By Bill McNee, DNR Forest Health Specialist, Oshkosh;
Bill.McNee@wisconsin.gov or 920-360-0942
A tree shows high numbers of spongy moth caterpillars, though the majority of the caterpillars have been killed either by virus (hanging in an inverted V) or fungus (hanging in a stretched line, head down). The virus and fungus helped to quell a potential outbreak in many areas of the state in 2024. / Photo Credit: Bill McNee, Wisconsin DNR
As the 2023 spongy moth season ended, there were hopes for a return to colder and wetter conditions in 2024 so that the spongy moth outbreak would decline or even come to an end.
What wound up happening in Wisconsin was the “lost winter,” the warmest since recordkeeping began in 1895. Given this warmth, there were concerns that the widespread spongy moth outbreak would continue for a third consecutive summer, with good caterpillar survival, ongoing defoliation and high rates of tree mortality in already stressed forests.
Jay Dampier joined the Urban Forestry Team on June 3 as the new Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) grant coordinator. This is a federally funded project position that will be overseeing $4 million of federally funded grants awarded to Wisconsin communities, tribes and nonprofits. These IRA funds were allocated to the urban forestry program by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service in 2023. As part of the Justice 40 Initiative, 100% of the funds will be used to improve the urban forest resources and lives of those living in disadvantaged communities throughout the state. 
The boundaries of the Northeast, East Central and North Central DNR Urban Forestry regions will be altered at the end of April to balance workload across the regions better. The changes are:
