Additional burning restriction
in place in portions of Wisconsin
Wildfire danger levels remain high
across much of the state
MADISON – Additional
restrictions on outdoor burning became effective as of July 19
in portions of Wisconsin, as much of the state continues to
experience drought conditions and unusually high wild fire
danger levels for mid July.
Department of Natural Resources
forestry officials have reinstated burning permit requirements
that had lapsed on June 1 for the
DNR fire protection portions of Columbia, Crawford, Dane,
Grant, Green Lake, Iowa, Marquette, Oconto, Portage, Richland,
Sauk, Waupaca and Waushara counties. The
order (Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® is needed to view and print
this portable document format (PDF) file. To download Adobe
Acrobat for free, please see the
DNR Download Page.)
was signed by Chief State Forester, Paul DeLong, effective at
12:01 a.m., July 19. A map of the area is available on the DNR
Web site.
Anyone intending to do outdoor
burning in these counties must now obtain a burning permit.
Permits in the above counties will be considered on a case by
case basis by the local forestry officials. The order will be
effective until conditions change.
“This is a proactive step that
will allow area foresters to better manage wildfire risks,” said
Trent Marty, chief of the DNR Bureau of Forest Protection.
“Control and restriction of burning permits in vulnerable areas
is an intermediate step we’re taking at this time. If dry
conditions continue, the next step is implementing emergency
fire regulations that would ban outdoor fires. This would
include smoking outside of residences and vehicles, along with
campfires outside of improved commercial and public
campgrounds.”
Outdoor burning permits
continue to be banned in the state’s intensive fire protection
areas of Adams, Juneau, Wood, Eau Claire, Clark, Jackson,
Monroe, Marinette and northern Oconto counties.
Camping and cooking fires are
still allowed in state forest and state park campgrounds but
people should not leave any active outdoor fire unattended under
any circumstances at this time.
To date, the DNR has recorded
1,186 fires burning 5,233 acres this season compared to 889
fires burning 2,019 acres by this time in 2004 in those areas
under DNR primary fire control responsibility.
Human activity is the main
cause of about 95 percent of wildfires in Wisconsin according to
Marty. Debris burning, fireworks and equipment, chainsaws, ATVs
and vehicles contribute significantly to fire ignitions during
drought periods like Wisconsin is currently experiencing.
Moisture content of potential
fuels are approaching record lows for this time of year,
officials say. While debris fires are historically the number
one cause of fires in Wisconsin, firefighters are responding to
numerous fireworks-caused fires this year.
In many areas of Wisconsin,
known as the Cooperative Protection Area, mainly along the Lake
Michigan shoreline across large portions of the south and in the
west, local authorities have primary responsibility for wildfire
control. In these areas, Marty suggests that folks contact local
fire departments to learn of fire danger and any restrictions.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Trent Marty - (608) 266-7978
New Aug. 1 deadline
approaching for fall hunting permits
Hunter’s Choice deer, fall turkey,
Horicon, Collins zone goose, sharp-tailed grouse, and otter,
fisher & bobcat all have new application deadline
MADISON -- The new deadline for
sportsmen and women to apply for a variety of fall hunting
opportunities is rapidly approaching and state wildlife
officials are cautioning people to be careful not to miss the
new application deadline so they can enjoy all their favorite
fall hunting activities.
The deadline to apply for
Hunter’s Choice white-tailed deer hunting permits, fall turkey
hunting permits, Horicon and Collins zone Canada goose hunting
permits, sharp-tailed grouse hunting permits, and otter, fisher
and bobcat hunting or trapping permits have all been
consolidated to August 1 each year. Previously the application
deadlines for these fall hunting permits from the Department of
Natural Resources fell on different dates.
“It's important to us that
people don't miss their favorite hunting season!” says Diane
Brookbank, director of the DNR Bureau of Customer Service and
Licensing. “That's why we are working to make sure hunters and
trappers are aware of this earlier deadline. Consolidating the
deadline will help us keep costs down, is less confusing than
multiple deadlines and ultimately will help us better serve our
customers -- but it's only an improvement if people know when to
apply and if they have the permits they need when it's time to
hunt.”
