Click below to watch Minnesota DNR Forest Health Specialist Jana Albers’ May 2012 update on forest health threats in Minnesota:
Watch the May 2012 presentation now.
After watching, please fill in the quick 2012 feedback form.
About the presentation: This presentation, targeted to woodland owners but of interest to loggers and natural resource professionals as well, provides an up-to-date review of this year’s most pressing forest health threats and what landowners can do to stay on top of them. A wide variety of native and non-native insects and disease agents are all agents of change in the Minnesota woods. Their activity level and the consequences of their activity are, in many cases, influenced by drought, variable winter conditions, and other climate-related factors. Before this presentation, consider reading the April 2012 Forest Insect and Disease Newsletter and watching Jana’s 2011 forest health overview.
Links mentioned during the presentation:
- April 2012 Forest Insect & Disease Newsletter: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/
fid/ - Phenology means timing of seasonal development, like leaf-out, flower bloom dates, etc.
- More on current drought status in MN: http://climate.umn.edu/doc/
journal/drought_2012.htm - Lots more on oak wilt at http://z.umn.edu/oakwilt or http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/
treecare/forest_health/ oakwilt/index.html - A good source of information on many of the insects and diseases mentioned in the presentation is MN DNR’s forest health website: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/
treecare/forest_health/index. html - Different types of forest insects and how each affects forest trees: http://www.myminnesotawoods.umn.edu/2007/04/forest-health-insects/
- Foliage, stem, and branch diseases of trees: http://www.myminnesotawoods.umn.edu/2007/04/forest-health-foliage-stem-and-branch-diseases/
- Diseases and insect pests of Minnesota conifer trees: http://www.myminnesotawoods.umn.edu/2008/12/diseases-and-insect-pests-of-conifers-evergreen-trees-by-species/
- Diseases and insect pests of Minnesota deciduous trees: http://www.myminnesotawoods.umn.edu/2008/12/diseases-and-insect-pests-of-hardwoods-broadleaf-trees-by-species/
- More on spruce needle rust in Minnesota: http://www.extension.umn.edu/
distribution/horticulture/ M1265-3.html - More on gypsy moth in Minnesota: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/
invasives/terrestrialanimals/ gypsymoth/index.html - Gypsy moth website of MDA, MN’s lead agency on Gypsy moth: http://www.mda.state.mn.us/
gypsymoth - MDA is also experimenting with use of dogs to detect EAB outbreaks:http://www.mda.state.mn.us/en/
news/releases/2012/nr-2012-05- 07-dogs.aspx - Quick feedback on today’s presentation: http://z.umn.edu/2012wbnr2eval
In February 2011, Jana presented another hour-long webinar on forest health in Minnesota. This presentation complements the 2012 one nicely, as it provides more of a big-picture overview of different types of forest health threats, rather than the species-by-species view in the 2012 presentation.
Watch the February 2011 presentation now.
After watching, please fill in the quick evaluation form.
About the presentation: Minnesota DNR forest health specialist Jana Albers discusses forest health in Minnesota. Jana begins with a review of how insects and disease affect forests with examples from fire dependent and non-fire dependent forest communities in Minnesota. She discusses four types of native insects and disease, discusses how forest health has been and will be affected by a changing climate, and provides ecological context for some recent and ongoing insect and disease outbreaks.
Links mentioned during the presentation:
- Emerald ash borer in Minnesota: http://www.extension.umn.edu/issues/eab/
- Another good source of Minnesota EAB info: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialanimals/eab/index.html
- Good information about specific forest health threats in Minnesota: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fid/index.html and http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/treecare/forest_health/
- US Forest Service Climate Change Tree Atlas: http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/atlas/tree/tree_atlas.html
- Minnesota woodlands and climate change, including links, text, and a full webinar recording: http://z.umn.edu/MWCC
- Minnesota Forest Pest First Detector workshops: http://z.umn.edu/FPFD
- Good publication about Buckthorn control and management: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/woody/buckthorn/index.html, I usually recommend a Bush Killer herbicide with some % of Triclopyr. Always follow label directions. [Gary Wyatt, UMN Extension Educator in Mankato]
- Forest tent caterpillars (often called armyworms) can be treated on individual trees or shrubs. Good info on treatment options is at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/treecare/forest_health/ftc/index.html Scroll down a bit for control options. [Gary Wyatt:] Several insecticides are registered for controlling the forest tent caterpillar including the biological insecticide, Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki (Btk). Btk is a naturall-occurring bacteria effective against caterpillars that eat treated leaves. Btk has no effect on birds, people, other animals and most insects. Available at Nursery stores.
- Info on recommended trees for the north shore given climate change predictions is limited, but see the Galatowitsch et al reference at the end of http://z.umn.edu/MWCC (direct PDF link: http://www.cura.umn.edu/reporter/09-Fall-Wint/Galatowitsch_et_al.pdf )
- Recommended trees in MN by eco-region: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/naturalresources/M1277.html
- Japanese beetle control: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/dg7664.html
- Evaluation form link: http://z.umn.edu/ForestHealthEval
- Join us again for another UMN Extension woodland webinar. Details http://z.umn.edu/2011webinars
The instructor is Dr. Jana Albers, Northwest Region Forest Health Specialist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Jana is a major contributor to the Minnesota Forest Insect & Disease Newsletter. She knows Minnesota forest bugs and disease as well as anybody!
