As part of the Healthy Harbor initiative, a plan to make Baltimore’s Inner Harbor swimmable and fishable by 2020, the Waterfront Partnership today launched a trash-intercepting water wheel. The wheel is powered by water currents and solar panels (!). It sits at the mouth of the Jones Falls where it empties into the Northwest Branch…
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Invasives Invasion Invasive species can make habitat conservation, restoration and management incredibly difficult. Once non-native, invasive or noxious plants establish themselves, removal and eradication become very labor intensive, requiring manual removal, possible chemical applications and years of monitoring and maintenance. Invasive species will compromise a habitat by taking over the niche of native species, native…
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Beyond Bees At this point most people are well aware of the predicament the country’s (and world’s) honeybee population is in, however, what doesn’t get enough attention is the status of wild pollinators like butterflies, moths and thousands of other bee species. While honeybees are heavily researched and managed for agricultural purposes, wild pollinator species…
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Current Conditions Spring moves on at a seemingly glacial pace, yet the slowly increasing growing degree days do favor the development and surge of the insect communities. Temperatures have been unseasonably cool for this time of year in much of the northeast, and while actual rainfall has not amounted to much, dampness persists. While this sort…
DetailsIn recent posts, we have talked about some of the factors that go into deciding whether to retain or remove a tree on a construction site. We have talked about signs and symptoms on the tree that may indicate how healthy and stable it is, and we talked about identifying and assessing potential targets –…
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Migration Station In addition to providing oxygen, acting as a carbon dioxide sink, giving shade, contributing building products, reducing energy costs and consumption and imparting aesthetic value trees are also habitat and forage for many species of birds. Birds roost in trees when undertaking migrations of several thousands of miles as well as nesting and…
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Matriarchal Mythos Mother’s day is celebrated in different ways and on different days worldwide, but the reason for the holiday is universal; honoring all of the hard work, sleepless nights, sacrifices and love that comes with motherhood. There are some historical ties to religious rites honoring goddesses or mother church, but the current incarnation is celebrated…
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Effects of Enrichment All trees and shrubs can benefit from fertilization at some point in their life cycle, however, given the amount of stress that fruit trees face during a growing season, they may benefit greatly from a proper feeding. Fertilizer needs to be applied in the correct amount and the right formulation so as not to…
DetailsA few weeks ago a friend sent me this story from the Washington Post about the DC tree gouger. This person went around the District gouging trees. Carving initials is pretty innocuous, but when you remove large areas of bark down to the cambium, trees can die. The University of Kentucky shows it well in…
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Critter Concerns Insects like fruit trees for many of the same reasons we like fruit trees, sweet smelling, pollen filled flowers and ripe, juicy fruits and seemingly sweet leaves and bark. While we want to attract and protect pollinators and beneficial insects, injurious insects can cause serious damage, inhibiting fruit production or fouling fruit, stunting or gnarling…
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