The Michigan Eyes on the Forest team has partnered with the Michigan Forest Association to present a jam packed day focused on forest health titled, “Eyes on the Forest and Woodland Stewardship”. The workshop is being held as part of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Week, sponsored by Michigan State University. The first half of the day will focus on the Michigan Eyes on the Forest Program and will include a training session for Sentinel Tree Monitoring volunteers. The second half of the day will be presented by the Michigan Forest Association and will focus on how to identify and sustainably manage a variety of different forest types. 

The goal of the Michigan Eyes on the Forest program is to increase awareness of three invasive exotic pests that have the potential to produce widespread damage to our Michigan forests. The three potentially destructive pests are the Asian longhorn beetle, hemlock woolly adelgid and thousand cankers of black walnut. The Michigan Eyes on the Forest team is made up of scientists and researchers from the Michigan State University Department of Entomology as well as past and present Michigan State University Extension forestry professionals. The Sentinel Tree Monitoring is one way people can get involved to ensure invasive exotic forest pests don’t establish in their backyard. 

Sentinel Tree Monitoring is a vital component of the Michigan Eyes on the Forest program that involves a network of volunteers who each ‘adopt’ a tree to monitor periodically into the future. The goal is to encourage people to keep an eye on the telling conditions of a tree for signs of disease or insect infestation. Telling conditions include the health of the leaf canopy, presence of holes in the trunk made by exiting insects and the occurrence of silk or webbing as well as unusual globs of sap or pitch on the bark. Creating an active network across the state could result in the detection of disease or decline early, before establishment can take place. Early detection, leads to a more efficient and effective rapid response to eradicate or contain an infestation. 

Volunteers will register and enter data related to their sentinel tree on the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network, or MISIN website. The data will be aggregated periodically and compared with areas that are at a higher risk of introduction of an invasive exotic species. This will help give scientists and researchers an estimate of where monitoring is taking place and where surveys can be best located for statewide preventative coverage. 

Register for the March 7, 2016 workshop today! If you are not able to attend, consider becoming active in maintaining the health of our Michigan forests by joining the Sentinel Tree Monitoring or The Michigan Forest Association. 

The Michigan Forest Association (MFA) has been working to promote education and wise management of our forests since 1972. The group is made up of forestry professionals, landowners and other interested people who are dedicated to the sustainable management of our Michigan forests. Join today to become part of the solution to encourage science based forest management to all ownerships of forested land in Michigan.