|
| The Forest
Health Protection Unit and Regional Forest Pest Specialists provided a wide
variety of programs and information on forest pests, and continued to teach
integrated pest management principles to DNR foresters, industrial foresters,
and private woodland owners. Pine pest management was the focus of training
this year. Maintaining forest health in northern hardwoods was the focus of
logger training, in cooperation with the Forest Industry Safety Training
Alliance (FISTA). Insect and disease detection and evaluation surveys were
conducted on approximately 13 million acres. |
| The Resource Forests are important to the economy of Wisconsin, not only in the form of wood products, but also  in the form
of recreation and tourism. The primary and secondary wood products industry
is the second largest employer in the state and puts Wisconsin first in
the nation in the production of fine paper, sanitary paper products, children’s
furniture, and millwork. The value of shipment of these products annually
exceeds $19.7 billion. Forest and water resources in Wisconsin are a primary
tourism attraction for both residents and visitors. The variety of Wisconsin’s
forest ecosystems support a great diversity of wildlife species, while
recreational use of the forests continues to grow and expand.The area of forestland in Wisconsin has been steadily increasing in recent decades and currently stands at almost 16.0 million acres, representing 46 percent of the total land area. The state now has the most forest land that it has had at any time since the first forest inventory in 1936. Wisconsin’s forests are predominately hardwoods, with 84 percent of the total timberland area classified as hardwood forest types. The primary hardwood forest type in the state is maple-basswood, which makes up 5.3 million acres (34%) of Wisconsin’s timberland area. Conifer types represent 16 percent of the total timberland area (pine forests - 8%, spruce-fir - 6%, and swamp conifers - 2%). |
| Special Issues Gypsy Moth The Wisconsin Cooperative Gypsy Moth Program continued another year of rapid growth, as the 
number of participating counties is expected to grow from 2
in 2000-02 to 9 in 2001-02 to 17 or 18 in the 2002-03 program year. Several
counties in central and southcentral Wisconsin are now participating in the
suppression program. Likewise, the number of acres treated by both the DNR
suppression program and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and
Consumer Protection (DATCP) slow the spread program increased dramatically. DNR
spraying increased from approximately 1,400 acres in 2001 to 6,000 acres in
2002, and is currently anticipated at 20,000 acres in 2003. Spraying done
through the DNR suppression program cost $23.85 per acre before cost sharing.
Patches of defoliation greater than 5 acres were seen in twelve counties
(including new defoliation in central and southern Wisconsin), with the largest
being 33,000 acres in Marinette County. In 2001 statewide defoliation was
approximately 3,000 acres, nearly all of which was in Marinette County.
Defoliation in Marinette County is expected to be greater in 2003, and will
mostly occur in the areas surrounding those that experienced defoliation and
population collapse in 2002. Based on forest cover types and typical population
increases, the central portion of the state can expect widespread defoliation
comparable to what occurred in Marinette County this year.  Approximately
330,000 acres were treated by DATCP as part of the national slow-the-spread
program. This included 310,000 acres treated with pheromone flakes and 20,000
acres treated with Bt. In 2001 approximately 175,000 acres were treated under
this program. Pheromone trapping by DATCP trapped approximately 630,000 moths
this year, compared to 380,000 in 2001 (a 67% increase). Eight additional
counties were placed under quarantine, bringing the total to 32. The State’s gypsy moth education program also grew. Several new color brochures were printed and distributed, and a DNR-UW Extension website was created. In addition, Governor McCallum declared October 6-12 to be ‘Gypsy Moth Awareness Week’ in Wisconsin. Television and radio stories and newspaper articles appeared in the media, mainly in Marinette, Peshtigo, Green Bay, Appleton, and Milwaukee. |
