Publicly owned maples arenโt for syrup, Ann Arbor says
ANN ARBOR, Mich. โ A Michigan city has a message for its residents: Thereโs nothing sweet about tapping publicly owned trees for maple sap. As the weather gets warmer, Ann Arbor is warning people not to poke trees in parks or along streets. "When we find this equipment, staff will remove it,โ city spokesman Robert Kellar told MLive.com. โTapping causes damage to these trees, which already face challenges, and leave them susceptible to insects and disease.โIt's OK for an Ann Arbor resident to tap a maple on their own property, the city said. Ann Arbor says a 16-inch-diameter sugar maple at a home provides $149 in benefits each year, especially in energy savings.
Insect that kills hemlocks detected in NW Michigan county
View of a section of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore park and fog-obscured Lake Michigan beyond, Michigan, November 2013. (Photo by Interim Archives/Getty Images)HONOR, Mich. โ A small insect that can kill hemlock trees by feeding on their sap has been detected at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northwestern Michigan. Michigan has been combating hemlock woolly adelgid since 2006 and has current infestations in Allegan, Ottawa, Muskegon, Oceana and Mason counties. The insect was detected in October in Ludington State Park, about 70 miles (112 kilometers) south of Sleeping Bear Dunes. Cars, boats or recreational vehicles parked beneath infested trees may also be able to transport the insects to new locations.
Michigan adds Beech leaf disease to invasive species list
LANSING, Mich. โ Beech leaf disease has been added to Michiganโs invasive species watch list and state officials are asking residents to be on the lookout for trees infested with the damaging disease. Beech leaf disease is associated with a microscopic worm that enters and spends the winter in leaf buds. It causes damage to leaf tissue on American beech and European and Asian beech species resulting in darkened, thick tissue bands between leaf veins, creating a striped effect on the leaves, leaf distortion and bud mortality. Michigan is home to about 32 million American beech trees. โMany questions about beech leaf disease remain unanswered,โ said Simeon Wright, a DNR forest health specialist.
Hereโs where you can drop off your Christmas tree in Ann Arbor
ANN ARBOR โ Whether youโre the type that likes to get rid of your tree on Dec. 26 or keep it around for a few more weeks, the city of Ann Arbor provides an ample window for residents to discard Christmas trees. Christmas trees cannot be left out on the streets or discarded on extensions. Instead, the city provides four free drop off locations for Christmas trees from Dec. 14-Jan. 18, 2021. According to the city of Ann Arbor, the following locations at local parks will be open for Christmas tree drop offs from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.:Southeast Area Park located on Ellsworth at Platt. For more information on Christmas tree disposal, winter composting or trash and recycling, visit www.a2gov.org/solidwaste.
Tracking power outages in SE Michigan -- Nov. 1, 2020
DETROIT โ High winds blowing through southeast Michigan Sunday are causing power outages throughout the region. Wind advisories are in effect for 11 SE Michigan counties on Sunday afternoon. You can check the DTE outage map here. More than 80 DTE crews are working to restore power to DTE Energy customers. Report an outage to DTE here.
VIDEO: Fall colors hit their peak in Southeast Michigan
DETROIT โ It might be hard to notice with all the rain weโve seen lately -- but the fall colors have really hit their peak in Southeast Michigan. The clouds parted enough on Friday for Local 4โฒs Tim Pamplin to get some video. READ: More community coverageWatch the video above for the full report
When will fall colors peak in Michigan in 2020?
The unofficial fall season is underway in Michigan -- which means fall colors are coming. So when will fall colors peak this year? According to SmokyMountains.com, who released their annual fall colors forecast last week, Northern Lower Michigan and the Upper Peninsula are already seeing patchy colors. Northern Michigan is forecasted to be in peak fall colors from Sept. 21 to Oct. 5. Related: 10 great places to see Michigan fall colors this year
New website helps identify woody invasive plants in Michigan
A new website can help you identify potentially invasive plants in your backyard in Michigan. Across the eight Great Lakes states and Ontario, 28 woody plant species are regulated as invasive by at least one jurisdiction. Multiflora rose, black locust, Tatarian honeysuckle and glossy buckthorn are just some of the woody invasive species found in Michigan. Now these plants pose a serious threat to natural areas in the Great Lakes region, outcompeting native plants and damaging wildlife habitat. The Woody Invasives of the Great Lakes Collaborative is one of several regional invasive species initiatives supported by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Tracking power outages in SE Michigan -- Aug. 2, 2020
DETROIT Heavy rain and thunderstorms Sunday caused power outages throughout southeast Michigan. As of 11:30 p.m. Sunday, the storms had impacted a total of 2,136 customers, according to the company. You can check the DTE outage map here. More than 40 DTE crews are working quickly to restore power to customers. Read: Flash Flood Watch in effect for some Michigan counties until Sunday afternoonReport an outage to DTE here.
Tracking power outages in SE Michigan -- July 19, 2020
DETROIT Power outages are possible in southeastern Michigan on Sunday as there is potential for strong to severe storms in the region. DTE Energy says scattered thunderstorms and high winds are causing power outages throughout southeast Michigan. You can check the DTE outage map here. As of 1:39 p.m. on Sunday, approximately 40,400 DTE Energy customers were without power due to severe weather. Oakland and St. Clair counties are currently experiencing the most power outages.
Tracking power outages in SE Michigan -- June 26-27, 2020
DETROIT Power outages are possible in southeastern Michigan on Friday and Saturday as there is potential for severe storms in the region. DTE Energy and Consumers Energy are preparing for potential strong winds that could down trees and topple power lines. You can check the DTE outage map here. We will be tracking the outages right here. Report an outage to Consumers Energy here.
Spotted lanternfly could be next invasive species in Michigan: What to know
DETROIT Michigan could soon have a new addition to its invasive species list: spotted lanternfly. To date, spotted lanternfly has not been detected in Michigan, but it has been detected spreading across the nation, including in Delaware, Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland and West Virginia. Related: Michigan adds invasive marbled crayfish to prohibited species listAdult spotted lanternflies are identifiable by their bright body and wing colors. Spotted lanternfly could negatively impact our grape industry, said Robert Miller, invasive species prevention and response specialist for MDARD. Related: 11 invasive species to watch out for in Michigan
50th anniversary Earth Day celebrations canceled in Ann Arbor
ANN ARBOR, Mich. โ A festival celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in Ann Arbor has been canceled due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Originally scheduled to take place in Gallup Park on April 19, the anniversary festival organizers announced the cancellation in a shared Facebook post. The annual festival has been a collaborative effort of the Leslie Science and Nature Center, the City of Ann Arbor and Ann Arbor-based environmental nonprofits and organizations. Additional Earth Day celebrations by the City Council and the University of Michigan have been canceled due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The first Earth Day celebration in Ann Arbor took place on April 22 in 1970.
How to identify the most common trees in Michigan
Sugar maples have dark gray bark with furrowed ridges, not as easily identifiable compared to other Michigan tree species. More on Sugar maples here from the Michigan DNRBeechIn southern Michigan, American beech trees grow in beech-maple forests. It is an ashy gray color and, compared to some Michigan species, is easier to identify due to its blocky bark. When comparing the white oak leaf to the red oak, it is easy to tell the difference because the red oak has pointed leaf tips. Jack pine needles are much shorter than red pine needles at a length of to 2 long.