MDC holding deer management open house June 16 in Rolla

Stop by to learn about Department management goals and share your opinions.

ROLLA, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) invites the public to a deer management open-house in Rolla from 3 to 8 p.m. on Monday, June 16, at Rolla Junior High School Cafeteria, 1360 Soest Road. This meeting is one of numerous open houses being held by the department across the state to discuss deer management with citizens.

Attendees will be able to visit booths focusing on the history of deer management in Missouri; the state’s new deer management plan; possible regulation changes and disease management efforts related to Chronic Wasting Disease and other infectious diseases; hunter retention and recruitment, landowner and non-resident permit privileges, urban deer management, and other deer-related issues.

The open-house format lets attendees concentrate on their particular interests, asking questions and discussing their ideas one-on-one with biologists and other key staff. Conservation Department Deputy Director Tom Draper says the goal of the meetings is to provide information and get feedback.

“We need people to tell us what they want Missouri’s deer population to look like and what combination of hunting seasons, bag limits, and hunting methods they want the Conservation Department to use to achieve their goals,” says Draper.

Deer hunting is an important part of the state’s outdoors heritage. Generations of Missourians have enjoyed this activity and deer season is still an event hunters of many ages participate in annually. Missouri has nearly 520,000 deer hunters and almost two million wildlife watchers who enjoy deer. Activities related to deer hunting and watching annually generates $1 billion in economic activity for thousands of Missouri businesses and hundreds of communities around the state, and support more than 12,000 Missouri jobs. The appreciation people have for deer is further proof of what many state residents already know: Missourians care about conserving forests, fish and wildlife.

If people want more information about these open houses or are unable to attend but still want to review the information presented and provide comments, they can go online tomdc.mo.gov/DeerOpenHouse.

Public invited to comment at Cadastral Mapping Standards Stakeholder meeting April 12

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Geology and Land Survey staff will conduct a Cadastral Mapping Standards Stakeholder meeting Thursday, April 12.

The public meeting will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, 1730 E. Elm St., in Jefferson City.

At this meeting, the department will accept comments from interested stakeholders regarding promulgation of a rule in development for Cadastral Mapping Standards.

The purpose of this rulemaking is to establish standards for the cadastral layer of Geographic Information System mapping. The cadastral layer is the foundation for property ownership, rights-of-way, easements and other restrictions or burdens placed on parcels of land.

For more information, contact the department at 573-368-2300 or write to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Geology and Land Survey, PO Box 250, Rolla, MO 65402. People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements by calling the department at 573-368-2300, or call toll free at 800-334-6946 (voice) or 800-379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf).

For more information or a complete meeting agenda visit the department’s websitednr.mo.gov/geology/landsurvey/lsp-rules-in-dev.htm.

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Ailing Oak Trees

Oak galls won’t cause much permanent damage

A little TLC is all that most affected oaks need to recover.

ROLLA, Mo.–Oak trees across a broad swath of Missouri are experiencing an unusual outbreak of a common parasite. Tree experts say the parasite is not fatal to healthy trees, even though the condition can look awful.

The Missouri Department of Conservation is receiving numerous reports from St. Louis to Branson of oak trees turning brown. The problem is especially severe in the area around Rolla, Lake of the Ozarks, Springfield and Table Rock Lake.

The main cause of the problem is a wasp of the family Cynipidae. These tiny wasps deposit their eggs on emerging leaves in the spring. As the eggs hatch and young wasp larvae begin feeding, leaves develop brown spots that grow into “galls.” Each of these button-like growths, which are about the size of a pinhead, provides food and shelter for one wasp larva. In severe cases, entire leaves turn brown over much of a tree.

“It looks worse than it really is,” said Conservation Department Resource Scientist Rob Lawrence. “Some people mistakenly think a tree has died when it turns brown. However, it is extremely rare for oaks to die from this insect. Only a few trees that are in serious decline before infestation are likely to succumb.”

Lawrence said trees that have been stressed in recent years by ice or wind damage are more vulnerable to declining health if they lose most of their leaves to gall damage. If most of a tree’s leaves turn brown or drop by early summer, it may produce a second flush of leaves. This added stress can lead to a long-term health decline.

Lawrence, a forest entomologist, urges tree owners not to cut down infested oaks. He said all that most trees need to recover is a little tender loving care, including supplemental watering during dry weather  and possibly fertilizing next spring. Tree owners also can help minimize the severity of future outbreaks by burning or composting fallen leaves.

Avoiding any further injuries, such as wounds from lawn mowers or trimmers, is important for all trees, but especially those that already are stressed by previous storm damage. The use of pesticides is ineffective on the current gall damage.

Most jumping oak galls eventually drop to the ground. They get their name from the larval wasps’ habit of moving violently, causing the entire gall to jump. This causes them to settle into vegetation and soil crevices, where they are more protected.

Winter weather is one factor that helps determine how prevalent jumping oak galls are from year to year. Fewer jumping oak gall larvae survive in winters with repeated wide temperature swings, which encourage them to emerge early. Larvae survival is better in years when winter temperatures are more constant. Extended snow cover also helps the larvae survive by insulating them from cold.

More information about jumping oak galls is available at mdc.mo.gov/22967.

Although jumping oak galls are the main cause of oak trees turning brown, they are not the only cause of leaf discoloration in oak trees. Fungus infections also are causing some problems this year. Like the galls, this problem seldom is fatal to oaks. No actions are needed to help trees recover, other than those noted above.

-Jim Low-

Galls caused by tiny wasp larvae are causing leaves on oak trees from Rolla and Lake of the Ozarks to Springfield and Table Rock Lake to turn brown. The damage is temporary, however. Most trees recover on their own, but tree owners can help by watering during dry weather and fertilizing next spring.

 (Missouri Department of Conservation photo)

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