Hardwood Pests
widespread on Bur and White oak A leaf disease caused by the fungus Tubakia dryina, has recently been observed infecting bur and white oak throughout southern Wisconsin. Bur oaks are more commonly infected; white oaks  are only
occasionally infected. This disease has been observed on an annual basis
for many decades but has increased in incidence and severity during the
last 3 years.Infected bur oaks have been observed throughout southern Wisconsin and as far north as Portage County. Syptoms first appear in late July and consist of small, necrotic spots on leaves in the lower crown. Throughout August, spots expand, coalesce, and can eventually turn the whole leaf brown. Infected trees often have full crowns of shriveled, necrotic leaves in midlate August. Bur oaks on a wide variety of sites and of all ages have been infected. Bur oaks that are already under stress from drought or compaction are showing signs of dieback. Samples collected from declining trees have revealed the presence of the two-lined chestnut borer. If these high levels of infection continue, further pressure by the two-lined chestnut borer is expected which could lead to mortality. |
Conifer Pests Red Pine Pocket Decline Red pine pocket decline was first reported in Wisconsin in 1975 but was a relatively insignificant problem until about 5 years ago.. This disease is actually a complex involving several species of root and lower stem-feeding insects along with their fungal symbiants. A sequence of events is initiated which creates circumscribed areas or “pockets” of progressive mortality of one to several trees  (Figure 1). In 2001, the staff
of Forest Health Protection initiated a multi-year study of red pine pocket
decline. The objectives were 1) to determine geographic differences in disease
incidence and severity, 2) to investigate site or stand characteristics or past
management practices which might be correlated with disease incidence, and 3)
to develop from this analysis, silvicultural guidelines which would help
prevent pocket formation and/or limit expansion of already established
pockets.The incidence of red pine pocket decline observed in this study was fairly high. Figure 2 shows the location of surveyed stands and the number of pockets per stand. Over two-thirds (109) of 157 surveyed stands had at least 1 pocket. However, the number of pockets per stand was small in most cases and most pockets had few symptomatic trees, over one-third having fewer than 6. On the other hand, there were several stands with a large number of pockets, over 1 pocket for every 2 acres surveyed and where pockets were fairly large, averaging between 1 and 2 percent of all red pine in these stands. This wide variation suggests either that pocket decline is worse on some sites and self-limiting on others or that it is just beginning to show up in many red pine stands throughout the state and that these small pockets may expand rapidly in the near future.  As for geographic distribution, there
does seem to be an important difference in disease incidence and severity
between northern and southern Wisconsin. The number of pockets, as well
as the average and maximum size of pockets per stand is lower in northern
Wisconsin A very important finding of this survey was the cooccurrence
of red turpentine beetle (Dendroctonus valens)
and Leptographium spp. in the vast majority of pockets.
D. valens and L. terebrantis
may play an aggressive role in pocket expansion and possibly in pocket
initiation. Thinning of stands may play a role in this disease. For instance,
a primary feeding site for these beetles is freshly cut stumps as well
as healthy trees nearby. We noticed in this survey that pockets were almost
nonexistent in unthinned stands. We also observed very high numbers of
D. valens in recently thinned stands surveyed during the period of beetle
flight in late spring. These observations point to the possible role of
thinning and the time of year in which a stand is thinned in pocket formation.
