I AM HAVING a problem with my viburnum's in Towson, MD. I have noted that many of the larger branches have been pecked and almost girthed in bands about one eighth inch width. It appears that the bands were done over time .i.e. the eighth inch holes were connected to form the band . I have a garden with many different shrubs and trees. The viburnum's are the only shrub that have these holes and bands. I have sugar maples that have woodpecker damage but the trees will survive.. However, the viburnum's branches will not since they have completely been girthed. I am surrounded by woods and woodpeckers but I can not understand that if this damage is being done by a woodpecker--they only work on the viburnum's. Thank you for any answers.
THE CENTER for Invasive Plant Management announced the second of two learning websites developed in collaboration with the US Fish and Wildlife Service National Wildlife Refuge System and beneficial to other natural resource managers. The website, Managing Invasive Plants: Concepts, Principles, and Practices, provides an overview of invasive plant management and planning supported by case studies, quizzes, scientific literature, and web-based resources. The website is best viewed in Internet Explorer. (Invasive kudzu will soon cover truck) View website at: http://www.fws.gov/invasives/staffTrainingModule/index.html
IT IS NOT a good idea to clear forests. It is also not a good idea to genetically modify trees to make them more profitable to the biofuel industry and cultivate them in plantations.
In addition, corporations can get "carbon credits" for planting trees, which reduces the pressure on them to reduce emissions. And they are genetically modifying trees to sequester more carbon, so they can get more credits. (For example, Toyota is doing this.)
Trees are also being engineered to be pest resistant and herbicide tolerant --- both of these are sure to have effects on other plants, soil microorganisms and pollinators. And to "prevent contamination", sterility is being introduced into the GM trees. And if the sterility genes "escape", then I guess we would have sterile trees. For example, no acorns.
I have no information that oak trees are being modified yet, but that's little assurance to me that it's not being done. Also, since many of these trees are transgenic (which is to say their genomes have been invaded with with DNA from unlike species, genera or even other kingdoms, --- who knows what kind of horizontal gene transfer is now taking place?
This is just one big experiment, and it's one that can not be called back.
NATURALISTS from Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania are reporting there are no acorns this year. The same is true for hickory nuts. Rod Simmons, Arlington County, VA,
Simmons really got spooked when he was teaching a class on identifying oak and hickory trees late last month. For 2-1/2 miles, Simmons and other naturalists hiked through Northern Virginia oak and hickory forests. They sifted through leaves on the ground, dug in the dirt and peered into the tree canopies. Nothing.
"I'm used to seeing so many acorns around and out in the field, it's something I just didn't believe," he said. "But this is not just not a good year for oaks. It's a zero year. There's zero production. I've never seen anything like this before."
The absence of acorns could have something to do with the weather, Simmons thought. But he hopes it wasn't a climatic event. "Let's hope it's not something ghastly going on with the natural world."
Internet discussion groups, are reporting the same thing from as far away as the Midwest up through New England and Nova Scotia. "We live in Glenwood Landing, NY, and don't have any acorns this year. Really weird," wrote one. "None in Kansas either! Curiouser and curiouser."
What is the situation in your area? Do you have acorns?
ONE OF MY favorite plants is the Common Trumpet Creeper or Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans) that is native to Virginia. Growing 30 to 40 ft. long, this vine is a fantastic plant for wildlife as well as a beautiful garden plant for people.
Because Trumpet Vine is a rampant grower in roadside thickets, old fields, and on rocky hillsides, many folks think of this plant as a “weed” that is difficult to control. However, the alert gardener who does not want more than one Trumpet Vine need only pull out the few seedlings that come up each year.
Trumpet Creeper produces pretty pinnately compound leaves and tubular orangey-red flowers that look great almost until frost. Its own beauty is accented by the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds that hang around these flowers all summer long for their nectar. In winter, Tufted Titmice, American Goldfinches, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Gray Squirrels eat the Trumpet Vine seeds.
Common Trumpet Creeper produces the most blooms in full sun (6-8 hours of sunlight a day). Use it to cover a fence, to climb up a trellis, or to grow along a porch or deck.
