Prairie Rivers Network is deeply concerned with the steady declines in state and federal ecological monitoring programs and how the resulting decrease in information impacts our ability to monitor the health of ecosystems under the pressures of habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change.
In recent years, states across the US have been dealing with large increases in reports of injuries to crops, trees, and plants. These injuries are symptomatic of exposure to plant growth regulator (PGR) herbicides such as 2,4-D and dicamba, which are commonly used in agriculture and lawn management. Even moderate levels of repeated and/or chronic exposures can injure plants and have not only visible, but also unseen effects on our environment. Paying attention to what is happening on your property and documenting and reporting symptoms if you see them is important. The video below is designed to help people recognize symptoms of PGR exposure in crops, trees, and other wild plants and provides information on how and where to document or report symptoms. Below the video is more information about our Tree and Plant Health Monitoring Program.
This page contains information about our Tree and Plant Health Monitoring Program. To jump right to a specific section, please click on the appropriate subject link below:
- Reporting Symptoms of Herbicide Damage to IDOA
- Monitoring and Documenting Symptoms with PRN
- Hard Copies of Forms
- Online Reporting System (must have a Google account to use)
- 2018-2019 Tree and Plant Health Monitoring Report
- Drifting Towards Disaster
- Photo Library of Symptoms
Please note: Personal information on the monitoring forms will NOT be shared publicly and is for the sole purpose of data verification.
We thank you for your assistance in keeping an eye out for the biodiversity of Illinois and we welcome your feedback. Questions can be sent to monitoring@prairierivers.org.
DAMAGE TO ILLINOIS’ RECORD-SETTING POST OAK
Many trees are showing symptoms of exposure to herbicide drift and volatilization (think evaporation and movement), including our state record-setting Post Oak:
REPORTING SYMPTOMS OF HERBICIDE DAMAGE TO IDOA
If you notice herbicide injury on your plantings or on non-target species you can report it to the Illinois Department of Agriculture at “Pesticides: Uses & Misuses.”
Also, call IDOA’s Bureau of Environmental Programs at 1-800-641-3934 (voice and TDD) or 217-785-2427 for a complaint form. Complaints must be received by the IDOA within 30 days of the incident or within 30 days of when the damage was first noticed. Complaints filed after that will be kept on record, but no administrative action can be taken.
The complaint process is not set up to address all cases of potential herbicide related injury to plants. It is becoming more clear with each passing year that the current pesticide complaint system has numerous limitations and problems. However, it is currently the primary way that IDOA collects information regarding pesticide-related injuries and therefore remains an important (and the public’s only) method of documenting suspected injury with the IDOA.
MONITORING AND REPORTING SYMPTOMS WITH PRN
It is apparent that we must gain a better understanding of the geographic range, extent, and severity of symptoms. To that end, using the talents and strengths of valuable members and partners, we have developed monitoring guidelines, protocols, and data collection forms, as well as an online reporting system where you can submit documentation of symptoms. For a more in depth tutorial of how to monitor a site for symptoms of off-target herbicide injury, please view the training webinar.
The PRN monitoring forms below are intended to be used by anyone interested in documenting potential herbicide injury to trees and other broadleaf plants. It is our hope that information gleaned from this monitoring effort will help landowners, managers, and scientists better understand what is happening on the landscape and possibly serve as justification for a closer, more in-depth study of this issue by state and federal agencies and/or research institutions.
By helping us keep track of potential herbicide damage to non-target species you will be helping increase the “eyes on the trees and boots on the ground” and drastically improve our ability to document injury to species on a statewide level.
Printable Tree and Plant Health Monitoring Forms
If you choose not to watch the webinar, but still want to document suspected injury to your property please read the monitoring instructions and use the data recording form.
