Kirtland Community College

Four Mile Road, Grayling, MI 49738

A community education event providing an Oak Wilt overview.

Oak wilt (Ceratocystis fagacearum) is a fungal disease that causes quick mortality of trees in the red oak family. Symptoms of oak wilt include discolored and wilted leaves that fall rapidly from the infected tree; complete defoliation and tree death can occur in 3-6 weeks. In the Grayling region, these symptoms can be confused with ‘oak decline’ which is caused by a variety of factors. Testing is required to confirm an oak wilt infection if mycelial mats are not present.

Join us to learn more about oak wilt symptoms, how to conduct a proper test for the pathogen, options for treatment once an infection is confirmed, and prevention measures to protect your trees.

Agenda:

6:00 – 6:10       Introduction of speakers, Kirtland brief, purpose of workshop/cautionary tales

6:10 – 7:00       Julie Stachecki: Overview of oak wilt: biology, background, prevention

7:00 – 7:50       Eric Brandon: Diagnosis/Sampling Methods and overview of treatment options

7:50 – 8:00       Julie Crick: Wrap-up, OW Resources, OW Qualified Arborists