Collect seeds from wild plants anytime after the pods have turned brown in the fall. The seeds germinate after a cool spell so it is best to plant them right away (barely cover them with soil). If you prefer to buy cultivars (cultivated varieties) from a nursery, I highly recommend “Mme. Galen”, a French form that produces gorgeous red flowers.
When Common Trumpet Creeper first starts growing, you should tie the vine to the object that you want it to climb so that it will grow in the right direction. Eventually the stem becomes woody with age and puts out rootlets. As a result, the vine eventually holds itself up so that you no longer need to tie it.
Shortly before Common Trumpet Creeper leafs out in late spring, prune back the woody stems as much as you want. The new growth spreads quickly and flowers the same year.
Then all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the visits from wildlife!
BEGINNING in late summer, goldenrods brighten the countryside with their glowing deep-yellow flowers. Because these native plants can be up to six ft. tall, very few people grow them in their gardens. But you may want to find a field of goldenrods in order to gather seeds (now is the perfect time to collect them) because these plants attract a huge diversity of wildlife.
The numerous flowers on each stem produce large quantities of nectar that attract many species of bees and wasps. This nectar is especially important to Monarch Butterflies that are migrating in the fall and therefore are particularly in need of nourishment.
Goldenrod pollen is eaten by animals such as soldier beetles—whose larvae are predators of other insects, thus helping you to avoid the use of pesticides. Ambush and assassin bugs, crab spiders, praying mantises, and daddy longlegs seek out meals on goldenrod by preying upon insects that visit for nectar or pollen or by preying upon each other.
During spring and early summer when goldenrod is just beginning to grow new leaves, rabbits and deer may eat this fresh foliage. During winter American Goldfinches and Dark-eyed Juncos eat the seeds of goldenrod, and Downy Woodpeckers easily peck a hole into each gall on the stems to pull out the Goldenrod Gall Fly larva within.
Goldenrods will introduce you to many kinds of animals and they provide a last flush of bright color before winter sets in. Collect some seeds and throw them into a cleared spot in a corner. There no one should object too much to the plants’ unkempt look after they have stopped blooming. You and the wildlife of your area will not regret it!
EDITOR'S NOTE: Goldenrod does not cause hayfever. Any plant that has conspicuous flowers has pollen too heavy to be carried on the wind. Such flowers attract insects so that they can carry the hefty pollen to other plants of the same species. It is the plants with inconspicuous flowers, such as ragweed and grasses, which make lightweight, wind-blown pollen that causes much misery to some folks.
THE PAST four months I've been off work due to neck surgery. It is true, you can have to much of a good thing. One thing I cannot get enough of though is admiring the scenery around me. (Aspen trees after 13-inch snowfall)
As winter continues it's grip on Michigan, I am blessed with several birds that enjoy my offerings at the feeders. Walks in the shroud of white also allow me to notice some of nature's other beauties.
Oh sure, snow sticking to the pine and spruce trees are a photographers dream. However, I'm talking about bark and branches. Native trees and bushes offer so much to a landscape. Too often, we don't appreciate the beauty of bark and branches. In many cases, they aren't noticeable until they shed their foliage or we just don't take the time to notice.
American sycamore(Platanus occidentalis) is well known for its patch work bark of white, cream, olive and shades of brown. Not to mention the massive trunks of these American beauties.
River birch(Betula nigra) with its creamy white to reddish brown pealing bark. In typical birch fashion, River birch with its typical multi-trunk form and exfoliating bark makes a statement wherever it stands.
Take some time to admire the always smooth gray colored bark of American beech(Fagus grandifolia).
Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), a deciduous conifer has interesting bark that has winter appeal. Bumps and bulges add to the appearance and often isn't noticeable until the tree sheds its greenery for the winter.
Sugar maple's(Acer saccharum) smooth gray bark gives rise to large irregular plates that give way to deep furrows. While talking maples, I must mention Striped maples (Acer pennsylvanicum) and its green bark and greenish white stripes.
Our several species of Oaks(Quercus) offer a great variety of barks and wide spread branches. Red oak's(Quercus rubra) bark of ski trails and furrows to White oak(Quercus alba) and its bark in blocks and scales.
Sweetgum(Liquidamber styraciflua) is another large tree that has textural interest in the branches. Young branches have a corky wing look to them and the prickly seed balls linger throughout the winter.
