Clean Water Blog

CONTACT:
Allen Sommerfeld, Communications Coordinator
651.201.6185, Allen.sommerfeld@state.mn.us

MDA protects state’s walnut trees from deadly disease

Quarantine prevents import of walnut trees and wood from states infested with thousand cankers disease

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Walnut wood is no longer allowed into Minnesota if imported from 11 different states known to have thousand cankers disease (TCD). A temporary exterior quarantine announced in February was made permanent by Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Commissioner Dave Frederickson. The quarantine was issued as a preventative measure to help stop TCD from coming to Minnesota.

TCD is caused by a fungus carried by a tree pest called the walnut twig beetle.  The beetle attacks the walnut tree, introducing the fungus while it tunnels under the bark.  This results in small cankers, or dead areas, under the bark.  As more beetles attack the tree, more cankers grow together and hinder the tree’s ability to move water, eventually killing it.  To date, TCD has been found in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, and Utah.  The MDA quarantine restricts movement of products potentially harboring TCD from those states and from other potentially infested areas into Minnesota.  Announcement of the formal quarantine comes within a month of the detection of TCD in the state of Virginia, which is only the second state within the native range of eastern black walnut to report the disease.

The list of products covered by the quarantine includes live walnut trees, walnut logs, walnut lumber, walnut nursery stock, wood chips and mulch made from walnut wood, walnut branches and roots, packaging materials made from walnut wood, and all hardwood firewood.  The quarantine does not apply to walnut nuts, nutmeat, walnut hulls, finished products made from walnut wood without bark, or processed lumber that is 100 percent bark-free, and kiln-dried with square edges.  Several other states within the native range of eastern black walnut have similar exterior quarantines in place.

“We are trying to protect Minnesota’s six million eastern black walnut trees and the state’s walnut timber producers with this quarantine,” said MDA Commissioner Dave Frederickson. “We have responded to several reports of walnut trees with unexplained dieback or decline, but there are no confirmed cases of thousand cankers disease in Minnesota.”

If TCD should occur in Minnesota, early detection is Minnesota’s best chance to minimize TCD’s impact.   MDA is collaborating with the U.S. Forest Service and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in TCD survey work. MDA is asking for help in identifying walnut trees with unexplained dieback or decline. If suspect trees are spotted, please contact MDA’s Arrest the Pest Hotline (1-888-545-6684).

More information about TCD and the quarantine can be found on MDA’s website at www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/plantdiseases/1000cankers.aspx. 

Updated: Wednesday, 19 Oct 2011, 2:52 PM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 19 Oct 2011, 2:52 PM CDT

by Leif Knutson / FOX 9 News

STEARNS COUNTY, Minn. - Stearns County Officials approved the installation of multiple medication drop boxes for residents to dispose of unused and unwanted prescription medicine. The County Board of Commissioners approved the installations Wednesday, after much success with the first drop box installation last May.

The initial drop box located at the Law Enforcement Center is extremely popular, as citizens dropped off 875 lbs of medication since the program began. Two more drop boxes were installed at Paynesville and Melrose Police Departments.

The purpose of the collections is to prevent medication from decomposing in landfills and seeping into groundwater.

Medication can be dropped off during normal business hours at all three locations. The medication is incinerated at a licensed disposal site after collection. The program is a joint effort by the Sheriff’s Department and the Environmental Services Department.

Read more: Stearns County Adds 2 Medication Drop Boxes http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/Stearns-County-Adds-2-Medication-Drop-Boxes-oct-19-2011#ixzz1dtE1kcLH

“The Dirt on Sediment Pollution: Water Quality in the Mississippi River”

Thursday, November 17. 7:00-8:30 p.m. at the Science Museum of Minnesota

(120 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul)

Like many of the world’s great rivers, the Mighty Mississippi has been impacted by excess fertilizer and other nutrients, suspended sediments from erosion and runoff, and other pollutants from human activities. Dr. Daniel Engstrom is the foremost expert on understanding the magnitude of these changes in the Upper Mississippi River, their timing and likely causes. His research provides much of the scientific underpinning for ongoing efforts to substantially reduce nutrient and sediment runoff and restore ecological health to the Mississippi. Following his presentation, Dr. Julia Frost-Nerbonne will facilitate a conversation with Dr. Engstrom; FMR Watershed Program Director Trevor Russell; and Linda Meschke, president and founder of Rural Advantage. Attendees will have the opportunity to contribute questions. Pre-register with Alyssa Johnson at 651-221-4511 or ajohnson@smm.org.

