Recently, we have been getting sporadic bouts of rain on the UP which has given me an opportunity to plan out some cruising routes for work. Planning out these routes is important because it helps to think about the most efficient way to go from one plot to the next before actually getting into the…
Category: Wildlife
Ecology of Dead Trees
When hiking through your local forest, you’ve no doubt come across a dead tree every now and then. But have you ever thought about the ecology of dead trees and the roles they play in a forest ecosystem? In this article, I want to share some of those roles and by the end you will…
Life and Death by the Roadside: Wildlife and Roads
UPPER PENINSULA, MICHIGAN – Driving out to the forest this morning, I came across a rare sight: a small fox trotting along the roadside. I was driving westward while the fox was coming east on the opposite side of the road. There was no other traffic and I was able to stop and snap a…
Noise Pollution in National Forests
Most national forests in the US are located in rural parts of the country. Parts of these forests can be difficult to access and therefore far from the noise of the city. For this reason, they offer a kind of sanctuary for the urbanite to temporarily escape the noise pollution of urbanization and development. However,…
Early Spring Snakes
The equinox passed earlier this week, marking the official beginning of spring. And with that, the days will continue to get longer and warmer. This warmer weather has already begun to entice wildlife activity. In fact, I have already seen a few snakes to kick off the season. The first I came across was a…
The Incredible Diversity of Wasps
In the insect world we often hear about the diversity of insects and especially beetles (Coleoptera), but there is mounting evidence that the diversity of wasps may be even greater. In fact, wasps may be some of the most diverse insects in the world. And a recent book by behavioral ecologist at University College London,…
Discovering Plant Species
I recently finished a contract in the Hoosier National Forest of Indiana and while I was there I found several plant species that were new to me. As a forester, I often spend my time looking up toward the forest canopy and rarely look at the vegetation growing below, especially herbaceous plants. However, I have…
Case Study in Conservation: Kittatinny Ridge Conservation Corridor
From southeastern Pennsylvania, the 185-mile-long Kittatinny Ridge is one of the most prominent features in the landscape. Rising to about 1800 feet above sea level at its highest point, it forms an ever-present wall above the Great Valley to the southeast. What’s more, it has high value as a conservation corridor due to its biodiversity…
Bald Eagle Nesting Sites on the Rise in the East
I recently read that bald eagle nesting sites have been spreading in the eastern US as the population continues to recover from a history of pollution exposure and indirect poisoning. It made me think of the first time I recall coming across an eagle nest in the wild. Back in early spring of 2018, I…
The Highlands Sentinel
On a Friday morning along a class 3 Forest Service road in the Washington/Jefferson National Forests of western Virginia, I step out of my truck to begin a day of taking tree measurements. I gather my work vest and measuring equipment from the backseat. When I close the door and turn around, a four foot…