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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July 17, 2009
Buckthorn Infestation
Photo by Elizabeth J. Czarapata
This issue's contents:
In the News
- American Clean Energy and Security Act
- Nitrogen and Invasive Plants
- Minneapolis Maintains the Tree Canopy
Specifically Wisconsin
- Draft Urban Forestry BMPs for Invasives Species - Deadline July 30, 2009
- Thousand Canker Disease of Black Walnut
- Tree Trimmer Killed in Elm Grove - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
- Man Killed by Falling Tree -Wisconsin Sate Journal
Emerald Ash Borer
- Dane County EAB Management Plan
- Cutbacks Impact Toledo Tree Removal
- They're Not Kites, They're Bug Traps -Wisconsin State Journal
Tools For Your Job
- Plant Disease Diagnostics Clinic Update
- Wisconsin Urban Forestry Newsletter Available Online
- Northeast Region Forest Pest Update - June
- UW WebSurvey on PDA use in Field Sciences
- Job Opportunity - Staff Forester -Texas Forest Service
- Barking Up the Right Tree
- LEED - Call for Ideas
Conferences & Seminars
American Clean Energy and Security Act
The United States House of Representatives, splitting largely along party lines, has approved the most ambitious energy and global warming legislation ever debated in Congress. H.R. 2454 contains two key urban forestry provisions, including Rep. Doris Matsui's Energy Conservation through Trees Act and Rep. Ed Perlmutter's GREEN Act.
Nitrogen and Invasive Plants
Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln gives important new information on how plants can change "nitrogen cycling" to gain nitrogen and how this allows plant species to invade and take over native plants.
Nitrogen and Invasive Plants [Exit DNR]
Minneapolis Maintains the Tree Canopy
Aging tree stumps disappearing, new dirt and grass appearing, boulevard trees planted and mulched, neighborhood list-serves sending out the word to residents “water the trees, it’s been such a dry season.” Bracing also for the Emerald Ash Borer attack, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s Forestry division workers, with residents’ help, are busy this year getting the city’s existing tree canopy refreshed with new tree plantings.
Minneapolis Tree Canopy [Exit DNR]
Draft Urban Forestry BMPs for Invasives Species - Deadline July 30, 2009
You still have time to participate in the online survey for the Draft Wisconsin’s Urban Forestry Best Management Practices for Invasive Species. The draft manual and survey will be posted for public comment through July 30th. Your comments and suggestions are vital in helping make these voluntary BMPs practical and effective. Once finalized, the BMPs will be posted on the Wisconsin Council on Forestry’s website.
Draft UF BMPs for Invasives [Exit DNR]
Thousand Canker Disease of Black Walnut
Todd Lanigan, WDNR Plant Pest & Disease Specialist in the West Central Region shares the following-- Thousand Canker Disease of Black Walnut is currently found only in the western states of; CA, AZ, NM, CO, UT, ID, WA, and OR. We are on the look out for it here in WI and fortunately so far it has not been found here. The following article will describe what to look for.
Thousand Canker Disease of Walnut [Exit DNR]
Tree Trimmer Killed in Elm Grove - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A 31-year-old Kenosha County man was killed in a tree pruning accident shortly before 10 a.m. Friday, July 10.
Tree Worker Fatality [Exit DNR]
ISA Tree Worker Safety Program [Exit DNR]
Man Killed by Falling Tree - Wisconsin Sate Journal
A New Glarus, WI man was killed instantly when a large part of a tree fell on his car as he was driving through strong winds in the village of Oregon.
USFS Hazard Tree Webpage [Exit DNR]
Dane County EAB Management Plan
Dane County Parks has completed an EAB and Wood Utilization Strategic Management Plan which will work to reduce the environmental impacts of EAB within Dane County, mitigate the potential economic and social costs associated with control efforts and damage, and find ways to put wood formerly considered “waste” to positive and profitable use.