Two more years of investigation are planned. Annosum
Root Rot Update 2002As part of a random survey of pine plantations for “Red Pine Pocket Decline”, annosum root rot (Heterobasidion annosum) was confirmed in six new counties in Wisconsin in 2002. The new counties were Buffalo, Green, La Crosse, Marquette, Trempealeau, and Walworth. This brings the total to ten counties confirmed with this root rot disease. In this random survey, 6 stands out of 157 stands (3.8%) surveyed were found infected with annosum root rot. This survey offers baseline data regarding the frequency in which annosum infections are currently being detected. Outplanting survey A joint effort by DNR forest health and nursery personnel was undertaken to survey the survival rate of outplanted red pine. Twenty thousand seedlings on 49 sites were surveyed. Data collected included percent survival, site prep and planting method. Observations were made in the field and laboratory to determine possible causes of seedlings mortality.  In early July, mortality ranged from 0 to 57%. Factors affecting the survival of outplanted seedlings were numerous and included the following: poor planting (too deep, too loose in soil); severe root pruning; wet, heavy soil; heavy weed competition; poor care of seedlings between lifting and planting; Sphaeropsis collar rot and below average precipitation. A full report on this survey will be presented in the annual report. Efforts to continue outplanting surveys on an annual basis and address factors causing mortality are underway. Weather Damage A Resurvey of Hail Damage This summer marked the third year in a follow-up survey of tree damage following a major hail storm in May of 2000 (Manitowoc & Waushara counties) and August of 2000 (Douglas County). In Manitowoc County, the lowland silver maple – ash stand which had been clearcut after the storm continued to show more than adequate regeneration of both silver maple and ash, whereas the selectively cut lowland stand continued to show lack of silver maple and very poor regeneration of ash. Overstory trees on both the lowland and hardwood sites showed an average 30% increase in crown dieback but a similar decrease in transparency. Apparently most new growth was concentrated on the few healthy branches with badly damaged limbs dying off. Only 1 in 30 trees had died on the lowland plot and 2 of 30 had died on the hardwood site. In a Waushara County red and white pine stand, tree health improved dramatically. Lateral branches had taken over in 92% of trees with dead leaders in 2001. Height growth had improved significantly as well, about 66% higher overall with an increase of over 230% for white pine. Dieback, which had averaged about 40% in 2000 and 25% in 2001, was down to about 15% this year. This stand seems to have recovered quite well. |
 |
In Douglas County, much of the damaged area was harvested . A sawtimber aspen stand where we are following the health of 100 trees, showed continued improvement, with an average 20% decrease in crown damage severity. The mortality rate was up from 1% in 2001 to 4% this year. |
| Wisconsin DNR Forest Health Protection |
| Northern Region Kyoko Scanlon, Forest Pest Specialist Rhinelander 715-365-8934 Kyoko.Scanlon@dnr.state.wi.us Shane Weber, Forest Entomologist Spooner 715-635-4156 Shane.Weber@dnr.state.wi.us Northeast Region Linda Williams Forest Health Specialist Green Bay 920-492-5872 Linda.Williams@dnr.state.wi.us Bill McNee Gypsy Moth Supression Coordinator Green Bay 920-492-5930 Bill.McNee@dnr.state.wi.us Southeast Region John Kyhl Forest Entomologist Gypsy Moth Supression Coordinator Milwaukee 414-263-8744 John.Kyhl@dnr.state.wi.us West Central Region Todd Lanigan Forest Pest Specialist Eau Claire 715-839-1632 Todd.Lanigan@dnr.state.wi.us |
Statewide Jane Cummings Carlson, Forest Pathologist Fitchburg 608-275-3273 Jane.Cummings-Carlson@dnr.state.wi.us Andrea Diss Gypsy Moth Program Coordinator Madison 608-264-9247 Andrea.Diss@dnr.state.wi.us Mark Guthmiller, Forest Health Technician Gypsy Moth Supression Coordinator Fitchburg 608-275-3223 Mark.Guthmiller@dnr.state.wi.us Sally Dahir, Forest Health Technician Fitchburg 608-275-3319 Sally.Dahir@dnr.state.wi.us  |
| For more information contact: | |||
| Gene Francisco, State Forester DNR Division of Forestry P.O. Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707 (608) 266-2694 |
 |
Forest Health
Protection USDA Forest Service 1992 Folwell Avenue St. Paul, MN 55108 (651) 649-5261 |
 |
| Updated: December 2001 | |||
|
||||||||||||||||
Ash
yellows, caused by a phytoplasma, was confirmed in white ash on the
Chippewa County forest. This disease is typically more common in urban
settings or in woodlots bordering agricultural fields. Confirmation
of infection was based on the presence of brooms along the lower portion
of infected trees’ stems.
Oak Wilt
defoliation was
severe in some newly infested areas. The caterpillar feeds on a variety
of deciduous trees and shrubs, although it prefers aspen, oak, and birch.