Hunter’s Choice permits, which
allow hunters to harvest a deer of either sex during gun seasons
in designated units, are available in 53 DMUs and 9 state park
units. The
application form and map (Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® is needed
to view and print this portable document format (PDF) file. To
download Adobe Acrobat for free, please see the
DNR Download Page.)is
available on the DNR Web site. Hunters should not apply for
Hunter’s Choice Permits for Zone T, Chronic Wasting Disease or
Mississippi River Block units. Hunters will receive a free
Antlerless Deer Carcass Tag along with the purchase of a deer
hunting license that can be used in any Zone T or CWD unit.
There are 85,400 permits
available for the fall 2005 wild turkey season that runs in one
continuous season from Oct. 1 through Nov. 9. There will be 780
permits available for the fall 2005 sharp-tailed grouse hunting
season, which runs from Oct. 15 through Nov. 6. Horicon or
Collins Zones Canada goose harvest tags changes each year based
on annual population survey data. Permit numbers and season
frameworks will be available next month.
The easiest and most convenient
way to apply for any of these permits is
online
through the DNR Web site. Applying online offers customers
the ability to submit their application choices and immediately
receive a printable confirmation stating that the application
was received. Customers can also pay the $3 application fee
through the Web site by clicking on the link for licenses,
permits and registration and following the prompts.
For those customers who prefer
not to use the Internet for such transactions, completed paper
applications can be submitted through the mail. Applications can
be picked up and the $3 fee paid at DNR service centers and
license agent locations throughout the state.
Hunters must pay the $3
application fee for each species permit.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: on
Hunter’s Choice permits - Brad Koele - (608) 261-7589; on fall
turkey or sharp-tailed grouse Andrea Mezera - (608) 261-8458; on
waterfowl - Kent Van Horn - (608) 266-8841; - on otter, fisher
and bobcat - John Olson (715) 685-2934;on license sales - DNR
Customer Service - (608) 266-2621
Highly invasive spotted
knapweed is now flowering
MADISON -- Spotted knapweed --
an invasive plant that poses a major threat to many of
Wisconsin’s natural areas because it displaces native prairie,
oak and pine barren, dune and sandy ridge species -- is now
flowering, which makes it easier to identify and remove. The
plant’s flowering season usually continues through August.
Spotted knapweed (Centaurea
maculosa) has a thistle-like purple flower and is usually 2 to 4
feet tall. It has small rough pale green alternate leaves and
rough erect stems, which have numerous pink to light purple
flowers at the end of each stem.
Spotted knapweed has been
reported in most of Wisconsin’s counties, according to Kelly
Kearns, a plant biologist with the Department of Natural
Resources.
“Until recently, spotted
knapweed was found to inhabit only heavily disturbed areas in
Wisconsin such as road ditches, agricultural field margins,
railroad beds, pipelines, and utility lines,” Kearns says. “But
recently, the species has invaded relatively undisturbed natural
areas in Wisconsin -- such as dry prairie sites, oak and pine
barrens, and lake dunes and sandy ridges --as well as heavily
disturbed sites.”
The extent of the invasion and
the communities potentially affected are not well known, she
says, but the plant seems to be especially problematic in the
central sands, northern Wisconsin, and near the Great Lakes.
Spotted knapweed reproduces by
distributing enormous amounts of seeds every season. About three
weeks after each plant has flowered, seed heads mature and
release an average of 1,000 seeds per plant, which can remain
viable for five or more years in the soil. The seeds are brown
in color and about a quarter of an inch long with a small tuft
of bristles at one end which assist wind dispersal.
Another disturbing fact about
spotted knapweed is the recent study of toxins that it releases
through its roots that prevent competing plants to grow in its
vicinity. This allelopathic chemical can kill native plants that
grow in the habitats that are invaded by spotted knapweed in as
short as a few days. The toxin has been found to be produced in
even higher quantities in the presence of certain fungi that are
found in the soil of many of the invaded habitats.
The control of spotted knapweed
is an important issue for Wisconsin, and Kearns emphasizes that
“prevention is extremely important—this plant spreads readily in
hay and on vehicle undercarriages. Caution is also necessary
when using hay from the road ditches of primary roadways, or hay
purchased from known infested areas.”
Spotted knapweed likely arrived
in North America at the beginning of the 20th century, as a
contaminant in hay or seed that came from Europe.
“The most effective control is
early detection and removal of pioneering plants,” Kearns says.
“Digging or pulling can remove small populations. This is best
done when the soil is moist. The entire root should be removed.
Mowing has not been successful in eliminating knapweed--plants
merely reflower at a lower height. However, mowing just prior to
flowering can reduce the amount of seed produced.”
