The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Insider
An electronic newsletter of breaking news and valuable information for the Urban Forest community in Wisconsin and beyond.
Not yet on our mailing list?
Learn how to receive your free subscription!
July 3, 2009
Dear Wisconsin Urban Forestry Insider Subscriber,
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is pleased to announce that we have implemented a new email subscription service to make it easier for you to learn about updates on the topics which interest you. Your subscription to DNR's Wisconsin Urban Forestry Insider newsletter was transferred to this new service. Any subscriptions you have to DNR updates will continue, however in addition you can also sign-up for other email updates for forestry and other topics once you enter your subscription preferences. We hope that you will find it useful to have the ability to customize your emails based upon your particular interests.
With this new service you can password protect your subscriptions and preferences, change your email address, or remove yourself at any time by accessing your Subscription Preferences page. You’ll need to first log in with your email address. Be sure to save your changes, and look for a confirmation via email verifying the updates you make.
In addition to the functions listed above, you can also:
- Choose a frequency preference for how often you’d like to receive e-mail
- View an archive of messages sent to you through this service
- Access a personal RSS feed with your updates
Thank you for your interest and the important role you play in supporting urban trees!
Laura Wyatt, Editor
Wisconsin Urban Forestry Insider
City of Milwaukee forestry staff begin injecting ash for EAB. Note pesticide posting on tree.
This issue's contents:
In the News
Specifically Wisconsin
- Draft Wisconsin’s Urban Forestry BMPs for Invasive Species - Available for Public Comment
- UW Tree Legacy Fund Presents Joyce Kilmer Award
- Collecting Samples for Bacterial Leaf Scorch in WI
- Gypsy Moth Caterpillars on the Upswing in Fox Cities - Postcrescent.com
- Message from WGIF President, Jerry Schumacher
Emerald Ash Borer
- Ann Arbor Replanting 1,000 trees A Year- Mlive.com
- The Nature Conservancy on the Discovery of EAB in New York
- Ash Borer Pesticide has Birders Concerned -MN Public Radio
- Mankato Ponders Ash Plan - Mankato Free Press
Tools For Your Job
- Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic Update
- i-Tree Newsletter - June, 2009
- Trees for Healthy Homes Award - Deadline Sept. 1, 2009
- Kodak American Greenways Program -Deadline July 15, 2009
- Help Your Campus Become a Tree Campus USA
Conferences & Seminars
- Maryland Tree Registry & Tree Benefits Calculator
- Urban Landscaping- Part II: Tree Stock Webcast - July 16
- Registration for TCI EXPO 2009 Available
Shade-tree Mechanics
With all the talk of climate change and energy efficiency, Sacramento leaders- including the Sacramento Tree Foundation and Congresswoman Matsui- are once again making headlines as their local utility partner, SMUD, details why they spend about $1.5 million annually ($30 million to date) on their shade tree program. Now the focus of pending federal legislation, the idea is energy conservation through trees... an idea that has already saved $128 million in energy costs in Sacramento alone since the program began in 1990. That added shade has saved enough electricity to allow SMUD to skip building another power plant.
Energy Conservation Through Trees [Exit DNR]
Global Warming Increasing The Dispersal Of Flora In Northern Forests
As a result of stronger winds caused by global warming, seeds and pollen are being carried over longer distances. An increase in temperature of only a couple of degrees may increase the dispersal of plants in Northern forests and the spread of plant species into forest clearings after felling or forest fires.
Global Warming and Plant Dispersal [Exit DNR]
Draft Wisconsin’s Urban Forestry BMPs for Invasive Species - Available for Public Comment
Wisconsin’s Urban Forestry BMPs for Invasive Species draft manual is completed and available for public comment. To help make the BMPs practical yet effective, we need your feedback. Please take time to review the manual and provide your comments. The draft manual and survey will be posted for public comment from June 30th through July 30th.
Draft UF BMPs for InvasivesUW Tree Legacy Fund Presents Joyce Kilmer Award
The Wisconsin Tree Legacy Fund has recently been established to provide an opportunity for caring individuals and organizations to contribute to tree research and education at the University of Wisconsin. Gifts provide opportunities for the best scientists, instructors and students at the University and their collaborators across the state to study trees growing within our landscape and address issues of health, maintenance and environmental interaction.
The Joyce Kilmer Award recognizes an individual or organization’s outstanding efforts in advancing the Tree Legacy Fund’s goals. Kilmer (1886 – 1918) was a frequent visitor to Wisconsin. It is appropriate that UW-Madison Professor Larry Meiller has been chosen as the first recipient of the Tree Legacy Fund’s Joyce Kilmer Award.
