Firewood and Oak Wilt

[Circle B MN]

Lot of dead red oak in these parts as a result of oak wilt. Aside from not cutting or pruning diseased wood from I believe it is April till July when the trees are most at risk, are their any other precautions to take when collecting it as firewood..? I have no oak on my property but have neighbors (100yards or better away), with oak, and certainly would not want to spread the stuff. As I understand it, being a fungus, once it were cut, split and drying, it would reduce or eliminate the threat. In addition I always rake up the bark scrap from my processing area and burn it promptly so as not to provide a habitat for the fungus. Your input as always, is greatly appreciated...opcorn:

 

[bore_pig]

I work with a guy who's dad cut down some trees and brought them to his house in log length. This guy never had a problem with oak wilt, but had trees dying within a year or two from it. The "forest specialist" that he called came out and was surprised to see oak wilt in the area until being told of the delivered logs.

 

[Circle B MN]

I believe I would need to have some more specific information to draw a conclusion from that.

 

[NC4TN]

The local foresters here in Tennessee/North Carolina say that there is little that can be done to stop it. As with any fungi, they propagate by spores, and the spores travel with the wind. There is probobly no amount of "forest sanitation" that can be effective in preventing the spread of the spores. Hot, humid conditions (like we've had here this summer) is primary culprit for the spread of the wilt. Oak genetics have a lot to do with it, too.

 

[Circle B MN]

The local foresters here in Tennessee/North Carolina say that there is little that can be done to stop it. As with any fungi, they propagate by spores, and the spores travel with the wind. There is probobly no amount of "forest sanitation" that can be effective in preventing the spread of the spores. Hot, humid conditions (like we've had here this summer) is primary culprit for the spread of the wilt. Oak genetics have a lot to do with it, too.

Good information. I had read as well that insect carry the spores, that being the reason I get rid of the bark ASAP. As I understand it, the fungus resides under the bark.

 

[Qsky]

Can spread from one tree to another through the roots too !

 

[MN Ripper]

I found a guy on craigslist wanting his dead and dying oaks cut and hauled away earlier this summer. It sounded like great firewood but we have lots of bur and white oak on our own property and I didn't want to risk anything. I searched around on the web and talked to a few people and decided to pass just because of my own situation.

I found this to be an interesting reading source.

www.dnr.state.mn.us/treecare/forest_health/oakwilt/infected.html

Although wrapping firewood in plastic is a fair amount of extra work. The guy on craigslist was trying to convince me that it can ONLY be spread via the root system but it just didn't sound totally true. That's what made me start looking around-glad I didn't take is advice.

 

[coog]

Funny, I cut about a dozen huge Red Oaks just north of Stillwater this past week.Frankly, I think it is too late to worry about wilt in the valley; it is everywhere.You don't see it at your place because the White Oaks aren't as likely to get it.Lots of firewood rotting in Washington County.

 

[Circle B MN]

To the best of my knowledge, it affects primarily red oak.

 

[coog]

No, the Whites get it too, but they are more resistant to it (see DNR pamphlet).My favorite tree is the Bur Oak.I have never seen a Bur Oak dropped by Wilt.

 

[Iska3]

Funny, I cut about a dozen huge Red Oaks just north of Stillwater this past week.Frankly, I think it is too late to worry about wilt in the valley; it is everywhere.You don't see it at your place because the White Oaks aren't as likely to get it.Lots of firewood rotting in Washington County.

We had it up in Onamia for the past 15 years. It started with the White Oak. You never notice it because of the sap ring on the hard woods will still bring in enough sap to make leaves but not many new branches. The Ash were starting to die about the same time. I was always told to only trim the Oak tree in the winter time so it will scare over before the spring. Once it's warm, the Bugs will carry the spores to the open cuts. The trees first started to die once the cows were gone and a bad storm came through. The woods were full of dead falls that soon started to rot. If it was from the bug then why only one side of the woods and not on the other side of the field that was clean of dead falls.. Why our 80a and not the guy next to us who still has cows in his woods that are clean from dead falls. First it was the Elm - then the Birch - later the Pines. Now it's the Oak and Ash.. Droughts? Bugs?? Spores?? Why didn't they have these type of thing years ago? Did the farmer heat with wood and kept the woods clean of dead falls and mold? What come first; The Chicken or the Egg..

