Announcements, News Articles & Upcoming Events |
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2014 Resource Assessment Survey
The Clare Conservation District is currently working on a Natural Resources Assessment. This endeavor takes place every 5 years. The district is seeking public feedback in order to complete this process. Those who participate will be entered into a drawing for a $25.00 gas card. Your response is strictly confidential. Please provide your email at the end of the survey to be entered into the drawing for the gas card. Two winners will be randomly chosen.
If you represent a business, County or State agency, or other group, please respond on behalf of that organization or group.
Please complete the survey by: April 30, 2014. Thank you for your participation and support!
Click this link for the survey:
Sincerely,
Holly Keenan
Administrator
Clare Conservation District
The Clare Conservation District is currently working on a Natural Resources Assessment. This endeavor takes place every 5 years. The district is seeking public feedback in order to complete this process. Those who participate will be entered into a drawing for a $25.00 gas card. Your response is strictly confidential. Please provide your email at the end of the survey to be entered into the drawing for the gas card. Two winners will be randomly chosen.
If you represent a business, County or State agency, or other group, please respond on behalf of that organization or group.
Please complete the survey by: April 30, 2014. Thank you for your participation and support!
Click this link for the survey:
Sincerely,
Holly Keenan
Administrator
Clare Conservation District
Please join us at our Annual Meeting on April 12, 2014 at the V.F.W. Post 1075 in Harrison, MI. We need community input in order to help us in our mission, "To encourage the wise use of our natural resources through promotion and education."
FREE WELL WATER TESTING
The Clare Conservation District will be testing well water samples for nitrate and nitrite on April 26 during their annual spring seedling sale. The water testing is sponsored by the Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance program ( MAEAP) and will be done onsite by a MAEAP technician. There is no fee and is open to anyone who uses a personal well for drinking water. Please do NOT bring samples from public water supplies or non-drinking water sources. Only drinking water well samples will be tested. For details on collecting the water sample for testing go to www.michigan.gov / waterstewardship, look under groundwater monitoring. Call the Clare Conservation District office at 989.539.6401 for more information. |
OAK WILT
Oak wilt is a fungal disease that attacks all oaks, but red oaks are most susceptible and can die from the disease in as little as three weeks. (Red oaks are the oaks with points on the ends of their leaves.) Oak wilt can spread in one of two ways. First, it can spread from tree to tree through root grafts. If the leaves of two red oaks are touching, there’s a good chance that their roots are connected too. Second, oak wilt can be spread by beetles attracted to the sap of injured trees. These beetles also feed on the fungal pads produced by the oak wilt fungus, so they can pick up the spores of the fungus and transfer it to a wounded but otherwise healthy tree. The best way to keep your oak trees is to prevent infection in the first place. Even a nail can injure a tree enough to attract a beetle carrying oak wilt fungus, and larger injuries have greater risk. It is critical to avoid damage to oak trees while the sap is running, which means waiting until mid-October or later to prune oak trees. If oak trees are damaged by accident or acts of nature in warmer months, use tree paint to cover the wound. If you are concerned about the health of an oak on your property or have questions, please contact the Conservation District Forester, Jocelyn Mahone, at 989.539.6401.
Oak wilt is a fungal disease that attacks all oaks, but red oaks are most susceptible and can die from the disease in as little as three weeks. (Red oaks are the oaks with points on the ends of their leaves.) Oak wilt can spread in one of two ways. First, it can spread from tree to tree through root grafts. If the leaves of two red oaks are touching, there’s a good chance that their roots are connected too. Second, oak wilt can be spread by beetles attracted to the sap of injured trees. These beetles also feed on the fungal pads produced by the oak wilt fungus, so they can pick up the spores of the fungus and transfer it to a wounded but otherwise healthy tree. The best way to keep your oak trees is to prevent infection in the first place. Even a nail can injure a tree enough to attract a beetle carrying oak wilt fungus, and larger injuries have greater risk. It is critical to avoid damage to oak trees while the sap is running, which means waiting until mid-October or later to prune oak trees. If oak trees are damaged by accident or acts of nature in warmer months, use tree paint to cover the wound. If you are concerned about the health of an oak on your property or have questions, please contact the Conservation District Forester, Jocelyn Mahone, at 989.539.6401.