New ash management guide helps forest landowners prepare before emerald ash borer arrives

University of Minnesota Extension and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have published a new guide, “Ash Management for Private Forest Landowners,” to help property owners prepare for the arrival of emerald ash borer (EAB), a significant invasive forest pest.

EAB’s potential to kill ash trees threatens the vitality of local economies and communities, impacting timber and fiber production, plants, wildlife and water quality. Private landowners own approximately 50 percent of Minnesota’s forest acreage.

“There are nearly 1 billion ash trees in Minnesota, and some of the state’s wetland forests are more than 50 percent ash,” said Angela Gupta, Extension natural resources educator. “Black ash trees also line many Minnesota lakes and rivers and play a critical role in the health of our bodies of water.”

The free publication helps landowners assess threats to their land before the pest arrives, map out a management strategy, and take action to protect the state’s forests. The guide features a systems approach in delivering recommendations for Minnesota landscapes with ash. Included are suggestions on harvest operations, maintaining biological diversity, and replacement species to help diversify the state’s forests.

“If we don’t prepare now, we could lose entire ecosystems,” said Gupta.  Other states, such as Michigan and New York, have lost similar forest ecosystems due to EAB.

EAB was first discovered in Minnesota two years ago, but has not yet been found north of the Twin Cities metro area. It was first identified in St. Paul in 2009, and has since been found in Houston County and Minneapolis. It was recently discovered in Shoreview, Winona County, Falcon Heights and historic Summit Street in St. Paul.

Access the “Ash Management Guide for Private Forest Landowners” online

at http://MyMinnesotaWoods.umn.edu.

———

Source: Angela Gupta, natural resource educator with University of Minnesota Extension

Print it out and keep it handy – small choices can make a big difference over time!  Go to: http://wrc.umn.edu/prod/groups/cfans/@pub/@cfans/@wrc/documents/asset/cfans_asset_271384.pdf 

“Cigarette butts are the most common form of plastic litter on the beaches of the U.S. and worldwide” (Bulletin of American Littoral Society).

Cigarette butts are actually made of a slowly-degrading plastic called cellulose acetate.  It has been the industry standard for cigarette filters since 1952.   Previously asbestos was the substance of choice.

Cigarette butts leach chemicals such as arsenic, benzene and formaldehyde into the water.  These chemicals poison plankton, which are a major source of food fish.  Fish also can mistake the butts for food and eat them. 

Please be aware of where you put your cigarette butts and help clean up the ones you see.  An estimated 4.3 trillion cigarette butts float into lakes, rivers and coastal waters each year!

(taken from “Cleanup Review, a publication of the MN DNR’s Adopt-a-River program)

MULCH THOSE LEAVES TO GET RID OF DANDELIONS!

What did they find? The lawns treated with maple leaves had a 70 to 80 percent control of dandelions compared to lawns that hadn’t been treated with maple leaves. Of course, when you use your mulching mower, whether it is mulching leaves or grass, it helps with weed prevention a little, as the mulched clippings shade the bare soil, and weed seeds need some sun to germinate. But 70 to 80 percent is a number to be excited about!

They also found that some maple leaves seemed to have more of this dandelion-fighting herbicide than others. Sugar maples, silver maples, and red maples (in that order) all seemed to have the most herbicide in their leaves. Other research has found that oak leaves will also prevent dandelions from growing in Kentucky bluegrass. 

Data showed that a high application rate, regardless of tree genus or species, resulted in the highest green-up ratings. Common dandelion plant counts after one and two mulch applications at the high rate showed that up to 80% and 53% reduction was achieved, respectively.

For more information go to:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908103628.htm

Do you want to reduce urban runoff and pollution that flow into lakes and rivers? Do you have a good idea for how you and your friends and neighbors could work together to clean up soil, grass clippings and leaves from streets and storm drains? And could you use $500? Then we have a contest for you.

The Freshwater Society and InCommons are sponsoring the Work For Water Neighborhood Challenge.  We will award two $500 prizes for the best ideas that bring neighbors together to sweep leaves, grass clippings and soil form streets and storm drains this fall.  Help protect our waters from the pollution that flows from streets into our lakes and rivers. Enter here.  Thanks to funding from the Initiative Foundation, two additional prizes of $500 will be awarded to entries from participants in Central Minnesota.

The contest began Sept. 20, and entries will be accepted until Oct. 11. The winner will be announced Oct. 20. Your project must be completed by Nov. 12.

Who can enter? Individuals, church groups, Scout troops, service clubs, neighborhood groups, lake associations, school organizations and classrooms. What kind of project can you suggest? Almost anything you can accomplish by Nov. 12. Think big fun while you protect healthy water in lakes and rivers. You must be 18 years old to submit an idea.