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…
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…
Forests are fundamental to life, they provide water and air quality mitigation, recreational opportunities, employment, tourism, saleable products and much more. In the U.S. forests represent a part of our national identity and preserving them as a legacy for future generations is a responsibility that we should not take lightly; “conservation is not a luxury,…
Ground and surface water lost during the extended drought in the southwest are having unexpected and unusual impacts. The 18 month-long drought in southern California has resulted in land upheaval of slightly more than half of an inch, recorded in the mountains. Apparently the estimated 63 billion gallons of water lost has had an effect on…
It’s summer and there are two things we know: – Trees need water – Water (in the form or precipiation) does not always come in predictable amounts and timeframes. There are many great web resources to help you track rainfall (as a proxy for soil moisture). NOAA provides some great tool and tracking precipitation at…
Smokey the Bear celebrated 70 years of helping Americans prevent forest fires on August 9th. And his message remains as relevant today as it was in 1944. The message conveyed by this icon: “Only YOU can prevent forest fires!” proved so powerful that is has helped reduce the number of acres lost to forest fires…
Trees and forests are critical for proper functioning of a watershed, and the quality and health of the watershed is critical for wildlife and humans who depend upon it. The proportion of forest within a watershed is a determining factor in water quality and the health of aquatic ecosystems. A watershed is the area that drains…