Collecting Samples for Bacterial Leaf Scorch in WI
Dr. Gerry Adams of Michigan State is accepting samples to detect bacterial leaf scorch (BLS) again this year. This is a great opportunity for us to learn more about the distribution of this disease in Wisconsin!
Please keep an eye out for this disease, and if you find suspicious foliage, please send some samples to him. The sampling protocol is attached. This year, he would like us to start collecting samples in July, earlier than last year. I have over a dozen envelopes left over from last year. So, if you need some envelopes, I could send you some, or you could contact Gerry directly.
Last year, out of 11 sites where samples were collected, two bur oak samples from one site in Dane County came back positive for BLS (map attached). The samples that were positive last year in Wisconsin exhibited the leaf symptoms quite different from what we see in some BLS factsheets. Though we don't have a photo of the exact positive samples, the attached digital photo should be somewhat similar. So, if you find leaves that look like the photo, please go ahead & take some samples, and send them to Gerry for the lab test.
Thank you!
Kyoko Scanlon
Plant Pest and Disease Specialist
608-275-3275
Kyoko.Scanlon@wisconsin.gov
Gypsy Moth Caterpillars on the Upswing in Fox Cities -Postcrescent.com
Gypsy moths are reaching the tail end of their caterpillar stage, and many people in the Fox Cities have tacked burlap to their trees in hopes of keeping the leaf eaters from their foliage. At outbreak levels, the caterpillars have the capability of stripping entire trees.
David Bayer, a seasonal horticulturist with the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s Outagamie County office, said the caterpillar population looks like it’s grown some this year, though not at levels that will put trees at peril. “They’re not in infestation proportions,” Bayer said. Still, the caterpillars could easily reach that proportion next year, he said.
Gypsy Moth in Fox Cities [Exit DNR]
Message from WGIF President, Jerry Schumacher
Jerry Schumacher, President of the Wisconsin Green Industry Federation, encourages members of the "original" green industry to promote the skills and expertise they provide as professionals.
Ann Arbor Replanting 1,000 trees A Year- Mlive.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan is launching a significant new replanting program this fall to add roughly 1,000 new trees every year. The initiative begins half a dozen years after the die-off of once-plentiful ash trees. City officials say they'll use aerial photos to identify the more pronounced holes in Ann Arbor's tree canopy and concentrate on those spots.
Ann Arbor Tree Planting [Exit DNR]
The Nature Conservancy on the Discovery of EAB in New York
The Nature Conservancy released the following statement regarding EAB from Troy Weldy, director of ecological management: “The emerald ash borer will have significant economic and environmental impacts, the likes of which western New York hasn't seen since the chestnut blight or Dutch elm disease. This pest damages and can kill the ash trees it infests. With more than half a billion ash trees in New York, these species are highly important to the natural landscape.
This discovery emphasizes the need to establish a national early detection network around major ports of entry so we can intercept these pests before they become established. The better we are at finding these pests before they become well-established, the greater success we will have at limiting their destruction.
In addition, for the first time in 80 years, the USDA is revising its regulations to prevent new invasive pests and pathogens from arriving on live plants. Moving this regulation, known as Q-37, to the front of the bureaucratic line is a critical step in protecting our nation from invasive plants and animals.
It is also important for citizens to understand that these pests are easily transported in firewood. We ask everyone to do their part by only burning wood close to where they buy it.”
Nature Conservancy & EAB [Exit DNR]
Ash Borer Pesticide has Birders Concerned -MN Public Radio
The discovery of the emerald ash borer in St. Paul, MN has not only gotten tree lovers concerned about their trees, it's also prompting bird lovers to worry about what the chemicals used to treat the trees might do to their favorite animals.
EAB Pesticides & Birds [Exit DNR]
Mankato Ponders Ash Plan - Mankato Free Press
The City of Mankato (population 32,500) located in south central Minnesota is considering replacing and removing the ash along public roads over many years rather than face the prospect of all of them dying over a few years from an emerald ash borer infestation. The $1.35 million price tag is daunting.
Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic Update
What plant diseases are appearing within Wisconsin landscapes? The UW-Extension/Madison Plant Disease Diagnostic Clinic (PDDC) receives many plant samples from around the state. The following diseases/disorders have been identified at the PDDC since June 17, 2009:
i-Tree Newsletter - June, 2009
The June edition of the i-Tree Newsletter, your link to all i-Tree related news and updates is now available. The newsletter also provides details on upgrading to i-Tree version 3.0 which is now available.