Bushes in mass planting can have a dramatic effect on your winter landscape:
Red twig dogwood(Cornus sericea) is at its best in winter scenery. Not as showy, but its yellow barked cousin does well too.
Highbush blueberry(Vaccinium corymbosum) is overlooked for its year round beauty.
The list goes on and on. Next time you are out for a walk or take a peek at your yard, look around to really enjoy native barks and branches.
Ron Patterson Windstar Certified Wildlife Habitat Naturalist Michigan Certified Nurseryman www.gardening-for-wildlife.com
Kentwood, MI
THE AMERICAN Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) is not a tree typically cultivated in back yards.
However, this fast-growing tree has wildlife value, especially for those folks who adore American Goldfinches.
The “buttonball” tree, as the sycamore is nicknamed because of its globular seed clusters, is common throughout the eastern half of the United States, growing in wet locations along streams, rivers, and flood plains. It is one of the largest trees of the eastern deciduous forest.
The American Sycamore is an “indicator” species, for wherever you see lots of big sycamores growing, you can bet this indicates an abundance of water in the area.
American Sycamore flowers are minuscule, produced in spring in dense heads. The fruiting ball that results from fertilization is composed of many closely packed, long, narrow seeds. The fruits mature by early fall, attracting American Goldfinches that are the main species of bird to eat the seeds.
Some of the balls persist through winter on leafless branchlets, making them a great source of food for seed-eating birds that may be having difficulty finding food as spring approaches. Seeds are usually in very short supply by the end of winter. Eventually the fruiting balls slowly begin to break apart, falling to the ground where beavers and some small rodents might eat them.
The limbs of American Sycamore tend to be widely spaced so you might not think of them as providing much cover for birds. However, I have seen a Ruby-throated Hummingbird nesting in one of these big trees. The tiny lichen-and-spider-silk-mantled nest was between 25 and 30 ft. above the ground, and two young hummers successfully fledged from it.
If you have an area with plenty of underground water and room for a substantial tree to grow, sycamores are easy to cultivate from seed and they shoot right up (several feet a year). An older sycamore has a beautiful natural form; the foliage is reminiscent of a maple; and the gray and brown and creamy white mottled bark can be just gorgeous, especially in winter.
If you want to see our North American “canary” (goldfinch), do try to grow a buttonball tree!
SOME of the cultivated plants that are often grown by homeowners can be very useful to wildlife. French Marigold (Tagetes patula) and African Marigold (Tagetes erecta) are just such plants.
Marigolds have a long blooming season, allowing numerous kinds of butterflies to feed all summer and into the fall. Monarchs, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, Spicebush Swallowtails, Great Spangled Fritillaries, and many different sulphurs and skippers come to these plants. Bees visit and occasionally a Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
(Monarch Butterfly resting on Marigold blossom by Steve Skjold)
Although marigolds are not native to the United States, they did originate in the Americas. Marigolds grow in Central America, and Spanish explorers found the Aztecs making use of these plants in Mexico in the 1500s. Seeds were taken back to the Spanish court and marigolds were soon growing in monastery gardens. Eventually seeds found their way to Africa and France, and then back to colonial gardens by the time of the American Revolution. Now some species of marigolds are called “French” or “African”, even though they were originally “American”!
The French Marigold ranges from 6 to 14 inches tall and can be solid or bi-colored with orange, yellow, red, or mahogany combinations. African Marigolds are larger, growing from 9 inches to over 3 ft. tall, and come in shades of orange or yellow. Seeds can be sown outdoors as soon as the last frost date of spring is past (for earlier blooms, seeds can be started indoors 8 weeks before the last frost date, and then transplanted outside after the danger of frost is past). Transplants are commonly sold at local garden centers.
Marigolds are started easily from seed, making them good plants for a child’s garden, introducing your little one(s) to gardening and wildlife at the same time. Since marigolds love dry, sunny areas, they are easy to maintain during times of drought, and because marigold leaves have oil glands that give off an unpleasant scent, most leaf-eating insects and even rabbits will not bother these plants. Sometimes marigolds reseed themselves the following year, allowing you to have volunteer plants that require no effort on your part. Marigolds are really delightful plants!
