Stop. Drop. Call an arborist.
This is the advice for homeowners who suspect having oak wilt on their property. An ISA-certified arborist will be able to provide advice on how to prevent the spread of the fungus, which kills by plugging up a tree's vascular system, preventing the healthy flow of water. The expert also will determine if the tree is infected with another disease.
Robert Yetka took the matter into his own hands when he tried to contain oak wilt on his 2-acre lot in the town of Hull. He cut a few of the infected trees down in hopes of preventing it from spreading.
"I didn't get rid of the wood or cover it," he said. "That's probably why it's spreading. ... It's starting to get close to my yard. I've got four or five (trees) I'm trying to save."
Yetka participated in an oak wilt control demonstration Wednesday morning put on by the city of Stevens Point Forestry Department. Representatives from First Choice Tree Care, based in Junction City, demonstrated techniques that prevent healthy trees from getting sick and stop infected trees from passing it along to their neighbors.
"Oak wilt has been around for a long, long time," said city forester Todd Ernster. "It's getting more and more common around here, unfortunately. In sections of town where there are no oaks, it's not a problem at all. But it can just be difficult to control."
The disease causes fungal growth that breaks through the bark. The sweet-smelling fungus then attracts beetles, who feed on it and carry it to another tree through a fresh, open wound. It also spreads from tree to tree through the root system when healthy and infected trees graft roots together.
One of the techniques used for preventing its spread is through digging trenches, about four feet deep, around the area of infected trees to prevent the transfer through root grafts.
Injecting the tree with a fungicide solution made of chemicals and water is another option, as displayed Wednesday by Mark Pinkalla and Andrew Sims of First Choice Tree Care.
"We're not pushing it into the tree, we're just making it available," Sims said to those watching the fungicide mixture being absorbed by an oak tree at its base. "The tree will take it up by itself."
Injecting the fungicide has an 85 percent success rate. Often an infected tree will not show signs of infection, which accounts for the other 15 percent. Once red oak trees, which produce pointed leaves, are infected, there's no cure. White oak trees, with more rounded leaves, still can be saved once infected.
Keith Roeske of the town of Hull said he was convinced by Wednesday's presentation. He is afraid the oak wilt that started on his 10-acre property two years ago will spread, infesting all six of the acres of red oak he owns.
"There's always something trying to kill them," he said. "I'm just trying to stop it."
Ernster discourages homeowners from pruning their trees between April 1 and Oct. 1 because that is the beetle season. If pruning has to be done, any open wounds should be sealed with a pruning paint with fungicide.Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune
