March 29, 2024

Local Forests Under Siege

April 19, 2015

Fungus, Insects and Careless Development Threaten An Exceptional Asset


Aggressive fungus, hordes of invading insects, and haphazard development are knocking at the gates of northern Michigan’s forests.

Will efforts to preserve and protect one of our region’s most important assets be enough?

"The main thing that’s happening to our forests"¦[is an] increased amount of insects and disease that we are unable to control," said Kama Ross, district forester for Leelanau, Grand Traverse and Benzie Conservation Districts.

While trees play an enormous aesthetic role in the character of our community, they are much more than just pretty scenery. Trees -- particularly those adjacent to bodies of water -- are integral components of a stable ecosystem. Their loss can have a devastating impact on the health of entire landscapes.

"If we take these forests out of production, our water quality will really suffer," cautioned Ross. "Once that forest is gone, the source of that water is in jeopardy, and it changes the whole [watershed] system as it works its way into Lake Michigan."

PESTS, PEOPLE, PROGRESS

Among the top pests threatening our trees are the emerald ash bore, the gypsy moth and oak wilt, a fungus that invades red oak trees’ vascular systems and kills most infected trees within a year.

"It’s really changing their back yard," Ross said of homeowners whose trees have been infested. "It doesn’t seem to care if it’s in a forest or in someone’s yard. It’s a hundred percent fatal for red oak trees."

April 15 through July 15 is a critical window of time within which red oaks cannot be damaged without disastrous results, explained Ross. Infection during this time can expedite the spread of disease by way of infected sap and carrier insects. Another danger is disease spreading through interconnected root systems.

"If your neighbor has oak wilt and their trees are within a certain distance of your trees, there’s a good chance their root systems are connected," said Ross. "And so the fungus will go from the diseased tree to your healthy tree."

Ross says the only ways to sever the diseased pathways are costly and similarly detrimental.

However, even worse than the pests we are currently fighting are those ready to make their move into Michigan.

"On the horizon we are looking at other insect disease concerns that really make us nervous about the overall sustainability of our forests," said Ross.

Chief among these impending threats are the Asian longhorned beetle. Unlike other invasive insects area conservation organizations have battled in the past, this new bug has been known to target 21 different tree species. Ross also indicated that the beetle does not appear to have natural predators. At present, infestations in northern Ohio are poised to encroach on southern Michigan forests.

"Once it does gets a hold in an area, it is difficult to control," Ross said. "And it is right at our border."

Despite how sinister these pests sound, the mode by which many of them enter the state is less complicated than one would expect.

"Just about every exotic [pest] we have in Michigan hitchhikes around on firewood," said Scott Lint, a local forest health technician with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Lint explained that moving untreated wood, like firewood or pallets, within the state is the quickest way to spread invasive species.

Yet, as disturbing as these pests are, experts say they are only one of the threats facing our forests. "What many folks think of as a loss of forests – for instance, a clear-cut or major insect infestation – may actually be a change in forest age class or forest composition," Lint stated. "The real loss of forest comes from a change in land use when forested land is converted to urban, residential, agricultural or other non-forest uses. This type of change is long-term and reduces the total number of forested acres on the landscape."

Another problem arises when large blocks of forest are parceled apart.

"With increased parcelization – with people taking forests out of management because of development, increased farming opportunities or increased subdivisions – our ability to manage our forests, to keep them healthy and vigorous, goes down," said Ross. "Then these insects and disease get the upper hand. We really need to appreciate the larger tracts of forests that we do have in our area and try and keep them contiguous," she continued.

While forest conservation and a push for urbanization may seem fundamentally opposed, the two needn’t always be at odds, said Ross.

"That’s a huge part of my job, trying to show people that there are ways to do forestry and actually make some money and do the right thing," she said. "We want to see development, but we need to see it in a very logical way that keeps the integrity of our area."

For homeowners, consulting with an arborist before beginning private construction can mean the difference between keeping their land healthy and safe or endangering the entire area.

"These are living organisms that need to be maintained," said Bo Burke, a local arborist certified by the International Society of Arboriculture. "There’s definitely ways you can keep your trees healthy and accomplish your construction needs."

ARMED WITH EDUCATION

Despite the severity of the threats facing northern Michigan’s forests, many effective preventative measures are remarkably simple – and all of them begin with education. "We try to let people know how an insect or disease spreads and what they can do to minimize that spreading," said Ross. "Education is where we have to start and where we have to keep up our forces the most."

Ross bemoans the lack of laws ensuring homeowners or developers heed this information from experts. "Without any regulations on a state level to control it, it’s very difficult."

Burke indicated that the first step in education is learning who to trust. He said some area companies that advertise as tree experts are under qualified. They are often long gone by the time the damage to trees becomes apparent. He advised consulting the ISA website to verify individuals claiming to be "certified arborists" are properly trained and accredited.

"You have learn and understand how trees grow before you go and tear them down," he said.

Fortunately, many local organizations are concerned with more than the bottom line when it comes to our community’s trees, and they actively demonstrate their willingness to make sacrifices to defend this precious resource.

"Traverse City Light & Power just made a huge concession," said Ross. "Wherever there are pockets of oak, they’re not going to touch that oak until after the July 15 date. That is a huge expense to them," she continued. "But people around here are very concerned about forests and many are willing to do amazing things."

Thanks to grants from the Michigan Department of Agriculture, Ross said her educational outreach and consulting visits are available to the public at no cost. She can also point homeowners or builders toward responsible tree cutting or removal services.

To contact Ross, or for more information on local tree health, visit www.Leelanaucd.org. To report infected trees email DNR-FRD-Forest_ Health@michigan.gov or call 517-284-5895.

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