THE HUCKLEBERRIES are ripening in the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, but this isn't a guide to finding secret patches.
As a Yakama and a North Idaho property owner, I am deeply concerned about the future of this sweet-tart wild purple berry. I fear if we continue merchandising berries, we may see the huckleberry decline and face extinction as the wild salmon has.
In recent years, busloads of commercial pickers have routinely descended on ripening berry fields in Western Washington and Oregon and stripped the bushes of berries before anyone else could share in the harvest. The pressure on huckleberries in Eastern Washington and North Idaho doesn't appear to be as severe at the moment. But as our population grows regionwide, and as an increasing number of gourmet products containing the berries fill shelves at stores, we must pay attention to this relatively fragile harvest.
The wild huckleberry cannot support the pressure from hundreds of small businesses and restaurants in the way that farmed strawberries or blue berries can. The work of area universities toward farmed huckleberries raises a whole different specter of concerns, as farmed salmon raise for the health of wild salmon.
Yet with the advent of large-scale commercial picking, a flurry of recipes gushing about the wild flavor of huckleberries have appeared in publications, such as Southwest Airline's Spirit Magazine. Articles such as the one promoting a mechanized picker for huckleberries that appeared in The Spokesman-Review in July run without mention of the concerns voiced by tribes.
Consistently at meetings of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, leaders decry the picking of declining berry crops for anything other than personal use or tribal ceremonial use. Huckleberries are sacred to Northwest tribes. We hold ceremonies to mark their ripening. For millennia we have tended the berry fields, which, like the salmon, are protected by our treaties. Still over the last century, the fields have been taken over by private property, by state agencies and, particularly, by the U.S. Forest Service, which manages our mountainous national forests.
The remaining huckleberry fields exist because tribes historically cleared trees and burned brush to let the life-giving light reach the berries. But most management of the fields has been abandoned. In forests where 40 years ago there were huckleberry fields, tall trees now shade the fields. Tribal elders say these fields include those where they remember camping for weeks at a time each summer, as families picked berries. Those camping trips were about far more than the harvest of berries. Stories were told, perhaps, like those about the Inland Northwest tribes' trickster Coyote, whose exceedingly wise sisters were huckleberries.
In that time berries were carefully handled so none were wasted, and the bushes were left intact to bear another year. One reason for such great care was the belief that huckleberries could leave if they weren't treated respectfully. Now many tribal elders wonder if that's happening.
The fate of the huckleberry may be in the hands of consumers, who choose to order that huckleberry daiquiri or cheese cake, and to buy soap, syrup and salad dressing made with the berries. Claims on the University of Idaho Web site that commercial use of huckleberries is OK because the berries were a tribal trade item ignores the facts. Tribal women who historically traded in huckleberries undertook the physical care of the berry fields and also spiritual care through first fruit ceremonies.
Now it's up to us. We, the taxpayers, can pressure the U.S. Forest Service and other governments to work with tribes in managing the huckleberry field, and enforce rules that require permits to be purchased for commercial huckleberry picking. Regional national forests need to change contradictory rules that tell pickers that their huckleberries must be used at home. But they allow such a large volume to be picked – 30 gallons a season in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest and three gallons a day in the Colville National Forest – that they invite the sale of berries, particularly during times of high unemployment.
We, consumers, can decide to buy products made with renewable farm-raised berries. That will save for future generations the joyous experience of bursting a teeth-staining huckleberry in your mouth after a long hot day of mountainside picking.
WindStar Wildlife Institute Thomas D. Patrick Founder & President
10072 Vista Court
Myersville, MD 21773
Phone: (301) 293-3351 Email Windstar
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About Windstar
WindStar Wildlife Institute is a national non-profit conservation organization established in 1986. WindStar is a leader in "connecting people to nature through education." In 1999 the Board of Directors decided to move the headquarters to an award-winning, passive solar and earth sheltered structure, Terra Vista, near Myersville, MD. And, a new, four-acre demonstration wildlife habitat, containing all the elements and key components, was created for members and others to visit and to get ideas for their own properties. Each year new habitat components are added. The Institute is known for its award-winning environmental education and certification programs, web site, American Wildlife Blog and outstanding use of nature photography.
