News

With fire season still lingering in the north, the DNR has reported 53 structures destroyed by wildfires so far this year. The good news is, 439 were also threatened yet saved with firefighter assistance. To find out if your home or cabin is a high wildfire risk area, ask yourself these questions: Is your place surrounded by oak or pine trees? Are your rain gutters full of pine needles?

MADISON – Black bears have begun to emerge from their dens throughout Wisconsin and homeowners are encouraged to take precautions to avoid potential conflicts. Black bears normally avoid contact with people, but when food sources are available bears can quickly learn to associate humans with food. “Bear are opportunistic feeders and will take advantage of available food sources,” said Brad Koele, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wildlife damage specialist.

Wisconsin bats continue to be hit hard by white-nose syndrome (WNS).  All 60 survey sites visited by conservation biologists in winter 2018 showed signs of infection.  A 99 percent decrease from historic averages at the first documented infection site; a 92 percent drop at sites in their fourth year of infection, and an 85 percent drop at sites in their third year of infection were documented.

The Wisconsin First Detector Network (WIFDN) is a citizen science network that empowers people to take action against invasive species through invasive species monitoring, management, and outreach. WIFDN provides training and resources through a combination of webinars, instructional videos, and hands-on workshops, in addition to providing volunteer opportunities to citizen scientists. Click here to get to their website.

MADISON – Farmers and land managers planting conservation seed mixes should be on the lookout for an aggressively invasive weed called Palmer amaranth, state plant protection officials say. In addition, anyone packing and labeling such seeds must take steps to avoid contaminating the mixes with Palmer amaranth.

Help us get the word out about the sustainable forestry community! We have a new poster available to help promote WWOA and the local chapters. Do you know a local business or hangout with a pubic bulletin board? Consider hanging up a poster in your community to let others know about WWOA. Some suggested locations include libraries, municipal buildings, grocery stores, implement dealers, and restaurants. The posters are printed in color on sturdy cardstock.

This year’s cool spring weather has caused people to wonder if the oak harvesting restrictions that usually begin on April 1 (south of the tension zone) or April 15 (north of the tension zone) might be pushed back due to unusually cold temperatures. The simple answer is no. Even during unusually cold springs, consistent messages about preventing the spread of oak wilt disease apply – “Stop pruning in April” and “Avoid harvesting in April (south of the tension zone)”.

As the weather warms and people spend more time outside, the frequency of human-wildlife encounters increases. A number of these encounters will no doubt involve young wild animals. Most such interactions are harmless. However, sometimes well-intentioned people interfere with young wildlife because they incorrectly assume a young animal is orphaned. Most wild mothers watch their young from a distance, and what you think is an abandoned young animal may be perfectly fine.

Creating a forest begins long before and continues long after you plant your trees. The guide will take you through the steps needed for the successful establishment of a woodlot, starting with developing a plan for the site through tree planting and maintenance of the stand. Click here for the publication.

MADISON – The entire state of Wisconsin will be placed under quarantine for emerald ash borer, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection announced today. The quarantine will be effective Friday, March 30. Until now, quarantines have been imposed county by county, but now that EAB is in 48 of the state’s 72 counties, officials have decided a statewide quarantine is warranted. However, they still discourage moving firewood within the state.