Urban wood

Public Awareness Ideas For Watering Trees In A Drought

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

Most of you are doing your best to keep things watered, but you could always use some help. Below are a few ideas for public awareness and pleas to get homeowner assistance in watering trees. As always, contact your DNR Urban Forestry staff if you’d like more specific examples.  

  • Social media is a great avenue to get these types of messages out. Use your community’s Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms to your advantage.
  • Consider dropping off a doorhanger reminding folks to water trees. Perhaps work it into your watering schedule; each address you stop at gets a doorhanger.

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DNR Urban Forestry Coordinator Don Kissinger Retires

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By Jeff Roe, DNR Urban Forestry Team Leader, Madison, jeffrey.roe@wisconsin.gov or 608-535-7582

Don Kissinger, Urban Forestry Coordinator for the north-central region, is retiring after nearly 29 years at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). His last day in the office was May 21, 2021.

Don’s contributions are significant.  His best days were spent out in the field working and conversing with community forestry managers in his 18-county service area. Don never missed an opportunity to share his passion for urban forestry and arboriculture.

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2022 DNR Urban Forestry Grant Application Opening Soon

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Cities, villages, towns, counties, tribes and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in or conducting their project in Wisconsin are encouraged to apply for a regular or startup 2022 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Urban Forestry Grant!

The grants range from $1,000 to $25,000, and grant recipients must match each grant dollar for dollar. A startup grant of up to $5,000 is available for communities that want to start or restart a community forestry program. Grants are awarded to projects that align with state and national goals to increase the urban forest canopy and its benefits.

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ATC Offers Funding For Planting And Pollinator Habitat Projects

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Recognizing that trees and vegetation are among the features that make communities special places for residents and visitors, American Transmission Company (ATC) will continue to offer funding for planting projects in communities in its service area through its Community Planting and Pollinator Habitat programs.

The Community Planting Program provides financial support to eligible cities, villages, towns, counties and tribes in ATC’s service area for planting projects on public property, outside transmission line rights-of-way.

The Pollinator Habitat Program provides funding for site preparation; purchasing seed, plugs or plants; labor and installation; or other activities to establish quality pollinator habitat. Unlike the Community Planting Program, the Pollinator Habitat Program promotes planting low-growing vegetation within a transmission line right-of-way.

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The Dangers And Costs Of Infested Ash Trees

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Credit: Joseph O’Brien, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

The emerald ash borer (EAB) will kill nearly all of Wisconsin’s ash trees that are not protected by insecticides. To help the public understand why it’s important to act against EAB, the DNR created a publication aimed at homeowners that addresses the dangers and costs of infested ash trees. Urban forestry professionals may wish to share this flyer with those who ask questions on these topics.

The key message of the publication is this: It’s crucial to decide ASAP whether to protect your ash trees with insecticides or have them removed. Either way, time is of the essence. If you delay in treating your ash trees, the treatment may be less effective. And if you wait to remove them, removal costs will be greater and safety hazards will only get worse.

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Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grant Program Request For Applications

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The Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service is now requesting applications for the Fiscal Year 2021 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Grant Program. The USDA anticipates that up to $5.4 million in new funds will be available for reforestation, ecosystem restoration and forest health improvement in the Great Lakes Basin through an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

This year, the USDA is announcing and awarding funding through two grant opportunities at the same time: 1) Cooperative Weed Management Areas and 2) Forest Restoration.

Submit applications by 6 p.m. EST on July 8 in Grants.gov through two separate Requests for Applications:

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Municipal Forestry Institute

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The Municipal Forestry Institute (MFI) is a week-long, high-level training opportunity to educate people in the leadership and managerial aspects of urban forestry. Urban forestry professionals from across the county will come together for a week-long intensive educational program that delivers a challenging opportunity to grow a more successful community tree program. Learn and master leadership and management tools of program administration, coalition building, strategic thinking, program planning and public relations. 

MFI 2021 will be held Sept. 26-Oct. 1 in Bowling Green, Ohio. 

To learn more and to register, visit this webpage.

Tree Health Monitoring Program Available

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

Joseph OBrien, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Monitoring for tree health enables managers to anticipate maintenance needs. However, health monitoring is often inconsistent, generic or requiring advanced knowledge of insect pests or diseases. There can be a better way, and this might be one.

Since 2015, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have spearheaded a tree health monitoring initiative called Healthy Trees, Healthy Cities (HTHC) that uses a simple methodology for lightly trained observers to identify potentially problematic trees. Disparate organizations have successfully employed the procedure, from Boy Scouts to the New York City Housing Authority. And now, the Wisconsin DNR has partnered with USFS and TNC to incorporate the methodology into the Wisconsin Community Tree Map, should any communities or organizations be interested in trying it out. One does not need to have a current tree map license to pursue this effort.

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Celebrating A Successful 2021 Arbor Day

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By Patricia Lindquist, DNR Urban Forestry Communications Specialist, Madison, Patricia.Lindquist@wisconsin.gov or 608-843-6248 

Despite significant challenges this year, many communities adapted their annual Arbor Day celebrations or came up with creative new ideas. Thanks to everyone for going above and beyond in 2021!

A big thank you to the 43 communities who participated in the Arbor Day Social media campaign! All together, these communities created 159 posts for Facebook, Twitter and their local government websites during Arbor Week. We’re thrilled that so many of you helped spread the word about the benefits of trees and proper tree planting and care practices.

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