Voluntary urban forestry practices aim to protect community forests
Weekly News Article Published: October 6, 2009 by the Central Office
MADISON – The challenge of addressing invasive species in urban and community forests has received a boost with a new publication on stopping the spread of invasive species in Wisconsin forests.
The voluntary guidelines “Wisconsin’s Urban Forestry Best Management Practices for Preventing the Introduction and Spread of Invasive Species,” are comprehensive, common-sense suggestions for everyone who works in, works with, and/or enjoys urban and community forests to protect them from the threat posed by invasives. The guidelines are available on the Wisconsin Council on Forestry Web site at [council.wisconsinforestry.org/invasives/urban [exit DNR]].
“By taking reasonable and practical precautions today, we can help protect Wisconsin’s urban forests and other lands into the future,” said Thomas Boos, Department of Natural Resources forestry invasive plants coordinator.
Invasives spread easily when someone who has walked through an infested area accidentally transports seeds on their clothing or invertebrates on a vehicle; when firewood from diseased trees is moved from one area to another; when equipment is not cleaned after working in an infested area and seeds are moved to a non-infested site; or when no activity is occurring but invasive plants are allowed to “take over” a site. The damage caused by invasive species is wide-ranging. Invasives do not respect boundaries; they can spread from urban to rural forests and vise-versa.
The Wisconsin Council on Forestry, an advisory group that advises the governor on forestry-related issues, has worked in partnership with DNR Forestry Division staff and other stakeholder groups to develop a set of urban forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs). The urban forestry recommendations place a strong emphasis on the importance of prevention activities and the need for public awareness, and also offer practical suggestions that are easy to incorporate as standard procedures.
“The urban recommendations focus on the unique challenges presented by invasives in urban areas,” Boos said. “The manual is addressed to arborists, urban foresters, nursery growers, retailers, landscape architects, landscape contractors, grounds managers, non-profits, local governments, private property owners and others.”
A major challenge of addressing invasive species collectively is the large and growing number of species that threaten Wisconsin forests. While the emerald ash borer and gypsy moth often get media attention, the problem includes invasive plants such as garlic mustard and buckthorn and diseases such as beech bark disease.
Boos says effective guidelines are needed to address many different threats and a wide range of appropriate responses. It was also necessary for them to be easily adapted to address newly emerging threats.
“Not taking preventative measures virtually guarantees a later high cost to control invasives and the negative impact they can have on trees and plants in communities and other forested areas throughout Wisconsin,” he says.
In 2004, the Wisconsin Council on Forestry identified the threat of invasive species as the most critical issue facing Wisconsin’s forests and set out to develop BMPs to deal with them. Invasive species (including plants, insects, and diseases) can kill trees, reduce the benefits provided by forests, decrease overall biodiversity, and burden taxpayers with exorbitant control costs.
“By raising awareness of the problem, sharing information and adopting sound management practices, it is possible to ensure the jobs and the environmental, economic, and social benefits of Wisconsin’s forests will remain strong”, Boos said.
“We all have a hand in reducing the negative impacts of invasive species,” Boos said. Invasives do not respect boundaries. Individual property owners, urban forestry practitioners, professionals, local, state and federal governments and special interest groups all have a hand in the management of invasives in our urban and community forests.”
“Ultimately, everyone involved in the care and management of trees, shrubs and other vegetation shares in the responsibility of preventing and controlling invasives.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION: CONTACT: Thomas Boos, (608) 266-9276.
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