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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May 1, 2009
First Place Arbor Day poster contest winner: Sumin Yang, Shorewood Hills Elementary, Madison
This issue's contents:
In the News
- The Value of Community Trees - Kansas City Star
- Diversify the Tree Canopy
- Dallas Wants to be a Green City
Specifically Wisconsin
- Public Comment Sought on Gypsy Moth
- Eau Claire Faces Major EAB Threat - Leader-Telegram
- Help Control Purple Loosestrife
- Gypsy Moth Causes Apostle Islands Quarantine - The Daily Press
Emerald Ash Borer
- Public EAB Informational Meeting
- EAB Quarantine in Vernon and Crawford Counties
- EAB Trapping Begins
- Minnesota Prompts Quarantine - KSTP-TV
Tools For Your Job
- Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic Update
- Wisconsin Urban Forestry Newsletter Available Online
- Selecting Utility Friendly Trees
- April i-Tree Newsletter
Conferences & Seminars
- UF & Climate Action Reserve - Webinar
- Tree Campus USA - Webcast
- Municipal Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping - Webcast
- More Conferences & Seminars
The Value of Community Trees - Kansas City Star
While the benefits of community trees is widely known within forestry and tree-planting groups, tough economic times could threaten the financial support many communities provide to urban forestry programs. John Rosenow, founder and chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation, has written an op-ed piece that is being circulated across the country.
Diversify the Tree Canopy
On Arbor Day the Illinois Department of Agriculture encouraged planting a diversity of trees for community canopies to avoid landscape devastation from invasive pests. The best long-term defense against catastrophic tree loss is to use several species in our landscapes, selecting varieties that have proven their tough and tenacious growth in urban and suburban environments.
Dallas Wants to be a Green City
Although Mayor Leppert continues to chant his "greenest city in America" mantra, a recent article in the Dallas Observer found that there remains a divide between the city's words and actions. Aside from the efforts of nonprofits such as Texas Trees Foundation and the city's urban forest advisory committee, there is no coordinated citywide effort to plant, replace, and maintain trees.
Public Comment Sought on Gypsy Moth
Plans are being finalized for aerial spraying to suppress gypsy moths across 10,563 acres at 135 locations in 23 Wisconsin counties. An environmental assessment of the 2009 gypsy moth aerial suppression spraying program is now available for public review with comments accepted through May 8, 2009.
Eau Claire Faces Major EAB Threat - Leader-Telegram
To Eau Claire residents, the ash trees lining many of Eau Claire's streets and scattered throughout parks and yards form a much-appreciated green canopy, offering shade from the hot summer sun. But to the emerald ash borer, those same ash trees, which number more than one of every three of the city's 80,000-plus trees, represent an appetizing feast.
Help Control Purple Loosestrife
People who want to help reclaim local wetlands from purple loosestrife, an invasive plant, are again encouraged to raise and release special beetles that live solely on the plant and help control it. Learn how you can get involved.
Controlling Purple Loosestrife
Gypsy Moth Causes Apostle Islands Quarantine - The Daily Press
Restrictions associated with a state and federal gypsy moth quarantine placed on the Apostle Islands should have minimal impact to park operations, an official said. "Since there's no logging on the islands, and we banned the transportation of firewood either to the islands or from the islands, there's really not going to be any impact from the quarantine," said Jim Nepstad, chief of planning for the park.
Gypsy Moth & Apostle Islands [Exit DNR]
Public EAB Informational Meeting
On Tuesday, May 5, 2009 from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. UW-Extension will offer a program on emerald ash borer utilizing the Distance Education Master Training system. The program will be broadcast live from the UW-Extension Pyle Center on the UW- Madison campus to a number of sites throughout the state via fiber-optics, or Wisline/CD power-point. Speakers and topics include:
1. Dr. Robert Tomesh, UW-Extension Horticulturist, Introduction to Emerald Ash Borer Program
2. Dr. Chris Williamson, UW-Madison Entomologist, Emerald Ash Borer: Status, Biology and Management and
3. JoAnn Cruse, State Plant Health Director, USDA-APHIS, Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine Update
NOTE: not all county extension offices will be hosting the presentation. Some may require pre-registration. Please check on the details for your area ahead of time.
