By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

The Jamaica Library has a variety of public events planned this month including:

• Sunday, Oct. 6: Guthrie County Genealogy Monthly Meeting, 1:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 10: Coffee Chat with RSVP 55-plus Community Needs, 2 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 17: Coffee Chat with Hospice, 2:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 17 and Oct. 31: Food Hive Fresh Food Delivery (all are welcome), 2-7 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 24: Kids Craft with Guthrie County Hope, 4 p.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 29: JPL Trustees meeting, 5 p.m.
• Thursday, Oct. 31: Drop-in costume party (prizes, games, treats) and “almost scary” story hour, 4-7 p.m. (pizza at 5 p.m. 

The Jamaica Public Library is located at 316 Main St. in Jamaica. Call 641-429-3362, email jampublib@netins.net or visit www.jamaica.lib.ia.us.

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

All of Guthrie County is now under a burn ban as ordered by the State Fire Marshal. Jeremy Cooper, director of the Adair and Guthrie County Emergency Management Agency, requested the burn ban based on continuing dry conditions.

The proclamation stated, in part, “The Fire Marshal finds that conditions in Guthrie County are such that open burning constitutes a danger to life or property. It is therefore ordered that no person shall engage in open burning in Guthrie County… except as specifically permitted by Iowa Code 100.40 (3) until such time as Jeremy Cooper… notifies the State Fire Marshal that such conditions dangerous to life or property no longer exists.”

The Guthrie County 14-day weather forecast is for mostly sunny and sometimes breezy weather with little to no chances of rain, so the heightened danger is likely to persist for much of October.

From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources

The best way to prevent the spread of oak wilt is to not prune any oak tree during the growing season.

“It’s best to wait until after Oct. 15 to start pruning oak trees,” Tivon Feeley with the Iowa DNR’s forest health program says. “Then you can prune your oaks all winter long with the goal to stop pruning by March 1.”

Oak wilt, caused by a fungus, has been present in Iowa for many years. Iowa’s red, black and pin oak are more susceptible to oak wilt, but it can also infect white and bur oak. Black, pin or red oak usually die within the same summer they are infected. White oak and bur oak can often take a number of years before they succumb to this disease.

Oak wilt can spread from infected trees to healthy trees in two ways: a small beetle that carries spores of the fungus from a diseased tree to a healthy tree with an open wound during the growing season, and through root grafts connecting nearby oaks. For example, if a red oak is infected and there is another red oak within 50 to 100 feet, there is a good chance that the roots of these trees are grafted and the fungus can move from the diseased tree to the healthy tree.

Feeley says symptoms to look for on infected trees usually include leaves turning a bronzed brown along the outer margins of the leaves. These leaves can often still have some green on them as they fall from the tree. The defoliation tends to start at the top of the tree. 

If a tree is wounded from storm damage or pruning is required during the growing season, treat the wounds immediately with a wound dressing such as acrylic paint. Do not purchase pruning paints/sealants. Those products slow the tree’s ability to seal over the wound.

From the Iowa Department of Natural Resources 

Through the USDA Forest Service Inflation Reduction Act, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) received funds for tree planting grants for communities. 

The Iowa Tree Planting Grant provides reimbursable grants to purchase trees, mulch, tree staking/protection and supplemental watering by contractor or city staff. The grant is a two-year program allowing for planting to take place in the spring and fall of 2025 and 2026. Grant funding is competitive, non-match, and awarded in amounts between $10,000 to $30,000 per applicant.

The Iowa Tree Planting grants are available to community governmental entities, volunteer organizations, and service organizations involved with local urban and community forest services, to plant trees on publicly owned properties within the community to diversify the tree canopy, increase tree benefits, and help disadvantaged populations with energy costs and health disparities, and increase access to parks and nature. Eligibility is determined by the Forest Cover and Socioeconomic Assessment Tool.

To Apply, go to the Iowa DNR Urban Forestry website. Iowa Tree Planting applications are due by 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. Award recipients will be notified by Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025.

For questions about the application, reimbursement and rules, contact Chip Murrow at chip.murrow@dnr.iowa.gov or 515-822-1031.

For application assistance or to set up a site visit, contact Laurie Dams at lauren.dams@dnr.iowa.gov or 515-782-6414.