Site Discussions

My husband and I are interested in growing native plants. I found fox grapes on a weedy cemetery chain link fence. The Nashua Public Library has a great free seed swap area with a cabinet of locally donated seeds.  Can fox grape plants be grown from the seeds of the grapes?

Hi Brett,

Enjoyed your homemade charcoal article. I’m wondering if there is a practical application for an inexpensive home set up that’s eco-friendly. Do you know of any commercial grade, small scale charcoal making apparatus that could easily set up in one’s backyard? Making your own charcoal really is the final frontier. Do you think there’s a market for making your own, and if not, what barriers would you be facing like environmental challenges, local and state regulations, etc?

Thanks so much,
Jeff

Just an idea: collect a hundred emerald ash borers and put them in a blender with cup of water.  Puree at high speed. Add a nutrient solution that will support viruses and bacteria.  After an appropriate time, dump this into a big tank ot nutrient solution, then dilute with water and spray from the air a 50 acre plot that has no EAB so far.
Then see if that holds the EAB at bay.  If so, repeat where there are big stands of ash that are not yet affected.

Beech leaf disease showed up on many of our trees this year in Halifax, Vermont.

What a fantastic article.

On 07/8/24 at 0750 hrs I was walking along the path at Cedar Beach Long Island and for the entire hour I was walking a steady stream of dragonflies (after researching I believe they were farmers) were migrating eastward. I’ve never seen anything like it before. It was really amazing to witness.

Thank you for this article. I saw these birds this spring on the edge of Shelburne Pond in VT. Not being a birder, I was leafing through Sibley in the shorebird section. I had no luck. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

This is interesting. I would like to know more about the effective use of the “root burritos” for protecting/preserving a tree while re-landscaping with stone.

Welcome and best to you in your new position.

My city south of Boston is replacing many old and diseased maple and ash with what looks like sweetgum trees.  What might be attacking the maples and ashes and why is the sweetgum a good replacement?

Thank you very much for this article about one of my favorite artists.  I have admired her work in Northern Woodlands and galleries for many years.

Congratulations on your gift. I have subscribed to Northern Woodlands for 20 years.

Dear Meghan, 
Thank you for the insightful article about Adelaide Tyrol.  I had the pleasure of taking a course in field journaling with Adelaide at the North Branch Nature Center several years ago. Adelaide was inspiring. It gives me great pleasure to continue working in this area.
Judy Brook

This so cool! Thank you for the information! I did not know only 10% of leeches suck blood, that’s very interesting. I think the thing people get squeamish about with them is the potential bacteria they can carry. I didn’t know they eat necrotic materials (decaying plant/animal matter), but that makes sense. They seem very interesting! (And I think the medicinal uses for them are really really cool! who thought something so seemingly disgusting could in reality be beneficial? Hah! I love it! Thanks again!

I noted your article said that tree sparrows breed in Alaska and Northern Canada but I am seeing them here near Albany NY at the present. What do you think would explain this? Thank you!

Is Magnesium Sulphate any better than Salt? Mass has been switching over to it. The state is also building a plant to produce it to lower costs.

A very nicely written article, informative and comprehensive.  Unbiased in that there is no judgment, personal opinion, or emotional response as to why cowbirds and others birds parasitize nests, just good and factual information. Thank you for such great writing!

Hi,
was fishing near a solitary loon tonight. Its mate was nowhere in sight but I have observed the pair numerous times this season. They had recently lost their eggs to a predator (probably a raccoon) as their choice of nesting site this year was a poor one. Anyway, this loon seemed to be softly moaning and sort of sadly sighing. Maybe I am anthropomorphizing but wanted to report this to you and hear your impressions. Thanks!
Bill

Nancy- So nice to see the start of the garden. I met you at the Natural History conference in Albany this April and you were talking about this project. Love the design. Best with the project. Hopefully the rains didn’t damage it.

I will say that when I was a child, my brother and I helped our neighbor break old cornstalks to tidy up her garden. I felt a horrible pinch in my hand and didn’t know what it was. I looked down the hollow cornstalk at an earwig running away with its pincers raised. My finger swelled up to Shrek size but vitamin c and orange juice brought it down. They definitely can bite and that bite hurts. I still don’t want to kill them but instead we relocate them if we find them inside.