The battle against beech bark disease came full circle in fall 2017 at Ludington State Park, as volunteers planted more than 200 disease-resistant trees where the disease was discovered in 2000.
That planting effort is one of the success stories in Michigan’s Forest Health Highlights report, released annually by the DNR. The report summarizes the health of nearly 20 million acres of forest in the state, including about 4 million acres of state-managed forest land.
“Invasive species like the beetle that spreads beech bark disease present challenges,” said Deb Begalle, chief of the DNR’s Forest Resources Division. “We also are coordinating efforts to cope with other invasive species such as the hemlock woolly adelgid.” That tiny insect attaches itself to hemlock trees and eventually kills them. So far, it is known to be in four west Michigan counties.
On other fronts, the department is working to stem the spread of oak wilt, a fungal disease that can kill red oak trees within weeks, and taking steps to prevent the spread of fungi, including Heterobasidion root disease that affects pine trees. New reporting tools, such as the Heterobasidion root disease reporting viewer on the DNR forest health website, make it easier for the public to share their observations of suspected forest health issues.