Trees for Healthy Homes Award - Deadline Sept. 1, 2009
Trees for Healthy Homes is a national honor given by the Alliance for Community Trees. The award recognizes cities and counties for improving the environmental health and livability of affordable housing through investments in trees and community forest stewardship. The goal of the award is to recognize and promote the utilization of trees as a strategic tool to improve the health of low-income residents' home environment
Healthy Homes Award [Exit DNR]
Kodak American Greenways Program -Deadline July 15, 2009
Eastman Kodak Company, the National Geographic Society, and The Conservation Fund are the partners in the Kodak American Greenways Program, an annual program that recognizes outstanding individuals and organizations for exemplary leadership in the enhancement of our nation’s outdoor heritage. The program was established in response to the recommendation from the President's Commission on Americans Outdoors that a national network of greenways be created.
The program also provides small grants to land trusts, watershed organizations, local governments and others seeking to create or enhance greenways in communities throughout America.
Kodak Greenways Program [Exit DNR]
Help Your Campus Become a Tree Campus USA
Help your campus become part of the Tree Campus USA program… and your campus could be selected to host a tree planting event! The Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota want to add trees to college and university campus communities across the country. You are invited to apply for a tree planting event for your campus. This event will provide students the opportunity to participate in a large tree planting on campus. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to gain national recognition while adding trees to your campus.
Maryland Tree Registry & Tree Benefits Calculator
Join the Urban Natural Resources Institute for an informational Webcast, scheduled for July 15th at 10:00 AM Central (11:00 AM Eastern), featuring the Maryland Tree Registry and Aggregating Tree Benefits Calculator, developed by the MD-DNR and its partners. The tree registry enables Maryland residents to register multiple trees and aggregate their collective benefits using real time, locally generated costs. Data related to registered trees will be used to help Maryland track tree planting efforts as citizens and communities work to meet the tree planting goal of 50,000 trees in 2011, and the tree planting goal of one million trees in 2050.
Becky Wilson, MD-DNR led the effort, working with Davey Trees and Forest Service partners, to modify the tree benefits calculator initially developed by Casey Trees and the Davey Institute. The new interactive web technology can be used to track tree planting, advocate for comprehensive tree management, empower citizens to plant more trees and help communities meet Urban Tree Canopy goals. They now have 7,000 data entries.
information on the Tools [Exit DNR]
For Connection and Log-in Information [Exit DNR]
Urban Landscaping- Part II: Tree Stock Webcast - July 16
The Alliance for Community Trees will be hosting the webcast, Urban Landscaping- Part II: Tree Stock on, July 16 from 12 noon to 1:00 PM CST. The informal training provides an opportunity for community forestry practitioners to learn about successful programs and how they can be adapted to their communities. The July webcast features Jim Urban, Jim Urban Associates (Annapolis, MD) and Sue Probart, Executive Director, Tree New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM)
Millions of dollars are spent each year designing, implementing, and maintaining urban landscapes. Urban landscaping presents unique challenges such as the physiological problem of plants growing in urban environments, working with municipalities to assess and manage their green infrastructure, developing technologies appropriate for city use, and caring for the environment through not only field work but also publications, websites, face-to-face meetings, and conferences. Yet the quality of life benefits of proper urban landscaping are dramatic. Problems can be avoided or reduced by utilizing sustainable landscape practices. By using BMPs, cities and towns can transform the urban forest into a rainwater mitigation asset and enable large tree growth. Tree stock selection goes a long way towards the long-term health and success of urban trees. Whether balled and burlap, containerized, or bareroot, it's the roots that suffer when trees are transplanted.
Urban Landscaping Webcast [Exit DNR]
Registration for TCI EXPO 2009 Available
TCI EXPO 2009, the world's largest Tree Care Industry Trade Show & Conference scheduled for Baltimore November 5 -7, 2009 is now accepting online registrations.
New EXPANDED programming features include:
- Over 60 hours of classroom education
- Earn up to 10 CEUs FREE on the trade show floor
- Pre-Conference workshops now take place Tuesday and Wednesday to accommodate five in-depth, interactive sessions on topics important to your business
- More opportunities to exchange ideas with your peers and industry leaders with FREE open forums and informal get-togethers
- More ways to SAVE - TCI EXPO has registration options to suit every need and budget.
- Save up to 40% on registration with Early Bird Discounts
- A NEW Friday-only pass includes all-day access to the trade show floor and all Friday seminars
- With Buy 4 Get One Free team discounts on trade show and Gold Card passes, it’s economical to bring your whole crew
- Check out the latest equipment and products from the biggest names in tree care.
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
