Do you have dead or weakened oak trees on your property? Are you worried about their future? If so you might want to come to a free Oak Health Workshop that is being held in Douglas on March 4th.
The Department of Conservation & Recreation, the Forest Stewards Guild and the Massachusetts Tree Farm program are holding an Oak Health workshop and Landowner Listening session at the Douglas Municipal Center on Depot Street on Wednesday, March 4th, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Oaks are among the most important forest species in Massachusetts, both for their timber value and for their importance for wildlife habitat. Oaks, however, have been declining in much of the United States due to the effects of insects, disease, and deer. In southern New England, the repeated gypsy moth defoliations of recent years have resulted in extensive oak decline and death, with nearly 100,000 acres of oak stands killed as a result.
At the workshop, speakers from DCR’s Forest Health program and the Forest Stewards Guild will discuss the importance of oaks in our landscape, the effects of the gypsy moth defoliation, and the process for dealing with declining or dead oaks.
Schedule
6:30 pm Introductions
6:50 pm Why Oaks are Important and the Oak Life cycle
7:05 pm Assessing Oak Health
7:15 pm The Importance of Oak for Wildlife
7:35 pm Challenges to Oak
8 pm Tree Warden’s Hazard Tree Update
8:05 Resources for Oak Stewardship
8:15 pm Landowner Questions
The workshop is free and light refreshments will be available.
For more information, call Chris Capone at 857 406-0175.
Another Oak Health workshop will be held in Douglas on March 4th at the Douglas Municipal Center.