MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources officials say they discovered oak wilt in the Northern Highland American Legion State Forest near Woodruff last month.

DNR forest health specialists say staff members cut down the diseased tree and the oaks around it, including ripping their stumps out of the ground with a bulldozer and burning all diseased wood. Agency workers plan to monitor the area next summer to determine if they stopped the disease.

DNR forestry specialists say oak wilt can spread from tree to tree through root systems. They say once the disease gets established it slowly moves through all nearby oaks, killing them.

AP-WF-11-24-13 1203GMT