Blog

How to tap trees for optimal sap production

Now that February has arrived, many of us are itching to get outside and tap some maples for sap.  One of the critical parts of this process is getting the tap hole right. It is easy to do it incorrectly and this will impact the quantity and quality of your sap. To make sure you […]

Leaving wood for wildlife

If a tree falls in the woods and nobody is there to see it, does it make a mess? On a recent trip to my in-laws, I took a walk with my dog in their woodlot. It was a crisp fall day and the wind whistled through the open under-story. Most of the leaves had […]

It’s the time of the season… for wildfires in Wisconsin

Did you know May is National Wildfire Awareness Month? Since many of us have been spending more time at home during the extended Safer at Home order, now is the perfect time to start thinking about preparing our homes and properties for the 2020 fire season. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram […]

Is silvopasture an option for me? By Randy Mell

Professional foresters are educated in the basic needs of establishing and growing trees. During the course of their work, they share with woodlands owners activities they can do in their woods that mimic natures’ way of establishing and improving their trees. Foresters occasionally get questions from landowners on how they can earn more income from […]

Identifying and treating invasive species in the spring

With the recent Safer at Home Act many of us are looking for ways to pass the time and keep our children and families active and healthy. What better way to pass the time than to learn how to identify invasive species, begin planning control methods, and gathering garlic mustard if it is present on […]

If you don’t know where you’re going, you might end up somewhere else

Setting clear goals and priorities can help create a game-plan for climate changeBy: Stephen Handler Changes Ahead As a forest landowner, you might be hearing more about the predictions for climate change in Wisconsin. Temperatures will likely continue to rise, especially in winter. Over the 21st century, winters will likely bring less ice cover and […]

Do you know what’s hiding in your woods?

Summer is here! Well, according to the calendar anyway. I haven’t seen the sun in more days than I care to count. As I write this, Memorial Day is just around the corner, and it is a great time for me to talk about the health of your woods. Lots of people will be on […]

The Mighty Bug

Insects, either individually or as a large group, can kill your trees, so it is a good idea to keep an eye out for them and monitor the health of your trees. I was assessing the health of our trees recently, and noticed some that looked a bit under the weather.  Many of the branches […]

Recreation and Invasive Pests

As the mosquitoes start to disappear, and the leaves begin their fall beauty, we may be hitting our woods more frequently for hiking, horseback riding, bicycling or ATVing. But do you know what may be hitchhiking along with you? Many of the exotic plants, insects and diseases invading our woods are fairly immobile until we […]