For more information contact your county extension office [Exit DNR]
EAB Quarantine in Vernon and Crawford Counties
The number of counties in Wisconsin under quarantine for the emerald ash borer (EAB) has now grown by two. Vernon and Crawford counties are the latest to be added to the state's list of counties where the movement of hardwood firewood and other products is restricted in an effort to slow the spread of the tiny, green ash-killing beetle.
EAB Trapping Begins
Beginning as early as next week, surveyors with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) will hang thousands of traps in trees across the state to track the spread of the tree-killing emerald ash borer. The purple contraptions utilize a special scent and are coated with a sticky substance that traps the beetles when they land on them.
Minnesota Prompts Quarantine - KSTP-TV
The Minnesota State Department of Agriculture enacted a quarantine on wood in Minnesota's Houston County in hopes of containing the spread of the emerald ash borer. The invasive beetle, which feeds on the bark of ash trees, has not been found in Houston County, but it has been confirmed just across the river in Wisconsin.
MN enacts quarantine [Exit DNR]
Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic Update
The UW-Extension/Madison Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic (PDDC) receives samples of many plants from around the state. The following diseases/disorders have been identified at the PDDC since April 15, 2009.
Wisconsin Urban Forestry Newsletter Available Online
The Spring issue of the Wisconsin Urban & Community Forests newsletter published by the DNR is available online. This issue features a community profile on the City of Neenah, tree profile on lacebark pine and eight reports from communities, a county and RC& D on how they are preparing for EAB.
Subscribe to receive electronically
Selecting Utility Friendly Trees
A new web-based search tool is available to assist homeowners in selecting low-growing trees and shrubs for the landscape. This resource was developed by UW-Madison Horticulture Professor Dr. Laura Jull and Madison Gas and Electric.
Utility friendly trees [Exit DNR]
April i-Tree Newsletter
The April edition of the i-Tree Newsletter which includes the latest news regarding the i-Tree suite of software tools is available online. This edition features:
- Dr. David J. Nowak on the Future of Urban Forestry
- A development update of i-Tree Version 3.0
- i-Tree Version 3.0 workshop at the ISA conference
- Marketing i-Tree Results Strategically
- The i-Tree Academic initiative update
i-Tree April Newsletter [Exit DNR]
UF & Climate Action Reserve - Webinar
The Climate Action Reserve (California) has recently released a ground-breaking new protocol for calculating the carbon reductions from urban forestry and is now pleased to offer this webinar specifically focused on developing urban forestry projects.
Topics will include:
- An overview of the Reserve
- How protocols are developed
- A detailed look at the Urban Forestry protocol
- Opening an account
- Registering projects
- Verification
- Trading
This webinar is designed for cities, universities, utilities and other organizations undertaking urban forestry programs. It is free and open to all. The presentation will last approximately one hour with a 30 minute Q&A session following.
Climate Action Reserve [Exit DNR]
Tree Campus USA - Webcast
The Alliance for Community Trees will host a webcast discussing the Arbor Day Foundation's new Tree Campus USA program on May 21 beginning at 12 noon. The Tree Campus USA program recognizes college and university campuses that effectively manage their campus trees, develop connectivity with the community beyond campus borders to foster healthy urban forests, and strive to engage their student population utilizing service learning opportunities. By meeting the annual standards and being recognized as a Tree Campus USA college, you can create a campus that not only benefits the environment, but also instills pride in the students, faculty, and community.
Municipal Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping - Webcast
Center for Watershed Protection is hosting a webcast on Thursday, May 14, addressing municipal pollution prevention. Does your municipality suffer from unruly roadways, horrendous hotspots, and lackluster landscapes? Are you wondering how to manage your municipal operations to protect water quality? This webcast is for you.
Municipal Pollution Prevention [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.
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