Forests and Trees

Beetles in Boston: What This Means for New Hampshire

The recent find of Asian longhorned beetles (ALB) near the famed Arnold Arboretum just outside Boston has entomologists and tree-lovers scrambling. The beetle was found on six trees, which were cut down and removed this week. Now the work of looking for more beetles begins.

Kills many hardwoods

ALB attacks and kills many hardwood trees including maple, elm, horsechestnut, ash, birch, poplar, willow and many more. The pest could significantly disrupt the forest ecosystem if it became established over a large area.

Stan Swier, a UNH Cooperative Extension entomology specialist, says the find is very serious, but he isn't panicking, "We don't know if the infestation is more widespread than the six trees. Hopefully, the infestation was caught early enough, but that will only be known by surveying the area."

In New Hampshire, the Forest Health Office of the N.H. Division of Forests and Lands regularly surveys for the beetle. New Hampshire residents are asked to be on the lookout for these beetles. You can find photos and a lot of other information on our ALB Web page.

Check your trees and even your swimming pools

The beetles are easiest to see when they are most active in late July through late August. Kyle Lombard, entomologist with the Forest Health office says, "We will be reminding New Hampshire residents to look for them in their trees and even in their swimming pools this July and August. We need as many people as possible looking for the beetle."

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New Hampshire Establishes a Prescribed Fire Council

New Hampshire has become the first state in New England and the 24th state nationwide to establish a state prescribed fire council.

Prescribed fire or prescribed burns are a management tool used by trained natural resource professionals. These fires are intentionally set to meet specific management goals under predetermined weather conditions.

Click here for more information on the New Hampshire Prescribed Fire Council.

Officials surveying campgrounds for forest pests

Federal and state officials have visited more than more than 200 campgrounds and second homes across the Northeast, looking for signs of harmful forest pests.

Forest health managers examined trees on 218 federal and state campgrounds along with second homes in New England and New York in 2009. Thousands of trees have been studied to date. Search efforts will continue in 2010.

Click here for more information about the pest survey.

Do you recognize important wildlife habitat when you see it?

UNH Cooperative Extension has just published a new brochure series to help landowners learn about and help conserve important wildlife habitats found on their land.

The New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan: Habitat Stewardship Series brochures cover a variety of habitat types critical for wildlife species at risk in New Hampshire. The first four brochures, published in March 2008, focus on grasslands, marsh and shrub wetlands, floodplain forests, and vernal pools. New brochures published in June 2009 focus on peatlands, lowland spruce-fir forests, shrublands, and Appalachian oak-pine forests. Read more about the new brochures here.

Forestry and Wildlife Program

			Click on the map to see a video of your Extension Educator, Forest Resources.
			The University of NH Cooperative Extension Forestry and Wildlife Program has been caring for New Hampshire's forests since 1925. Our mission is to educate New Hampshire's citizens about rural and urban forest environments, enhancing their ability to make informed natural resources decisions. We help landowners with woodlot care, long term planning, selling timber, wildlife habitat, land protection, current use taxation, and more. We help communities through support to town boards, public officials, and other community organizations. We help provide a healthy working landscape by offering the state's 84,000 landowners, 1400 loggers, 250 licensed foresters, and 100 sawmills information and technical assistance. We have a forester in each of the ten counties and forestry, wildlife, and industry specialists located at the university. Click below to view videos about the following topics: Protecting Your Land Selling Timber Hiring Professionals Wildlife Habitat Coverts Volunteers for Wildlife Community Tree Stewards Volunteers NH's Forest Industry A carefully considered timber harvest More about the Forestry and Wildlife Program of UNH Cooperative Extension Click here for contact information.