They Might Be Monkeys! Texas Tree & Land Co.

Oak Wilt Prevention

At They Might Be Monkeys!, we recognize oak wilt as a serious threat to our urban forest.  Oak wilt is a fungal disease that can quickly destroy a previously healthy tree.  Treatment can sometimes stop the spread of the disease, but infected trees will generally lose some of their branches and will not have the same full canopies as they did before infection.  We are trained by the Texas Forest Service in the most up-to-date identification and treatment techniques so we can address the problem in the most timely way possible.

Of course, we much prefer to focus our efforts on prevention.  We adhere to the recommendations of the Texas Forest Service for pruning oak trees, including:

• Disinfecting tools before cutting branches on oak trees.
• Dressing wounds on oaks.
• Limiting the scope of oak pruning during the spring when insects and fungi are most active.

Other Resources:
Oak Wilt Information Partnership
City of Austin Oak Wilt Information
Eight-Step Program to Oak Wilt Management
Iowa State University Oak Wilt Identification and Management (.pdf--requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)