Birds have been known to build nests out of various and sundry materials, ranging from leaves and twigs to saliva and feces, depending on the species, range and material availability. Hawks appear to prefer coarse, dry branches and twigs to build the foundation of their nest, and similar to most other birds nest construction is…
Data collected via regional Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA), by the United States Forest Service from the 1950s through 2007 reveal that in spite of the accumulation of the invasive, non-native pest of hemlock trees, the woolly adelgid, hemlock forests in the eastern U.S. appear to have sustained the impact well. The big picture they…
A recent assessment conducted by the US Forest Service projects that in the next hundred years boreal forests, such as the ones that characterize iconic sites in Minnesota, may give way to a mix of broadleaf species. Given the pace and way that the climate is changes coniferous forests and feet of snow may be…
Forests and trees are, as we have talked about here many times, vital to the environment; trees improve air and water quality, provide habitat and forage for wildlife, help mitigate erosion, act as sinks for carbon dioxide, provide necessary shade and aid in cooling property and impermeable surface and the list goes on and on.…
The greatest threat to the sustainability of this country’s forests and probably the number one challenge for land managers is not forest fires, as may be perceived by the public, but insect infestations and the spread of disease. Insects and disease do not get the media coverage that fires do, but the National Report on…
On the Topic of Turn… The coming of fall brings on all kinds of changes, back to school, back to work, cooler temperatures, sweaters and boots, and trees turn. People flock from miles around to places known for their breathtaking fall foliage. “Leaf-peeping” is so popular there are tours available, special getaway packages and towns…
Xeriscaping or xeric gardening is a concept first developed in Colorado with the idea of creating gardens that are both water use efficient and attractive. The actual word “xeriscape” comes from the Greek word xeros meaning dry and scape which literally means “scene”. Although this requires utilizing plants that are drought resistant, or adapted to naturally…
When we think of soil we all picture what is beneath our feet, but researcher Camila Tejo Haristoy is studying soil that forms in forest canopies, referred to as canopy or arboreal soil. Canopy soil develops when epiphytic plants(a plant that grows above the ground, supported non-parasitically by another plant or object, and deriving its nutrients and water from rain,the air, dust, etc.; air plant; aerophyte) begin to decompose. The formation of these soils, as with ground soils, is also aided by bacteria…
Trees have been around for a long time, and would continue to be without us. We don’t manage them because they need it; we do it because we need it. That means that while good tree management is based on biophysical principals, it is a social activity. So when we’re trying to create, protect, manage,…
For a long time we have employed a means of protecting sensitive and valuable ecosystems by sending in teams of scientists who evaluate it, delineate boundaries and put monitoring and protection plans into place, making policing these properties necessary. Another idea that is gaining popularity is the establishment of the land’s carbon capacity and offering…
