Tree hybrids planted in communities to battle disease

Sixteen new varieties of maple and alder trees developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have been planted in six communities in an experiment to judge how well the trees stand up against disease, pests and other assaults.

The trees will be getting their first checkup this spring after living in the wild for a year. And in the coming years, researchers will monitor how well they fare and whether any could be used to diversify Wisconsin's tree stock.

The attack of emerald ash borer raises the likelihood of widespread loss of ash varieties in the coming years as it continues to spread across Wisconsin.

Oak wilt is killing oak trees, and Dutch elm disease has left most communities with few, if any, elm trees that once towered over streets.

Maples are widely planted, but there are concerns Wisconsin is susceptible to the Asian long-horned beetle, which has infected tree populations in Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Illinois. Infestations in New Jersey and Illinois have been eradicated, officials in the two states say.

"What we are looking for are trees that in the future have attributes that people want, sell well and can be added to the list of urban-tolerant varieties," said Dick Rideout, an urban forester with the Department of Natural Resources.

One problem today is that many communities and homeowners plant a relatively small number of tree varieties, "and if another bug hits the landscape that wasn't here before, it could wipe out a lot more of trees," Rideout said.

"The more diversity we have, the better. The idea of this research is to give us a couple of more alternatives."

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