Statewide Forest Health

Rotstop® C No Longer Available In North America

Posted on by akabelowsky
Photo of a worker manually applying fungicide, imbued with blue dye, to a freshly cut tree stump to fight the spread of fungal diseases such as Heterobasidion root disease.

A worker manually applies fungicide, imbued with blue dye, to a freshly cut tree stump to fight the spread of fungal diseases such as Heterobasidion root disease. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Kyoko Scanlon, DNR Forest Pathologist, Fitchburg
Kyoko.Scanlon@wisconsin.gov

The manufacturer, Lallemand Plant Care, recently decided to remove Rotstop® C fungicide from the North American market.

As a result, the product is no longer available for purchase in North America. If you already have the product and have stored it in an appropriate space, you may still use it as a preventative treatment for Heterobasidion root disease (HRD) as long as the expiration date has not arrived.

Continue reading “Rotstop® C No Longer Available In North America” →

Campers Reminded: Don’t Move Firewood

Posted on by akabelowsky
A stock photo of a family roasting marshmallows over a campfire.

Going camping? It’s important to remember not to move firewood. Instead, buy it within 10 miles of where you will use it. This will help to prevent the spread of invasive pests. / Photo Credit: Istockphoto.com

By Wisconsin DNR

Camping season is about to enter full swing, and campfires are a Wisconsin summer staple.

That makes this a good time for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to remind the public of the importance of protecting Wisconsin’s forests and trees by not transporting firewood long distances.

Even after a tree has died, firewood can carry pests or diseases — on its surface or inside the log —  which can attack or infect other trees. To help prevent the spread of invasive insects and diseases, always get your firewood near where you will use it.

Continue reading “Campers Reminded: Don’t Move Firewood” →

UW-Madison’s Raffa Talks Trees’ Natural Defenses

Posted on by akabelowsky
Photo of Ken Raffa, professor emeritus with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Entomology.

Ken Raffa, professor emeritus with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Entomology. / Photo Credit: University of Wisconsin-Madison

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

Do you pity the poor tree, forced to stand defenseless against the ravages of insect pests, fungi and disease?

Then, you have not listened to Dr. Ken Raffa discuss the impressive natural defenses trees have developed.

Raffa, a professor emeritus with the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Entomology Department, recently appeared on Proforest Podforest podcast to discuss the topic “Inside the Tree’s Natural Defense.”

Continue reading “UW-Madison’s Raffa Talks Trees’ Natural Defenses” →

Forest Health Staffers Plan Public Appearances

Posted on by akabelowsky

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

Forest Health specialists with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are booked to give public presentations during May.

The list of events that are open to the public: Continue reading “Forest Health Staffers Plan Public Appearances” →

Resources to Help Urban Foresters Set And Meet Tree Diversity Goals

Posted on by janness

By Shahla Werner, Urban Forestry Council Member and Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Plant Protection Section Manager

Urban foresters are increasingly aware of the importance of tree species, age and size diversity to ensure resilient tree canopy and all the associated benefits in their communities. The 20-10-5 rule, which specifies that no more than 20% of trees planted should be from one family, no more than 10% from one genus and no more than 5% from one species (including cultivars), can be helpful in setting tree diversity goals. Applying these guidelines can provide urban forests some protection against huge losses caused by invasive forest pests. Continue reading “Resources to Help Urban Foresters Set And Meet Tree Diversity Goals” →

2025 DNR Spongy Moth Spray Plans Announced

Posted on by akabelowsky
Photo showing an airplane spraying pesticide over trees at Devils Lake State Park in Sauk County to help in the control of spongy moth caterpillars.

An airplane sprays pesticide over trees at Devils Lake State Park in Sauk County to help in the control of spongy moth caterpillars. / Photo Credit: Sue Johansen, 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 finalized aerial spraying plans for its 2025 Spongy Moth Suppression Program, with maps for the five selected treatment areas available online.

The treatment sites are at three state parks in Juneau, Marinette and Sauk counties that are highly valued for their recreational use. A total of 544 acres of trees will be treated with an aerial spray of “Foray” bacterial insecticide containing Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki.

Continue reading “2025 DNR Spongy Moth Spray Plans Announced” →

April Offers Opportunities For Tree Lovers

Posted on by akabelowsky
Wide-angle photo showing that a beautiful view of Wisconsin forestland awaits visitors to Roche a Cri State Park in Adams County.

A beautiful view of Wisconsin forestland awaits visitors to Roche a Cri State Park in Adams County. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

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

“Acts of creation are ordinarily reserved for gods and poets. To plant a pine, one need only own a shovel.”

Those were the words of Wisconsin’s most prominent conservation expert, Aldo Leopold, who authored the famous book, “A Sand County Almanac” among his many achievements.

This month, everyone in Wisconsin will have the chance to follow Leopold’s advice – even if in a small way, because many small efforts can add up to a prominent positive impact on Wisconsin’s trees and forests.

Continue reading “April Offers Opportunities For Tree Lovers” →

Watch For Oak Decline And Mortality This Summer

Posted on by akabelowsky
Oak decline and mortality at Big Foot Beach State Park in 2024.

Oak decline and mortality at Big Foot Beach State Park in 2024. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Michael Hillstrom, DNR Forest Health Specialist
Michael.Hillstrom@wisconsin.gov

Oak decline and mortality continue to be an issue in Wisconsin, and because of the recent droughts and spongy moth outbreak, we expect these impacts to become more widespread this summer.

Forest decline is the progressive loss of tree and stand vigor and health over several years without obvious evidence of a single causal factor. Typically, trees die in a scattered fashion across a large area over several years. The additional stress from defoliation can result in pockets of heavy oak mortality, particularly on dry, sandy sites and steep, rocky ridges and hills.

Continue reading “Watch For Oak Decline And Mortality This Summer” →

Urban Forest Inventory And Analysis Release

Posted on by janness

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

Much of what we know about our urban forests is limited to publicly maintained spaces such as in parks or along streets. However, the curtain covering other urban lands is rising, starting in Milwaukee and Madison.

The Urban Forest Inventory and Analysis (UFIA) program, a partnership between the USDA Forest Service and the DNR, has established 1,300 permanent plots in urban areas across Wisconsin. Project foresters captured loads of information on each plot, such as tree species and sizes, land ownership, tree damages, and wood volume. The data were extrapolated from those plots and made into estimates for each city. The data were also incorporated into i-Tree to calculate ecosystem services. Continue reading “Urban Forest Inventory And Analysis Release” →

A Hopefully Not-Too-Deep Look Into i-Tree Benefits

Posted on by janness

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

Trees work in mysterious ways, and, for some users, so does i-Tree. The suite of software, developed by the USDA Forest Service and Davey Tree Expert Company, can, among other things, calculate the societal benefits of trees. Below, I try to summarize and demystify some of these estimates of ecosystem services, a somewhat sterile term for some of the cool things trees do for society and the wider environment.

Because the benefits identified in i-Tree only scratch the surface of trees’ importance to one’s community, it could be problematic and limiting if estimates from i-Tree are solely relied on to justify the investment in tree preservation, maintenance or planting. Nonetheless, these estimates help tell the story of the good work trees do in our communities. Continue reading “A Hopefully Not-Too-Deep Look Into i-Tree Benefits” →