The Wexford Conservation District has received a grant to provide forestry technical assistance to landowners in Wexford and Missaukee Counties. To learn more about services provided through this grant, please explore our other forestry pages and links.
Wexford Conservation District Forestry Pages:
2021 Forestry Workshops Stump Tales – Demonstration of 100 years of soil erosion and conservation – Saturday, May 15, 9-10:30am, Gathering at Cedar Creek Township Hall, 2530 N. 41 1/2 Rd. Manton. MI Our area used to have a richer topsoil than it has today. This is a short walking tour of a unique site that has preserved evidence of a loss of two feet of topsoil from under tree stumps 100 years ago due to wind erosion that are still visible today. We will see what conservation measures were done 50 years ago along with a discussion of soil restoration in today’s forest management. Contact Forester Larry Czelusta at larry.czelusta@macd.org or 231-775-7681 ext. 3. There is no cost. Managing for Diversity in your Northern Hardwood Forest -Thursday, June 10th at 10am in the South Boardman area. The northern hardwood forest has lost its American Elm, White Ash, and is presently losing American Beech. Many see Paper Birch, Black Cherries and Red Oak dying. What is happening to our forests and what can we do to help this valuable part of our natural surroundings. This field workshop will discuss what is causing these changes, and ways to help this forest, including what and where to plant various tree seedlings. Contact Forester Larry Czelusta at larry.czelusta@macd.org or 231-775-7681 ext 3 or the Renee at the Kalkaska Conservation District. 231-258-3307. There is no cost. Lake City Walking Tour to Discuss Tree Health in a Residential Environment Tuesday, June 15th at 10am meeting at courthouse parking lot. This will be a walkthrough the city of Lake City to see how trees, that enhance our homes and outdoor spaces, need to planted and cared for correctly. If you are thinking about planting trees near your living space, learn about what trees would be best for your particular environment. How to reduce summer stress on yard trees, and choosing trees that will nourish the pollinators that help our gardens flourish. This workshop will also cover proper mulching, fertilization, pruning, trimming, as well as tree pests that you may need to be concerned about. This walk will take no more than two hours. Contact Forester Larry Czelusta at larry.czelusta@macd.org or 231-775-7681 ext 3 or Michelle at the Missaukee Conservation District. 231-839-7193. There is no cost. Hardwood Marking for Landowners – Saturday, September 25, 9am to 1pm; site will be at Misty Acres in Manistee County (exact directions will be given to registrants). This hands-on, outdoor workshop is designed for landowners of small woodlots of northern hardwoods It will instruct how to selectively mark their own hardwoods for a harvest. The goal is to teach how to select trees to remove with an emphasis to improve the quality of the remaining stand; to thin the stand to improve growth and still maintain diversity and good minimum density. Other topics will include how to retain and manage important wildlife habiat components such as rare and sensitive habitats and species, mast trees, cavity trees, and coarse woody debris. Density measuring devices will be given to workshop registrants. This workshop will only teach tree selection and will not teach volume estimation and appraisal. Preregistration is required. Snack and lunch will be provided according to COVID precautions. Bringing a clipboard is recommended. Please pre-register by September 16. Cost is $30 per person. Contact Forester Larry Czelusta at larry.czelusta@macd.org or 231-775-7681 ext 3 |
Forestry NewsHope For Gypsy Moth Defoliated Trees
Many of you know that Michigan is experiencing a pretty heavy gypsy moth outbreak. If you are experiencing gypsy moths defoliating your oak trees, I can assure you, that you are not alone in your frustration. The outbreak 20 or so years ago was horrendous, but some things have changed since then. Seeing the Urban Forest For the Trees Urban forests provide many vital benefits to communities. As part of a new collaboration with a California arborist, Taylor Guitars is exploring ways to turn end-of-life urban trees into highvalue products that can support the regreening of our urban infrastructure and ease the pressure on forests elsewhere. By Scott Paul. Looking at the News: Reason for Doubt We have all heard reports of how the Amazon is being deforested at an alarming rate. Steve Wilent, Editor for the Society of American Foresters monthly journal, gives an honest look at the facts. What Hungry Deer Mean for Michigan Forests Foresters and conservation groups say there are still far too many deer in northern Michigan, and they are creating severe problems for forests. Data Reinforces Value of a Consulting Forester on Timber Sales On per-unit sales (sealed bids in particular), sales that involved consultants exceeded the non-consultant sale prices by no less than 11%. The data also showed that consultants did equally well on lump sum sales, bringing an average increase of 12% on total bids. Not only did the trend hold over time, but it also held over various tract sizes, with consultant sales bringing higher total bids on all four separate acreage categories. Posted by Joe Clark on October 3, 2018 Deer Can Be Too Many, Too Few, or Just Enough for Healthy Forests Varying deer densities lead to differences in forests. U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station
Hope for Ash? by Colleen Otte "Kashian said he wouldn’t go as far as to say the ash and the borer have reached an equilibrium, “but we seem to be approaching some kind of balance with the bug at this population level and the trees hanging on.” Posted on July 13, 2016 by Capital News Service
Michigan is preparing to enact interior quarantine due to invasive hemlock tree pest A recent outbreak of the pest within the state has prompted new legislation which will restrict the movement of hemlock products within Michigan in an effort to control this invasive pest.
Posted on February 28, 2017 by Mike Schira, Michigan State University Extension Mighty American chestnut poised for return to America's forests Scores of American chestnut seedlings growing in upstate New York are the vanguard in the restoration of what was once the most dominant tree in the eastern forests. The trees carry one gene, added by scientists, that makes them capable of withstanding the invasive blight that wiped out billions of their ancestors a century ago. March 6, 2017 Source:SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
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