People should wear gloves when
digging or pulling spotted knapweed, as its rough stems and
leaves can leave tiny, irritating bristles in the skin.
Prescribed burns can also be effective in reducing a large,
established population of spotted knapweed, but the burns must
be very intense to be effective.
Kearns says chemical controls
are an effective means of eliminating spotted knapweed, but they
may also have adverse consequences. A 3 percent active
ingredient (a.i.) solution of triclopyr in the water-soluble
formulation with dye can be sprayed on the basal rosette or the
entire plant prior to flowering. This application should be
repeated several times per year for at least two years.
Triclopyr will not affect grasses. Kearns does not recommend
these chemicals for use on quality natural areas, but they may
be appropriate on roadsides and other highly disturbed areas.
More information on spotted
knapweed, other invasive
species and a photo gallery can be found on the DNR Web
site.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kelly Kearns (608) 267-5066
Signs of oak wilt appearing in
Wisconsin
MADISON – The summer’s first
signs of
oak wilt, an often fatal fungal disease of oak trees,
especially red oaks, have begun to appear in infected trees in a
number of Wisconsin communities including Eau Claire, Green Bay,
Lacrosse, Madison, and numerous others. The disease is commonly
found in the southern two-thirds of Wisconsin.
Tree health experts with the
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources define oak wilt as a
fungal disease that plugs the water and nutrient conducting
channels in the tree. Once a tree is infected, water and stored
nutrients can’t move upward from the root system, causing the
tree’s leaves to wilt and fall.
“The first symptoms of oak wilt
are branches with wilted leaves and leaves on the ground in
summer,” said Kyoko Scanlon, DNR forest health specialist in
Fitchburg. “These are not the brown, dry leaves you’d find in
the fall. These leaves are partially green or bronze-green in
the center and are not completely dry.”
Wilting occurs most commonly in
July and August, and occasionally in the spring or fall.
Landowners who have an oak tree
that is rapidly losing its leaves may want to have the tree
examined for oak wilt either by a certified arborist or local
forester. A sample could also be sent in for a laboratory test.
Oaks in the red oak group
(those with pointed leaf tips) are particularly vulnerable to
this disease. Once symptoms become visible, a tree loses most of
the leaves and dies very quickly, often within a few weeks.
“In an urban setting, losing a
single tree can be upsetting,” Scanlon said. “But probably the
most urgent need is to take steps to protect any remaining
nearby oaks on the property from the disease.”
Most of the time, oak wilt
spreads from one oak to another through root grafts between
neighboring trees. Removing a diseased or dead tree typically
will not be enough to stop oak wilt and in some cases may even
increase the rate of spread. A certified arborist or forester
can help determine the best way to remove the dying tree and
stop the spread of the disease. This often requires specialized
equipment to sever the root system in the surrounding area prior
to tree removal.
“There are also fungicide
treatments available,” says Scanlon. “But fungicides are most
effective as a preventative and repeated applications are
needed.”
Foresters estimate that nearly
a fifth of oak wilt spread is due to insects carrying fungus
spores to healthy trees that have been recently pruned or
suffered some kind of wound. One way to help prevent the spread
of oak wilt through insects is to stop pruning oaks altogether
from mid-April to July or at least to be very cautious with
pruning from March to October.
Developers and builders in
wooded areas should be especially cautious as oak wilt is known
to begin and spread in areas during home construction if trucks
and heavy equipment bump into trees, causing wounds to develop.
Another important approach to
prevent a new infection from starting is to avoid moving
infected wood. After the oak wilt fungus kills a tree, fungal
mats develop under the bark. This typically happens the
following spring after the tree is killed. By moving infected
wood, such as firewood with bark attached, the oak wilt fungus
can be carried to a previously oak wilt free site.
“If diseased wood is to be used
for firewood it should be covered “air tight” with clear plastic
for a full growing season before the wood is left in the open
for better drying or burning,” Scanlon said.
To send in a wood sample to
test for oak wilt:
- Cut a branch that is ½
inch diameter and four to six inches in length
- Take samples from three
separate branches that have wilting leaves
- Samples must have live
tissue. If the wood under the bark is brown or dark, it’s
too old
- Place samples in a plastic
bag and box them for shipment
- There is a $15 charge for
the service
Send the samples to: Plant
Disease Diagnostics Clinic, Department of Plant Pathology,
University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI
53706-1598
More information about
oak wilt biology and management can be found on the DNR Web
site.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kyoko Scanlon - (608) 275-3275
