Taking action

Forest Health Staffers Plan Appearances

Posted on by akabelowsky
Two workers inspecting a tree's leaves.

Mike Hillstrom and Linda Williams of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forest Health team look over a tree during a walking tour put on by the Cambridge Tree Project on July 10, 2025. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

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

Mike Hillstrom, Invasive Forest Pest Coordinator for the Wisconsin DNR Forest Health Team, will make a presentation on forest health to the Heartland National Christmas Tree Organizations Convention, scheduled for Friday, Aug. 7, at Hann’s Christmas Farm, 848 Tipperary Road, Oregon, WI 53575.

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Species Spotlight: Red Hailstone

Posted on by akabelowsky
A large creeping vine blankets neighboring trees and plants.

A red hailstone infestation in Dane County blankets surrounding vegetation and can be seen climbing into trees. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Carter Hellenbrand, DNR Invasive Plant Field Specialist, Fitchburg
Carter.Hellenbrand@wisconsin.gov

Note: This is the third installment in the Forest Health News “Invasives Spotlight” series, a series of articles released monthly during the growing season.

What is heart-shaped and hairy all over? Red hailstone!

Two hands holding tubers of the red hailstone plant.

Underground tubers of red hailstone. The tubers easily break off to create new plants. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

Also known as golden creeper or Manchu tubergourd (Thladiantha dubia), this invasive perennial vine can grow 18 feet in a single growing season and spreads through underground potato-like tubers that break off from the root system to create new populations.

 

 

 

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Cooperative Enlists Public To Make Tree Health A Snap

Posted on by akabelowsky
A worker speaks with colleagues in a forested area.

Dr. Scott O’Donnell, center, a forest geneticist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forest Economics and Ecology section, updates members of the DNR Forest Health team on upcoming genetic projects at an orchard near Lake Tomahawk in Hazelhurst during the Forest Health team’s summer meeting on May 25, 2024. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

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

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 five 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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Watch for Asian Longhorned Beetle

Posted on by akabelowsky
Closeup of an insect crawling on a person's hand.

An adult Asian longhorned beetle. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Michael Hillstrom, DNR Invasive Forest Pest Coordinator, Fitchburg
Michael.Hillstrom@wisconsin.gov or 608-513-7690

Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) has not been found in Wisconsin, but early detection is critical to eliminating it from infested areas. Forest Health workers from Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and Manitoba, Canada, recently had the opportunity to visit an active ALB infestation in South Carolina to learn how to identify infested trees. This experience will greatly enhance staff’s ability to detect ALB and respond rapidly.

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2027 Urban Forestry Grants Announced

Posted on by janness

By Nicolle Spafford, DNR Urban Forestry Grant Manager
Nicolle.Spafford@wisconsin.gov or 715-896-7099

aerial view of neighborhoodBeginning July 1, 2026, cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations conducting projects in Wisconsin can apply for a regular or startup 2027 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Urban Forestry grant. Continue reading “2027 Urban Forestry Grants Announced” →

Invasive Species Action Month: Action Awards, Awareness Weekend

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The 2025 winners of the Invasive Species Action Awards. / Photo Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Mackenzie Manicki, DNR Invasive Plant Specialist, Madison

In Wisconsin, June is Invasive Species Action Month (ISAM), and plenty of activities are planned to educate and motivate residents and visitors into action.

Invasive species are defined as nonnative organisms whose introduction can cause harm to the environment, the economy, or pose threats to human health.

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Invasives Spotlight: Black and Pale Swallow-wort

Posted on by akabelowsky

By Carter Hellenbrand, DNR Invasive Plant Field Specialist, Fitchburg
Carter.Hellenbrand@Wisconsin.gov

Note: This is the second installment in the Forest Health News “Invasives Spotlight” series, a monthly series of Forest Health News articles.

Monarch butterflies are dependent on native milkweed for survival. But did you know there are invasive plants within the milkweed family that negatively impact this relationship?

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Invasives And Imposters: Native Look-Alikes To Know

Posted on by akabelowsky

By Wisconsin DNR

With 145 invasive plants regulated under Wisconsin’s Invasive Species Rule NR40, it can be challenging to identify some of these plants while out in the woods.

The task can be further complicated by the presence of native lookalikes — plants that have a similar appearance to harmful invasive species, but are native plants that benefit wildlife, pollinators and ecosystems in Wisconsin.

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Resources For Storm-Damaged Trees

Posted on by janness

By Olivia Witthun, DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator
Olivia.Witthun@wisconsin.gov or 414-750-8744

storm-damaged treeWith recent storms passing through Wisconsin, communities may still be working on clean-up. Depending on the intensity of the storms and the condition of the trees, damage from high winds, heavy rainfall, hail and lightning can be quite severe. Cracked or broken branches, trunk damage and root failure are some of the main concerns, but also the risk and liability of damage to people and property.

Did your community experience damage from the storms that passed through the state recently? The list below contains resources individuals and communities may find useful. Feel free to include any of these links on your website or in social media posts. Continue reading “Resources For Storm-Damaged Trees” →

Green, Sawyer Counties Added To Spongy Moth Quarantine

Posted on by akabelowsky
Map of Wisconsin showing counties in yellow quarantine for spongy moth.

The updated map of spongy moth quarantined counties in Wisconsin, showing the April 15 addition of Green and Sawyer counties to the quarantined list. / Map Credit: Wisconsin DNR

By Wisconsin DNR

Green and Sawyer counties have become the latest additions to Wisconsin’s spongy moth quarantine, joining most eastern and central Wisconsin counties already considered to be infested by the invasive insect.

The announcement was made April 15 by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), based on trapping data collected last year.

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