Stone walls are ubiquitous in New England, most of us take them for granted, not giving them a second thought, yet there is a rich history regarding these seemingly innocuous structures. The book “Stone by Stone: The Magnificent History of New England’s Stone Walls”, written by University of Connecticut geology professor, Robert Thorson explores the…
The majority of forests in the northeast are privately owned, which has a global impact on wildlife habitat. Access to forest lands in the northeast is critical for breeding regimes of dozens of neotropical birds who travel thousands of miles to get there. For some of these species 90% of their global population breeds in…
Perhaps you have heard about point and nonpoint source water pollution, what is the difference and why is it important? Pollution from a point source is emanating from a source which can be identified, i.e. discharging pipes, construction etc., while nonpoint sources cannot be so specifically determined. Nonpoint source water contaminants can come from varied sources…
Around this time of year when the weather starts getting crisp and cool, insects start to seek asylum in warmer spots, most notably your home. Fall house invaders think that they want a warmer habitat but truly, it messes with their circadian rhythms, preparation for winter and survival. Insects that should be going dormant for the…
University of Arizona researchers discovered that the meteor that hit the Yucatan Peninsula about 66 million years ago not only killed off the dinosaurs, but shaped the plants we now know. Recently published in PLOS Biology, their paper “Plant Ecological Strategies Shift Across the Cretaceous-Paleogene Boundary” states that the extinction event that was responsible for…
Urban forests consist of the tree cover present above every community, town and city, urban trees are vital to the health and vibrancy of the environment as well as the population. There are many organizations, agencies and groups concerned with preservation of urban canopy cover and tree health, strong incentives exist for continuing, improving and…
The world is watching New York City this weekend as millions of activists descend upon the city and peacefully flood the streets in an effort to bring attention to climate change. This event is timed to coincide with a U.N. climate meeting at which General Ban Ki-moon plans to address the assembly and urge governments…
While lawns are more eco-friendly than pavement or architecture due to their ability to absorb carbon dioxide, mitigate stormwater, slow erosive forces and infiltrate water, they can be high maintenance and energy inefficient. Lawn care usually consists of fertilizing, disease control, pest management and a consistent watering regime, all of which has an impact ecologically…
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.…
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…
