Help guide Extension programming UMN Extension is
looking for participants to complete a survey to better understand what Minnesotans know and feel about deer in their community and woodlands. Your responses will help in developing an Extension program that will assess the impacts to forest vegetation by white-tailed deer in Minnesota. If you are interested in what influence deer have on your local woodlands please help us by filling out this survey.
Upcoming webinar on ecological forestry Ecological forestry has many definitions but at its simplest it is balancing the need for the extraction of forest products and natural stand and disturbance dynamics. Increasingly, foresters and natural resource managers have to balance multiple objectives when developing silvicultural prescriptions. Join us on Tuesday, August 15 when UMN Department of Forest Resources professor Marcella Windmuller-Campione discusses how natural resource managers can use ecological forestry to develop silvicultural prescription to increase overall forest health.
Changing ash forests: How are wildlife impacted?
A little green bug has potential to cause quite a bother in Minnesota when it comes to our ash trees. This pest, the emerald ash borer (EAB), is an invasive insect from Asia. With nearly 1 billion green, black and white ash trees in our forests, the products, beauty, and habitat they provide will be greatly affected. As habitats change, some wildlife will "win" and some "lose". So what's a landowner with ash trees to do?
The four-toed salamander: tougher than a dinosaur
In Minnesota, the four-toed salamander is listed as a species of special concern due to its tendency to occur in small isolated colonies and thus be vulnerable to catastrophic events or drastic habitat changes. To give these cool creatures a hand, forest landowners that know or think they may be providing a home for them or other salamanders can help by using some key conservation actions.
Oak wilt in Minnesota: low risk period
As of July 17, the state of Minnesota has transitioned into a low risk period for oak wilt. Oaks may become infected during this time, but the probability is very low. It is still best to delay pruning of the oaks until later this fall, or to quickly seal the any pruning wounds with shellac or paint. Next update is expected November 1, 2017.
July hail storms impacted pine trees in Washington County, but they will likely survive
Many pine trees have been affected by Diplodia, a fungal disease, following hail storms in northern Washington County on July 12. Minnesota DNR foresters say that most mature pine trees will survive, but landowners may remove severely injured trees later this fall or winter.
UPCOMING EVENTS
AUGUST 15 - Ecological Forestry to Promote Healthy Forests (Online)
Learn how natural resource managers can use ecological forestry to increase forest health.
AUGUST 23 - Worm Watchers Training (Duluth, MN)
Learn about earthworm biology and the Great Lakes Worm Watch, and gain hands-on practice with data collection activities.
A complete listing of events can be found on our
Events Calendar.