Cutbacks Impact Toledo Tree Removal
Cutbacks are having an impact on Toledo's tree cutting operation. Hundreds of dead trees likely won't be cut this year. The city tree cutting team is down about 30 percent. The commissioner of Toledo's forestry department says his hands are tied. City crews are cutting 40 hours a week, but there are still more than 2,700 dying trees on city streets that need to be cut.
Toledo Tree Removal [Exit DNR]
They're Not Kites, They're Bug Traps -Wisconsin State Journal
If you spend much time driving in rural Wisconsin this summer you’ll likely see something resembling a purple box kite hanging in an ash tree along the road. Don’t worry. It doesn’t mean some Minnesota kid lost his Vikings kite — and you won’t have to feel guilty about declining to retrieve it for him.
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:
Wisconsin Urban Forestry Newsletter Available Online
The Summer 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 Beaver Dam, data from the USDA Forest Service survey of Wisconsin's street trees, tree profile on scarlet oak, Urban Forestry Council awards, Arbor Day celebrations around the state and much, much more.
Northeast Region Forest Pest Update - June
The latest pest update by DNR Forest Health Specialist Linda Williams. Topics include:
- Insects:
- Arborvitae Sawfly
- Ash Leaf Galls
- Beech Bark Disease in UP
- Emerald Ash Borer
- EAB in Michigan
- European Elm Flea Weevil
- Gouty Oak Gall
- Gypsy Moth
- Mourning Cloak Butterfly
- Oak Spittlebug
- Oak Timberworm
- Pine Spittlebug
- Yellowheaded Spruce Sawfly
- Diseases:
- Annosum in Shawano County
- Anthracnose
- Dutch Elm Disease
- Pine Needle Rust
- Other:
- Leprechaun Ash
UW WebSurvey on PDA use in Field Sciences
The UW Center for Biology Education would greatly appreciate your assistance in distributing this very brief survey to foresters and natural resource professionals. This survey is assessing what types of PDAs (handheld computing devices) are being used by science and natural resource professionals and educators. We are doing this to be able to format the updated and expanded version of the "Key to Wisconsin Woody Plants for the iPod", first created two years ago, to today's most popular models of PDA. It would also be very helpful if you would forward this survey to anyone you know that uses a handheld computing device for their field work.
Here is the link to the survey. It should not take longer than 5 minutes to complete.
Job Opportunity - Staff Forester -Texas Forest Service
Hurricane Ike’s salty storm surge has killed over 40,000 trees on Galveston Island and the Texas Forest Service has a temporary position to work with the City of Galveston to recover from this catastrophe.
Texas Forest Service [Exit DNR]
Barking Up the Right Tree
The Montana legislature designated the UM campus as the state’s official arboretum in 1991. UM’s College of Forestry and Conservation maintains a database of all of the trees that make up the arboretum. Where there is data, IT web developer Jamie Robertson sees a layer to the new UM campus map.
University of Montana Arboretum Campus Map [Exit DNR]
LEED - Call for Ideas
LEED (an internationally recognized green building certification system) is seeking input and ideas. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) invites the public to participate in a LEED Call for Ideas. This call is meant to provide a way for new ideas to be brought forward to help inform improvement to the LEED rating system. USGBC is looking for input on improving existing technical criteria, proposals for new credits and feedback on LEED's overall effectiveness and rigor. Comments regarding LEED's delivery model, certification process, pricing, etc., will not be considered as USGBC is looking for feedback specific to the technical requirements of the LEED rating system.
The Call for Ideas will take place from Monday, July 13 until Friday, August 7, 2009. Visit their site and access the survey to add your ideas.
LEED-Call for Ideas [Exit DNR]
Estate Planning for Forest Landowners
Partners in Forestry Landowner Cooperative will be hosting a program addressing estate planning for forest landowners on August 1, from 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM at Trees for Tomorrow in Eagle River, WI. The meeting will feature three expert speakers who will emphasize different aspects of this central issue. The day opens with Carol Nielsen, a longtime member of the Wisconsin DNR division of forestry. Carol will frame the results of the recently-released “Offspring” Study, an investigation on how Wisconsin’s woodlands are poised to be passed on to the next generation.
Estate Planning for Forest Landowners [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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