Specialist, Eleanor.Voigt@wisconsin.gov

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has just released several updated publications, including the annual update of the Heterobasidion root disease and oak wilt factsheets and guidelines. Updated versions can be found on the DNR’s forest health webpage by clicking the links below:

     – Heterobasidion root disease factsheet
     – Heterobasidion root disease guidelines
     – Oak wilt factsheet
     – Oak harvesting guidelines

Minor revisions were also made to the environmental cause of tree damage and conifer bark beetle factsheets. Visit the DNR webpage here for other forest health publications.

For more information on forest health, visit the DNR webpage, or talk to your regional Forest Health Specialist.

New insect and disease factsheets available

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.

Forest Health Factsheet: Environmental Causes of Tree Damage

The DNR Forest Health team recently updated its factsheet on common forms of abiotic (non-living, chemical and environmental) damage to trees in Wisconsin.

The factsheet provides a brief overview of the following topics:

  • Storm damage (wind, lightning, hail)
  • Winter damage (ice and heavy snow, frost, sunscald, salt spray, winter desiccation)
  • Drought
  • Flooding
  • Fire
  • Soil (compaction, improper pH and nutrient deficiencies)
  • Pesticides (improper use, drift)

Find this factsheet, as well as the complete collection of DNR Forest Health publications, on this webpage.

Professionally-designed HRD guidelines now available

Cover page of HRD guidelines documentThe professionally-designed version of the Heterobasidion root disease (HRD) stump treatment guidelines is now posted on the DNR’s HRD webpage. The revised stump treatment guidelines, developed to reduce the risk of introduction and spread of HRD in Wisconsin, were implemented January 1, 2019. The content is the same as the guidelines that were approved last year, but this document has a layout that is much more user-friendly. Explore the new look of the HRD guidelines.

 

Public comment period for EAB silviculture guidelines revision closes October 9

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

Ash trees dying from an EAB infestation. Photo: Troy Kimoto, Bugwood.org

Ash trees dying from an EAB infestation. Photo: Troy Kimoto, Bugwood.org

The Wisconsin DNR is seeking public comments on a proposed revision to silviculture guidelines for emerald ash borer (EAB). Stand-level EAB silviculture guidelines were originally released in 2007, with periodic reviews and updates. A DNR technical team and stakeholder advisory committee prepared the current version using multiple sources of information, including recent research findings, identification and locations of new EAB infestations, economic considerations, and experience gained from implementing previous versions of the guidelines.

The draft document and information about the public comment process can be found at  https://dnr.wi.gov/news/input/Guidance.html#open through Tuesday, October 9, 2018. All comments must be submitted by that date.

Forest products celebrated

Forestry organizations, businesses, and communities celebrated Wisconsin’s diverse forest products sector during National Forest Products Week on October 15-21, 2017. Gov. Scott Walker also proclaimed the week as Forest Products Week in Wisconsin, encouraging citizens to recognize the many products that come from our forests because of the people and businesses that work in and care for forests.  Several forest products businesses and organizations hosted open house events throughout the week.  DNR produced a new handout to showcase the economic value of Wisconsin forests.  If you’d like copies of this printed publication, send an email to DNRFRPublications@wisconsin.gov noting your street address, the number of copies you’d like and the publication code number (FR-698). Continue reading “Forest products celebrated”

Oak wilt and hickory mortality Forest Health Fact Sheets are available

The forest health program is in the process of updating some of our publications as Forest Health Fact Sheets. These publications offer biology, impact, prevention and management information about specific threats to forest health. Our new oak wilt fact sheet and hickory dieback and mortality fact sheet are currently available on the DNR’s forest health oak wilt and bark beetle webpages and will be available in the DNR’s online publications catalog  in the near future. Enjoy!

Written by: Mike Hillstrom, forest health specialist, Wisconsin Dells (Michael.Hillstrom@Wisconsin.gov), 715-459-1371.

Pesticide applicator training (PAT) – newsletter

The University of Wisconsin Extension Pesticide Applicator Training (PAT) program produces a newsletter dealing with information relevant to pesticide rules, regulations, certification, testing and more. The newsletter is called PAT CHAT and it comes out quarterly.

If you would like receive notifications of when the Pat Chat Newsletter is available, send an email to join-patprogram@lists.wisc.edu.

Written by: Todd Lanigan, forest health specialist, Eau Claire, (Todd.Lanigan@wisconsin.gov), 715-839-1632.