Pests and Weeds
For Woodland Owners
With the right information, you can protect your woods from unwanted guests like the Asian longhorned beetle.
Invasive species can wreak havoc on your woodlands. As a landowner, you need to fight back. Your trees have little protection against bugs from overseas, but there is plenty you can do.
top five prevention tips
Here are My Land Plan's top ways to get to pests before they harm your woods:
- Create a Land Plan: You can’t protect what you don’t know! Setting up a Land Plan is a great way to establish goals and track your progress. Create an account on this website and get started by mapping your land.
- Keep Your Woods Strong: Start by making your woods a tough place for pests to live. When planting, choose resistant trees and keep them strong by spacing them far enough apart. Also, use thinning and prescribed burning to reduce competition for resources. Read more.
- Maintain Diverse Woods: Once a tree is attacked, insects and pathogens can spread to neighbors. Many pests only attack a single species, so you should have a mix of trees in your woods. An expert can help you figure out what is best for your area.
- Watch for Warning Signs: Keep an eye out for changes in your woods and stay informed about threats in your area. A spot of yellow or brown might be normal —or it might be a disease that is about to spread to other trees. Learn More.
- Alert a Professional: To the untrained eye, one type of problem can look similar to another. Take pictures, make notes on your trees’ symptoms, and talk to an expert like a local forester or Cooperative Extension office. Learn more about handling a potential outbreak.
Find pests in your region
More information
For more information about fighting invasives on your land, keep reading. In this section you will learn about:
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