The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Insider
An electronic newsletter of breaking news and valuable information for the Urban Forest community in Wisconsin and beyond.
The Morton Arboretum's Kris Bachtell, left, inspects a rare species of seed called island ash during a recent trip to China.
Not yet on our mailing list?
Learn how to receive your free subscription!
March 6, 2009
This issue's contents:
In the News
- Urban Forest Strike Team Assesses Damage
- Bill Requires Homebuilders to Plant Trees
- EPA Environmental Justice Advisory Council Nominations
Emerald Ash Borer
Specifically Wisconsin
Tools For Your Job
- South Central and Southeast Regions Forest Health Update
- West Central Region Forest Pest Update
- Watershed Forestry Resource Guide Website
- TreeBanks Growing Nationwide
- Job Opportunity -Senior Ecologist / Operations Manager
Conferences & Seminars
Urban Forest Strike Team Assesses Damage
An Urban Forest Strike Team began work the week of February 27-March 6 in Bentonville, AR. The strike team, requested by the City of Bentonville, will evaluate publicly-owned trees damaged by the recent ice storm and collect data to be used in applying for FEMA reimbursement. The Urban Forest Strike Team is a project of the Southern Group of State Foresters.
Urban Forestry Strike Team [Exit DNR]
Bill Requires Homebuilders to Plant Trees
Months of negotiations finally yielded legislation that would require Nashville, TN homebuilders to plant a certain number of trees on each open lot. The bill would require homebuilders to plant one tree for every 30-linear feet of street front in residential areas. Residential developers would be required to maintain seven trees per acre. If a homebuilder or developer doesn't comply with the potential new tree requirement, then Metro may seize their bonds for the project.
Residential Tree Planting [Exit DNR]
EPA Environmental Justice Advisory Council Nominations
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is inviting nominations from a diverse range of qualified candidates to be considered for appointment to the National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC) for the 2010-2013 membership term, or to one of the work groups convened to assist the Council in its deliberations. The NEJAC is chartered under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). Its purpose is to provide independent advice and recommendations to the Administrator of the EPA about matters relating to environmental justice.
EPA Environmental Justice Council
Arboretum Staff Travel to China - Daily Herald
Kris Bachtell, Director of collections and facilities at Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL returns from his seventh plant exploration trip to China. As part of the North American China Plant Exploration Consortium, Bachtell and the others collected several thousand seeds to mount a defense to protect North America's ash trees from the emerald ash borer.
Bachtell Travels to China [Exit DNR]
Wisconsin EAB Situation Report
Emerald ash borer (EAB) is known to exist in Ozaukee and Washington counties. A quarantine is currently in those counties and in Fond du Lac and Sheboygan counties. The quarantine prohibits the movement of any ash product – including all hardwood firewood – that could transport a life stage of EAB. Exceptions to the quarantine may be granted with approval by either WI DATCP or USDA APHIS PPQ. An ICS (Incident Command System) has been designated to oversee and guide multi-agency activities in the quarantine area. Each week a situation report is compiled regarding activities.
Stop the Raid on State's Forestry Funding - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Over the years, Wisconsin's forests have suffered through catastrophic events, including indiscriminate logging by early settlers, uncontrolled forest fires and devastation by exotic pests, such as Dutch elm disease, gypsy moths and emerald ash borers. All of these historic events were recognized by Wisconsin's citizens, governors and the Legislature as catastrophic events that needed legislative intervention to bring them under control or to mitigate their impact.
Unfortunately, the next greatest threat to Wisconsin's forests is not biological but political: raiding of the dedicated funding created by early conservation visionaries to protect, restore and conserve our forest land for present and future generations.
LEAF Annual Report
LEAF -Learning, Experiences, & Activities in Forestry, Wisconsin's K-12 Forestry Education Program shares some of their most significant accomplishments of 2008 in their recent annual report including:
- A total of 592 educators participated in LEAF professional development offerings in 2008. This is a 59% increase from 2007 and an 88% increase from 2006. Since 2003, 2,034 teachers have participated in LEAF professional development, reaching approximately 80,000 students each year.
- LEAF conducted staff in-service programs at 11 schools. Specific grade-level partial staff in-services were held at Antigo, DC Everest, Gillett, McFarland, Washburn, and West Salem. Full staff in-services were provided at Glidden, Oakfield, Park Falls, Tigerton, and Thorp.
- LEAF lesson guides were distributed to 302 teachers. In total, 3,695 guides have been distributed since 2003.
- Over 200,000 people visited the LEAF website in 2008. It's an important resource for teachers and the general public within Wisconsin and across the world.
- LEAF has worked with over 100 school districts in the development and utilization of their school forests. In 2008, consultation was provided to 19 school districts working on their school forest education plans. There are over 30 districts currently working on their education plans, and 47 districts have approved education plans.
