The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Insider
An electronic newsletter of breaking news and valuable information for the Urban Forest community in Wisconsin and beyond.
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January 31, 2007
Public Hearing Notice
Devastating winds and tornadoes left a barren landscape in south central Wisconsin during the summer of 2005.
WDNR Photo
A public hearing will be conducted on Tuesday, February 6 at 10 a.m. at 400 Northeast in the State Capitol on Assembly Bill 36. The bill authorizes DNR to provide match-free urban forestry grants to communities in catastrophic storm situations. Wisconsin citizens are invited to attend, testify, register in favor or opposition and/or contact the committee chair or their representative to express their opinions on the bill. Please share this notice with others.
Committee on Homeland Security and State Preparedness
Committee representatives:
Representatives Ballweg, chair, Kerkman, vice-chair
Representatives Musser, Hines, Petersen, Sinicki, Schneider, Ziegelbauer and Benedict
This issue's contents:
In the News
- Chief of US Forest Service Retires
- Feb. 20 Deadline for 2007 Arbor Day Poster Contest
- Minnesota DNR Proposes Firewood Restrictions (Pioneer Press)
Specifically Wisconsin
- SE Wisconsin Woodland Owners Conference
- Invasive Species Awareness Month
- 2006 Forest Health Highlights
Emerald Ash Borer
- Battle Against Ash Borer Gains Allies (Chicago Tribune)
- New EAB Siting in Illinois (Chicago Tribune)
- IL Expands EAB Quarantine
- Illinois Ash Borer Fight is Costly (Chicago Tribune)
- Maryland at Risk for Losing Millions of Trees and Dollars
Tools For Your Job
Conferences & Seminars
Chief of US Forest Service Retires
Chief of US Forest Service announces retirement. After 41 years of service and nearly six of those years as Chief, Dale Bosworth will retire from the US Forest Service on February 2, 2007. The following video links share his personal "take" on leaving the agency that has been such a big part of his life.
Chief of Forest Service Retires (exit DNR)
If you are using dial-up, the link is: Chief of Forest Service Retires (exit DNR)
Feb. 20 Deadline for 2007 Arbor Day Poster Contest
The Feb. 20 deadline is fast approaching for Wisconsin fifth graders to enter their original artwork in the contest to select the 2007 Wisconsin Arbor Day Poster. The theme for this year's contest is "Trees Are Terrific . and Forests Are Too!" The goal of the contest theme is to increase understanding of forests as ecosystems, according to Dick Rideout, state urban forestry coordinator with the Department of Natural Resources. The DNR Forestry Division and the National Arbor Day Foundation jointly sponsors the contest.
Minnesota DNR Proposes Firewood Restrictions (Pioneer Press)
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wants lawmakers to approve what could be some of the strictest firewood restrictions in the Upper Midwest before the spring camping season starts.
MN Proposes Firewood Restrictions (exit DNR)
SE Wisconsin Woodland Owners Conference
The 18th annual Southeast Wisconsin Woodland Owners Conference will be held Saturday, February 10 at the Country Springs Hotel & Conference Center, 2810 Golf Road in Waukesha. The all-day event begins at 7:30 a.m. and is designed to help woodland owners learn more about effective land stewardship. For registration information:
Wisconsin Woodland Owners Conference (exit DNR)
Invasive Species Awareness Month
Invasive Species Awareness Month (ISAM) has taken place in June since 2005 and is a great opportunity to highlight the destruction invasive species do to our natural and managed landscapes. This year will focus on the forest, which is especially timely, with invaders like emerald ash borer, Japanese stiltgrass and earthworms poised to dramatically alter our forest structure and function! By focusing our efforts on those that use the woods, for livelihood and leisure, we hope to energize those same individuals to prevent themselves from becoming vectors in the spread of invasives. If you would like to host an urban forestry event, sponsor a project or be part of sharing this important message, contact Laura.Wyatt@Wisconsin.gov for more information.