Forms and photographs can be filed on our online reporting system or they can be emailed to monitoring@prairierivers.org
Please note: When reporting symptoms to PRN you will need the following items:
- A camera to document the symptoms (photo is required)
- GPS point of monitoring location (can be obtained from map on smartphone)
- Binoculars (to see higher up in the tree canopy)
- Tree/plant ID book
- Bug repellent & sunscreen
- Permission to be on property
ONLINE REPORTING SYSTEM
(must have Google account to use)
The preferred method of reporting is the digital report form. A Gmail or Google account is required for the online reporting form in order to submit images of the symptoms.
2018-2019 TREE AND PLANT HEALTH MONITORING REPORT
Read the 2018-2019 Tree and Plant Health Monitoring Report
Drifting Toward Disaster: How Dicamba Herbicides are Harming Cultivated and Wild Landscapes
Read the report from the National Wildlife Federation, Prairie Rivers Network and the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation titled Drifting Toward Disaster: How Dicamba Herbicides are Harming Cultivated and Wild Landscapes, reviews the state of the science on the potential far-reaching impacts of dicamba use. The report was published in 2020.
PHOTO LIBRARY OF SYMPTOMS
Note to the user: Most symptom photos will have more than one symptom demonstrated on a leaf. For example, MANY will show leaf cupping/curling in addition to the symptom of focus for a particular category. Nature often presents leaves with more than one symptom. Please click a box to see examples of injury.
Normal Leaves
These are examples of normal leaf growth from varying species.
Curled/Cupped
Curling of leaf margins or cupping of entire leaf. Leaf edges may bend up or down, or in more severe cases, the entire whole leaf is curled up or more commonly downward. The latter creates a “boxing-glove” like look in oaks. Both may be accompanied by discoloration at the margin (e.g., yellowish or grayish). As injury intensifies, edges may turn brown or black. In either case, the color change may also be noted as a symptom (see Chlorosis and Necrosis description below).
Epinasty
Twisting of leaf petioles orienting leaves sideways or upside down. This is relatively easy to spot when lower leaf surfaces are colored differently than the upper surface.
Strapped
Leaf blade is unnaturally lengthened or “stretched” in relation to width. It can be accompanied by twisting of the blade surface. It is not necessary to record twisting with strapping.
Twisted and/or Deformed
More or less normally proportioned leaf blade is twisted, has an irregular surface, and/or is irregularly lobed.
Irregular Margins
Abnormal wavy, “crinkled,” or “scallop shell-like” margin (e.g., in redbud or dogwood); or veins at margins may protrude as distinctive points (e.g., in wild grape).
Shoot Symptoms
Elongated, Coiled, or Bent
Pronounced shoot elongation with bending or coiling, typically only seen in spring in developing shoots. It is often accompanied by leaf abnormalities.
Deformed and Growth Suppressed
Overall suppression of shoot elongation and stunting of leaf growth. Generally, leaves will show one or more symptoms such as chlorosis (e.g., box elder) or twisting and deformation (oak).
Additional symptoms: Leaves
Chlorotic
Abnormal light green, yellow, gray, or white coloration of leaves. Many newly emerging leaves are these colors or orange or red before turning a deeper green. Unless experienced, rate chlorosis only on mature or near mature leaves. It may be at edges or entire leaf.
Necrotic
Brown or black tissue indicating tissue death, usually developing at leaf edge and proceeding inward.
Second Growth
Especially for oaks, if there is obvious leaf damage, check to see whether there is new leaf growth at twig end that appears to have emerged after the 1st spring growth.
Additional symptoms: Trees
Death
Refers to whole tree death. Rate only for trees which clearly leafed out in the current growing season and then died. Observe leaves for any remaining potential injury symptoms.
Dieback
Refers to branches dying usually from ends inward. In severe cases, whole limbs may dieback. As for death, rate as present only if the dead portion clearly leafed out in the current growing season and then died. Otherwise, die-back may indicate damage from previous growing season(s).
Epicormic branching
Occurs when twig growth (sometimes dense) occurs on larger branches or main trunks, often seen when dieback of branches is occurring. May also indicate damage from previous growing season(s).
Prairie Rivers Network is a member of the Save Our Trees – Coalition for Herbicide Pollution Accountability.