Like the Elm Tree. If it's cold enough so the spores die, then it must be ok to burn. Why does the DNR have controld burns.. If you don't the woods are going to die anyway. You can't stop nature.. If you don't clean her woods, she will

As far as the bark being ok for mulch. That's another story...

 

[JAM]

try that link to the mn dnr site, they have some specific info on oak wilt and
how to handle it.

 

[coog]

We had it up in Onamia for the past 15 years. It started with the White Oak. You never notice it because of the sap ring on the hard woods will still bring in enough sap to make leaves but not many new branches. The Ash were starting to die about the same time. I was always told to only trim the Oak tree in the winter time so it will scare over before the spring. Once it's warm, the Bugs will carry the spores to the open cuts. The trees first started to die once the cows were gone and a bad storm came through. The woods were full of dead falls that soon started to rot. If it was from the bug then why only one side of the woods and not on the other side of the field that was clean of dead falls.. Why our 80a and not the guy next to us who still has cows in his woods that are clean from dead falls. First it was the Elm - then the Birch - later the Pines. Now it's the Oak and Ash.. Droughts? Bugs?? Spores?? Why didn't they have these type of thing years ago? Did the farmer heat with wood and kept the woods clean of dead falls and mold? What come first; The Chicken or the Egg..

Like the Elm Tree. If it's cold enough so the spores die, then it must be ok to burn. Why does the DNR have controld burns.. If you don't the woods are going to die anyway. You can't stop nature.. If you don't clean her woods, she will

As far as the bark being ok for mulch. That's another story...

I first noticed wilt about 35 years ago near Marine on St Croix.Always the biggest trees first.I have to tell you, I am worried about the future of the forests up there.There is virtually no re-generation going on,thanks to the wilt and the buckthorn.I still have a home there, but the difference between my woods in Kansas and those in MN are stark.I can see hundreds of yards through the woods down here, and I have taken to thinning live trees to make firewood.Maybe thinning and frequent burning would clear it up.I am saddened by the thought of what the EAB will bring on top of all the rest.

 

[coog]

Why didn't they have these type of thing years ago? Did the farmer heat with wood and kept the woods clean of dead falls and mold? What come first; The Chicken or the Egg..

A good question, by the way.Some of it can be blamed on globalization.

 

[Steve NW WI]

I first noticed wilt about 35 years ago near Marine on St Croix.Always the biggest trees first.I have to tell you, I am worried about the future of the forests up there.There is virtually no re-generation going on,thanks to the wilt and the buckthorn.I still have a home there, but the difference between my woods in Kansas and those in MN are stark.I can see hundreds of yards through the woods down here, and I have taken to thinning live trees to make firewood.Maybe thinning and frequent burning would clear it up.I am saddened by the thought of what the EAB will bring on top of all the rest.

To answer another one of the posters' questions, my personal beleif is that things like oak wilt, chronic wasting disease, etc have been here forever, just that our sciences are starting to notice them. Bugs like EAB, Asian Lady Beetles, etc are clearly imports, victims of a global economy.

Coog, your summer place can't be far from me. I'm 7 miles east of the river, about straight east of Marine. Oak wilt is spotty here, but definitely present here. In my woods, I worry about the lack of oak saplings as well, there is only one corner of my mostly oak woods that has good seedlings coming in, and that's the corner with a lot of white oak in it. It looks to me like when the reds are gone, they won't be coming back.

In my woods, I'm blessed with a ton of small ironwoods coming in. They don't get very big, but they are kick butt firewood, and any that tip over go into the pile. On my light soils, it seems they get too heavy for the root system at +-8" and tip over. What worries me in my woods is the poplar I see coming in the understory. One day they will be what I'm burning.