Invasive Species Awareness Month (exit DNR)
2006 Forest Health Highlights
2006 Wisconsin Forest Health Highlights, published by the Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, Forest Health Protection unit is available. The annual report provides a review of important Wisconsin forest health issues. The Forest Health Protection (FHP) unit is concerned about both preventing and treating forest tree problems on 16.0 million acres of state, private, industrial and county forest lands. The staff provides insect and disease management assistance to land managers as well as integrated pest management (IPM) programs and hazardous tree education.
2006 Forest Health Highlights (PDF, 497KB)
Battle Against Ash Borer Gains Allies (Chicago Tribune)
Experts have been stumped in their efforts to eradicate the tree-destroying emerald ash borer, so officials gathered to swap ideas for limiting the invasive beetle's impact, suppressing its spread and covering containment costs. Among the ideas: finding money-making uses for infested trees that have to be chopped down, such as turning them into furniture, and creating a revolving fund to provide loans to local municipalities battling the problem.
Battle against ash borer gains allies (exit DNR)
New EAB Siting in Illinois (Chicago Tribune)
The emerald ash borer has been detected in new areas of Kane County, prompting the Illinois Department of Agriculture to expand its quarantine to the entire county. Results from tree surveys show signs of ash borer infestation in Hampshire and Elgin and in Plato and Blackberry Townships, according to state Agriculture Director Chuck Hartke.
New EAB Siting in IL (exit DNR)
IL Expands EAB Quarantine
The Illinois Department of Agriculture has expanded its emerald ash borer quarantine to include all of Kane County. Detections of the tree-killing beetle outside the boundaries of the original quarantine prompted the expansion. The detections occurred in Hampshire, Elgin, Plato and Blackberry Townships and resulted from tree surveys to determine the extent of the Kane County beetle infestation.
IL Expands EAB Quarantine (exit DNR)
Illinois Ash Borer Fight is Costly (Chicago Tribune)
Chicago-area officials say the invasion of the emerald ash borer is threatening to chew up suburban forestry budgets, as well as trees. Communities could spend millions of dollars over several years to cut down and replace ash trees.
IL EAB Fight is Costly (exit DNR)
Maryland at Risk for Losing Millions of Trees and Dollars
The Maryland Departments of Agriculture and Natural Resources will continue to cut down ash trees in parks and forests this week in Prince George's County as a strategy to stop an outbreak of the invasive emerald ash borer. Unless sufficient funding is provided to manage this destructive insect, the state faces the loss of millions of trees and dollars. The Nature Conservancy recommends that the U.S. Department of Agriculture make $3.7 million in Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) emergency funds available to aid the efforts.
Maryland at Risk for Losing Millions of Trees and Dollars (exit DNR)
Northeast Region Forest Pest Update-January
Topics this month include:
Insects:
- EAB quarantine expanded
- EAB destructive survey by DATCP
- EAB Illinois infestation larger than expected
Diseases:
- Hypoxylon canker
Other:
- Buds swelling on trees
- Forest Health Highlights for 2006 on web
- Global Invasive Species database
- Insects out during warm weather
Northeast Region Forest Pest Update
Wood Education and Resource Center-Grant Process
The Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC) is currently accepting proposals for federal fiscal year 2007. Approximately $1 million is anticipated being available for projects. Project proposals are being requested in various areas relating to eastern hardwoods including projects that relate to EAB and other exotic pest. The final dollar amount will be determined once the Forest Service receives its official budget for fiscal year 2007. All proposals need to be submitted to WERC by Feb. 15, 2007. If you submit a proposal, we will contact you by the end of May 2007, in regards to whether your proposal will receive funding.
Instructions and the application are available at:
Wood Education and Resource Center -2007 Grant Process (exit DNR)
More Information on Conference and Seminars
For more conferences and seminars check out WDNR's Urban Forestry Web site.
About the Insider
The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Insider is intended as a quick networking tool for all people actively working in the area of urban and community forestry, especially in the state of Wisconsin.
Items that cannot wait for our quarterly print newsletter, Wisconsin Urban & Community Forests, will appear here.
The Insider is produced biweekly by the Urban and Community Forestry program of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, Wisconsin. Past issues will be archived on the UF pages on the WDNR web site.
We are happy to accept your suggestions and contributions. Send them to the editor, at Laura.Wyatt@Wisconsin.gov. Or call her: 608/267-0568.
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