05/07/1990 Park Board Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Oaks contribute greatly to our state's economy and to our environment. From an economic standpoint, oak is used by over 400 companies and contributes almost $1 billion to the state economy. Nearer to our homes, oaks are our most common and valued shade trees adding billions to property values and provide untold values to our air quality and visual environments. Without an organized and coordinated suppression effort, we can expect the disease to continue to spread freely, seriously damaging our timber resources and devastating our community environments. Successful Oak Wilt projects have been carried out in other states in the past. Control technology demonstrations have also been effective at stopping the disease in Minnesota. While we do not believe that Oak Wilt can be eradicated from Minnesota, an organized suppression effort involving federal, state, county, and community agencies in conjunction with private landowners, can reduce the damage to a small fraction of current levels. A successful suppression program will include measures aimed at (1) eliminating local spread of the fungus at known infection centers and (2) dramatically reducing the potential for long distance spread by insect vectors. The Suppression Task Force will have cost share funds available to assist counties, municipalities, and townships that develop an Oak Wilt Suppression Plan. We will work with individual counties, municipalities, and townships to develop a plan tailored to each community. We expect funding to be available to begin work this summer in a few selected communities and in the county in general in 1991. The purpose of this letter is to solicit from you a proposal that will indicate your interest in participation. The Interagency Oak Wilt Suppression Program is being developed as a multi-year, state-wide effort. It will assist in the treatment of infection centers in a prioritized order by mechanical severing of root systems and removal of spore producing trees. Initially, this project will focus in Anoka county where almost half of the state's oak wilt problem is located, but is intended to expand to include all areas in the state that have oak wilt. In addition to mechanical disruption of root grafts, the program would include managing various aspects of (1) new development, (2) building construction, (3) external building modification, and (4) oak wilt inspections. In addition to the funding assistance, technical advice would be available to communities from the Departments `"� of Natural Resources and Agriculture. In addition, the University of Minnesota will assist