- LEAF provided or supported events and activities for 548 K-12 students in 2008. These include coordinating the WI FFA Forestry Career Development Event competition, providing activities at the Whiting Arbor Day Celebration and at the Kretz Landowner Field Day, and supporting the High School Conference on the Environment.
- In 2008, Kelly Mortenson, Communications and Networking Coordinator, Sarah Gilbert, Program Coordinator, and Jeremy Solin, Director, welcomed Gretchen Marshall, Outdoor Forestry Education Specialist, and Chris Kuntz, Program Associate, to the LEAF team.
Be sure to check out the urban forestry lesson guide [Exit DNR]
South Central and Southeast Regions Forest Health Update
The latest forest health update by Kyoko Scanlon
Topics include:
Gypsy moth updates
- Regional gypsy moth population status 2008 and prediction of 2009
- Fall egg mass surveys on DNR properties
- Egg mass oiling work party Devils Lake State Park
- Entomophaga distribution in SCR
- WI DATCP trap catch data 2008
- DNR Gypsy moth suppression program proposed treatments 2009
- Gypsy Moth email notification of suppression treatment activities
Emerald ash borer updates
- National EAB detection map
- WI DNR lands surveys
- EAB Pesticide fact sheet for professionals and homeowners
- EAB Surveys Nationwide
- EAB Surveys in WI
- EAB tree peeling used effectively
- EAB Workshops in the works
- EAB – Who to Report it to
Other topics:
- Northern white cedar mortality
- 2008 Surveys for the European woodwasp Sirex noctilio in SCR/SER completed
- Bacterial Leaf Scorch detected in Dane Co. through a genetic test
- 2008 Forest Health Highlights Available on-line
- New Garlic mustard and Phragmites Videos Available on-line
SCR & SER Forest Health Update
West Central Region Forest Pest Update
The latest forest pest update by Todd J. Lanigan
Topics Covered:
Insects:
- Winter Cutworm
- Exotic Metallic Wood Borers (Flat headed Borers)
- Emerald Ash Borer - New Find in Pennsylvania
Other:
- New DNR Nursery Pub
Watershed Forestry Resource Guide Website
This website is a central clearinghouse for all things related to forests and watersheds. There have been many recent efforts towards managing urban forests for watershed health that have resulted in a variety of highly useful tools and training materials. This site compiles these resources into a format that can be easily accessed and downloaded.
TreeBanks Growing Nationwide
TreeBanks - local community funds for tree planting, care and education - are expanding nationwide. The cost-efficient program, which provides a plug-and-play donation system and other tools customized for community forestry, grew from $10,000 in contributions to $150,000 in the past year, and from 12 to more than 50 TreeBanks across the U.S. and Canada in 2007-08. This program is provided free from TreeLink.
TreeBanks [Exit DNR] or call TreeLink at 801-363-3435.
Job Opportunity -Senior Ecologist / Operations Manager
Great River Greening, a non-profit located in St. Paul, Minnesota with a mission to lead and inspire community-based restoration of natural areas and open spaces has an opening for a Senior Ecologist/Operations Manager. This position supervises the Conservation Operations Team of ecologists/project managers, field crew, and others, who execute Greening’s design and restoration projects and events. In addition to operations management, the Senior Ecologist/Operations Manager will be in charge of a small number of projects in line with his/her areas of expertise and also will assist the Director of Conservation Programs in project development (conceptual, partner, and funding).
SmartGrowth and Urban Forestry - Webcast
SmartGrowth intersects with urban forestry on many levels: energy costs, crime, livability/sustainability, and more. Urban design is no longer isolated solely to buildings. Trees are part of the natural infrastructure, and their beneficial effects on urban landscapes are becoming better known. Understanding SmartGrowth trends can help you position your projects and programs to better integrate with building and land use trends. "Green infrastructure" is a term that is appearing more and more frequently in land conservation and development discussions.
Alliance for Community Trees will host a webcast on Thursday, March 19 from 12 noon to 1:00 pm central time. Registration free.
Green Roof Symposium
The City of Milwaukee is sponsoring a Green Roof Symposium on Wednesday, March 11 at the Milwaukee School of Engineering. The workshop will provide an opportunity for participants to learn from local and national experts about the general design and implementation of green roofs. Regional case studies will be featured and afternoon focus group sessions will allow attendees the chance to identify with relevant city officials the local research needs and obstacles to implementation. Input gathered from participants of this workshop will help guide the further development of green roof policy options in the Milwaukee area.
Registration Information [Exit DNR]
More Conferences & Seminars
For more conferences and seminars check out WDNR's Urban Forest website.
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.
RSS