As far as the oak wilt goes, the closest oak trees to me are in my woods (1/4 mile from the house, but upwind in the prevailing wind), and already somewhat affected. I only cut in the winter (except down stuff that needs to be cleaned up for field work), and I do not wrap my piles...shoot me if you want, but hundreds of firewood suppliers around here pretend it doesn't exist at all. If EAB gets treated the same way, there will be a ton of dead ash in the low ground around here (My sand hills are not very conducive to ash, but I could maybe find one or two on the property).

I do see some hope though, in all the elm trees that seem unaffected by the second round of Dutch Elm Disease. When it came through the first time, a good healthy elm was nearly impossible to find. It came through here again a couple years ago, and while it still laid waste to millions of elms, there are at least twice that many in the same areas showing no signs at all. Resistance to all these things comes in time.

Coog, if you want to see what I'm saying, take 95 north to the 243 cutoff on Saturday, then head for downtown Osceola and listen for the sound of diesel engines working their hearts out. I'll be at the tractor pulls all afternoon. PM me if you want to meet up then, or anytime else. Same invite goes to any and all W WI/E MN members.

 

[coog]

To answer another one of the posters' questions, my personal beleif is that things like oak wilt, chronic wasting disease, etc have been here forever, just that our sciences are starting to notice them. Bugs like EAB, Asian Lady Beetles, etc are clearly imports, victims of a global economy.

Steve, you'll have to stop masquerading as a Wisconsinite. Your clear thoughts and writing ability betray you.When did you move across the river? (Go Vikes!)

Coog, your summer place can't be far from me. I'm 7 miles east of the river, about straight east of Marine. Oak wilt is spotty here, but definitely present here. In my woods, I worry about the lack of oak saplings as well, there is only one corner of my mostly oak woods that has good seedlings coming in, and that's the corner with a lot of white oak in it. It looks to me like when the reds are gone, they won't be coming back.

My place is in Bayport.I grew up in Marine and sold 2 acres there to buy the 160 I have near the Oklahoma border.If I put you in the middle of the property you would think you were home.Six or seven varieties of Oak, three of Hickory, Black Walnut, etc., etc., all of which seem to be healthy.Kansas State has a seedling sale every year and I have been planting their 'mast package', which give the critters their favorite foods.A guy can't ever have enough Bur Oaks


In my woods, I'm blessed with a ton of small ironwoods coming in. They don't get very big, but they are kick butt firewood, and any that tip over go into the pile. On my light soils, it seems they get too heavy for the root system at +-8" and tip over. What worries me in my woods is the poplar I see coming in the understory. One day they will be what I'm burning.

I had the same experience with Ironwoods in Marine.I don't think I've ever seen one over 6-7" dbh around there

As far as the oak wilt goes, the closest oak trees to me are in my woods (1/4 mile from the house, but upwind in the prevailing wind), and already somewhat affected. I only cut in the winter (except down stuff that needs to be cleaned up for field work), and I do not wrap my piles...shoot me if you want, but hundreds of firewood suppliers around here pretend it doesn't exist at all. If EAB gets treated the same way, there will be a ton of dead ash in the low ground around here (My sand hills are not very conducive to ash, but I could maybe find one or two on the property).

From what I have heard, EAB has a 100% kill rate, much worse than Dutch Elm or wilt.I think the Buckthorn is actually the greater threat to Oak regeneration than the wilt.The saplings can't compete.I also wonder about the high deer population that you have there.They seem to eat everything...except the Buckthorn!

I do see some hope though, in all the elm trees that seem unaffected by the second round of Dutch Elm Disease. When it came through the first time, a good healthy elm was nearly impossible to find. It came through here again a couple years ago, and while it still laid waste to millions of elms, there are at least twice that many in the same areas showing no signs at all. Resistance to all these things comes in time.

Coog, if you want to see what I'm saying, take 95 north to the 243 cutoff on Saturday, then head for downtown Osceola and listen for the sound of diesel engines working their hearts out. I'll be at the tractor pulls all afternoon. PM me if you want to meet up then, or anytime else. Same invite goes to any and all W WI/E MN members.

I'd love to, but I'm hoping I'll be in my own woods this weekend, burning a little diesel while I try out my new (to me) splitter.Isn't it the Wheels and Wings weekend up there?
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Steve