Taking action

Time To Seek Out Spongy Moth Egg Masses

Posted on by akabelowsky

By Bill McNee, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Oshkosh;
bill.mcnee@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0942

Photo of spongy moth egg masses on a tree.

Three spongy moth egg masses are found on a tree branch at Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit in Walworth County. / Photo Credit: Bill McNee, Wisconsin DNR

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is encouraging property owners to seek out and dispose of spongy moth egg masses, which were produced by adult moths during the summer.

Each spongy moth egg mass contains hundreds of eggs that will hatch into hungry, leaf-eating caterpillars in the coming spring. Large numbers of these invasive caterpillars can be a tremendous nuisance that may cause tree mortality.

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Aphids Make Sticky Situation For Oak, Beech Trees

Posted on by akabelowsky

 

Photo of Myzocallis oak aphids on a leaf, with an adult at the left.

Myzocallis aphids feed on the top side of oak leaves. An adult is pictured on the left. / Photo Credit: Linda Williams, Wisconsin DNR

By Linda Williams, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Woodruff; Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0665

and Bill McNee, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Oshkosh; bill.mcnee@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0942

Aphids — and the honeydew they produce — have made their mark on trees in Wisconsin during 2023.

Midway through the summer, oak trees in areas of Vilas and Oneida counties were buzzing with activity. During September, beech trees in eastern Wisconsin became busy with a different species of aphid.

A look at the two situations:

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Young Tree Training Pruning Workshops

Posted on by patricialindquist

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. 

Set your trees up to thrive and help alleviate storm damage by properly pruning your trees when they’re young. It’s an excellent investment of resources providing exponential savings in the future.

Please register ASAP as these start in just a couple weeks.

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Look For Spongy Moss Egg Masses

Posted on by akabelowsky

Bill McNee, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Oshkosh
Bill.McNee@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0942

Photo of spongy moth egg masses on a tree.

Three spongy moth egg masses are found on a tree branch at Kettle Moraine State Forest Southern Unit in Walworth County. / Photo Credit: Bill McNee, Wisconsin DNR

Now that spongy moth egg laying is complete for 2023, it’s a good time to look for and dispose of the egg masses produced by adult moths over the past two months.

Spongy moth egg masses are tan-colored lumps about the size of a nickel or quarter, and can be found on trees, buildings and other outdoor objects. They may also be found in protected places such as firewood piles and birdhouses.

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Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council Welcomes New Members; Says Goodbye To Others

Posted on by patricialindquist

The DNR’s Division of Forestry recently welcomed three new members to the Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council and said farewell to several members who contributed much to the council.

The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council is an advisory committee to the DNR’s Division of Forestry, guiding the best ways to preserve, protect, expand and improve Wisconsin’s urban and community forest resources. The council is comprised of 23 people appointed by the Secretary of the DNR. Members represent the diverse groups and interests that impact our state’s urban and community forests, including representatives from professional organizations, private business owners, educators, green industry employees, nonprofit/service organizations, governmental agencies, municipalities of various sizes, utilities, concerned and active citizens and trade organizations throughout the state.

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Career Opportunities With The Wisconsin DNR: Join The Urban Forestry Team

Posted on by patricialindquist

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Bureau of Applied Forestry is hiring a dual Limited Term Employee (LTE) Forestry Specialist and Forestry Outreach Specialist. Workstation assignment will be based on the appointee’s preference, pending supervisor approval and available space. There is potential for these positions to telecommute for a portion of the work week. Hybrid remote scheduling is subject to supervisor approval.

This dual LTE appointment is comprised of two 20-hour positions for an expected work schedule of 40 hours per week. The intention is to hire one candidate to fill both positions.

More information including position descriptions, salary information, job details, qualifications and how to apply is available online at wisc.jobs. Search for job ID 11427.

Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. CT on Aug. 28, 2023 in order to be considered.

Severe Spruce Budworm Defoliation Hits In Northwest

Posted on by akabelowsky

By Linda Williams, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Woodruff; Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0665

Photo taken through magnifying lens of spruce budworm caterpillars.

Spruce budworm overwinters as tiny caterpillars (yellow arrow) that migrate to the buds before they start to swell in the spring. A magnifying lens is needed to see them at this stage. / Photo Credit: Linda Williams, Wisconsin DNR.

For the 11th consecutive year in Wisconsin, spruce budworm has caused significant defoliation on spruce, balsam fir and tamarack in some areas of the state.

This year, areas with widespread severe defoliation include Oneida and Vilas counties, with Forest, Iron, and Langlade counties also showing significant defoliation.

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White Pine Weevil Damage And Management Options

Posted on by akabelowsky

By Linda Williams, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Woodruff
Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0665

Photo of a white pine tree showing weevil damage.

A dead terminal leader, resulting from an attack by white pine weevil. Photo: Linda Williams, Wisconsin DNR.

White pine weevil (Pissodes strobi) is a native insect that can kill the terminal leader of white pine, jack pine and spruce. Wisconsinites often refer to this insect as Tip Weevil.

The insects prefer to attack stout terminal leaders. When the terminal leader dies, lateral branches grow upward and compete to take over apical dominance. This can leave a noticeable crook for decades. If two or more lateral branches take over, forking can occur. New terminal leaders may be attacked in subsequent years, causing more crook or forking.

Spruce and jack pine tend to recover better from weevil damage than white pine because the lateral branch that takes over apical dominance often creates a less prominent crook.

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DNR Silviculturists Create Podcast

Posted on by akabelowsky
Photo of goats grazing in a woodlot.

Grazing goats can reach as high as six feet to munch on leaves, which they prefer to grasses and stems. Photo: Wisconsin DNR.

Art Kabelowsky, DNR Forest Health outreach and communications specialist
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167

“Who do you know wants to rent a goat?”

Milwaukee television viewers of a certain age might recognize that twist on the old commercial slogan of automobile dealer Ernie Von Schledorn: “Who do you know wants to buy a car?”

Although Ernie is no longer around, the idea of having foresters use goat grazing to control interfering vegetation remains in use.

It’s a discussion worth talking about — and listening to.

Goat grazing was the topic of a recent edition of SilviCast, a monthly podcast about silviculture produced as part of a collaborative effort between the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Wisconsin Forestry Center, based at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

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DNR Staff Gets Tree Injection Training

Posted on by akabelowsky
Photo of a tree marked with a ribbon for pesticide/fungicide injection.
Photo of a worker demonstrating a tree injection nozzle.

Cory McCurry, an arborologist with Rainbow Ecoscience, talks with DNR Parks and Forest Health employees while demonstrating the use of a nozzle component of the Q-Connect tree injection system currently in use at state properties. Photo: Wisconsin DNR.

Art Kabelowsky, DNR Forest Health outreach and communications specialist
Arthur.Kabelowsky@wisconsin.gov or 608-335-0167

LAKE GENEVA, Wisconsin — Fifteen employees of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources gathered at Big Foot Beach State Park on May 16 to learn more about using injections of systemic pesticides to protect the health of high-value trees at state properties.

Ten Wisconsin State Parks employees and five members of the DNR’s Forest Health team met with representatives of Rainbow Ecoscience and Bartlett Tree Experts to witness a demonstration of best practices for tree injections.

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