Site Discussions

As a Tyngsborough native, and growing up on the very banks of the Merrimack River, to boot, I can say I thoroughly enjoy my hyperactive winter birds. Even as we sit so still, confined inside and fighting our seasonal depression while huddled over a hot mug of coffee or earl grey, there is some delight to watching the beaty snow critters flit all hither tither in the harsh elements. It serves as a reminder that while we may have all but stopped in our tracks, these bite sized little beings haven’t paused to feel one bit bad for themselves. And why should we? Warm in our fleece and our heated houses, whining about our wet socks and thrown out backs from hours of pushing snow, flipping through the paper and contemplating a long weekend in Myrtle Beach, we witness the passing of winter through our side view mirror. Winter’s little king, on the other hand, plows full steam ahead without a windshield and with nothing more than the feathers on its tiny wings to keep it buggering on.
Little bird, I don’t know whether to curse you or to thank you, for reminding us all that even in the face of extreme elements, the impetus to forage and persevere is ever present.

Marcel,

While all three species mentioned in the article could be found in your area, your greatest chance of finding a luminescent species would be with the common bitter oyster (P. stipticus).  I have had success finding this little mushroom in August and September most often on fallen branches and logs of Birch species.  It is best to consult a field guide for you specific area.  And remember, as far as bioluminescence goes, the fresher the specimen the better, so check often.

Frank Kaczmarek

“Their twigs and bugs grow opposite one another” In the second paragraph is a mistype - I think instead of “bugs” you meant to put “buds”.  Thank you for the information - great article!

Reference the loss of a portion of the butt log to the disease. Recently a wood turner in my town showed me a rather large vase shaped item that he had turned from what he called “Ambrosia Maple” that was harvested by a logger south of Damariscotta.

To those of you who have seen lumber sawn from the butt of tapped maple trees, you may recall how Dr. Shigo’s CODIT (Compartmentalization of Decay in Trees ) is evident in how the sugar maple will restrict the spread of organisms from the tap holes (which are in fact ‘wounds’) not only to the left and right of the wound, but also above and below the tap hole. This restriction by the CODIT principle may be what is keeping the result of the wound from traveling.

Back to the Ambrosia maple. The ‘streaks’ left by the ambrosia beetle make the wood valuable to the wood turners especially if the wounding shows completely around the tree.

If you have a tree that succumbs to either the sap streak or the ambrosia beetle(Google it for more info plus great pictures of a cookie with the beetle stains in it ), Google Maine Wood Turners Association to see if a wood turner lives near you.
They will pay for usable sections or you might arrange a trade for a bowl.

Regards, Pete Lammert 207 691-2900

It is strange that frog calls are in the human range of hearing. I wonder if they’re are other frequencies we can’t hear that they do. I wonder if what we hear is what they hear. I have also wondered for many years how frog calls adapted especially for sympatric species, where the potential for overlap in frequency and decibel ranges exist.

Heard trees know its time to start growing shoots when they sense mating animals and people nearby. It releases a hormone that transfers through the roots when it rains.

I live on the south tip of Vancouver island ..are there any known locations close to me where I can observe this luminous treat?  ..I see lots of different mushroom species ..all shapes and colors ..it’s amazing

  I was using my brand new chainsaw yesterday, and I dulled the chain. I sharpened it quickly, and then continued cutting. I was pretty sure I sharpened the chain sufficiently, but when I started cutting I noticed some unusual wear under the rails. Would this be caused by tension, a lack of dispersed oil on the bar, or a poorly sharpened chain?
          Thank you, Travis

I’ve been looking for a good description of the differences for years. This article really nails it. Thank you!

Thanks for this tribute to the home woods: the sap run releases the sweetness of our spirit. Good luck with sugaring.

Dave,

This is about as good as it gets. You say more in a thousand words—likely a lot less: I didn’t count—than most people can say in a book, every word of yours ringing true. Bravo.

Syd

Distinguishing red maples from sugar maples is easy. More challenging is telling sugar maples from the nasty Norway, as their leaves are quite similar. But, the bark of Norways are relatively smooth, with only shallow, woven furrows - very different from the sugar maple; the leaf buds are large and fleshy, and in summer the Norway maple leaf petiole exudes a milky sap from its base when pulled from the branch.

I’m following many articles on fungal spore proliferation in the northwest, particularly Michigan and surrounding zone areas. I have been encountering many strains of fungal infection on many different trees and shrubs in my area in the last 2 years and 2012 seems to have been the most virulent. White pine, Spruce, Fir, Maple, Oak, too many others to name. What used to be a single occurrence of Rust, Wilt, mildew, or needle cast, are occurring throughout entire communities at alarming rates. Last years’ early warm and rainy spring followed by drought in summer, with the final wet cooler end of fall season - leads me to fear conditions in 2013 for those trees that managed to survive 2012. Any further information you have to share would be very welcome.

I so enjoyed your article on the three ways trees survive the winter that I am incorporating it into a science-based interpretive education program that I do on a moon-lit winter night for 3-6th graders.  It was well written and explained in such a fashion as to make it very interesting and the kids will enjoy it.  Thanks.

It’s a good question, Greg. But the state would argue, and i think rightly so, that residential property and working forestland are two very different things. A residential property benefits from (relies upon) town roads, town utilities; its tax rate is based on the costs of these services and its value as a residence. The whole point of “Current Use” is to tax forestland as what it is—forestland. If a landowner has a home on the parcel that is enrolled in the program, the house and the two acres around it are NOT eligible for a tax break. They’re paying the same rate you are on their residence. By signing up for a reduced rate on their forested acreage, a landowner is committing to keep their forest as forest, which keeps Vermont rural, and participate in the local wood economy, which keeps foresters and loggers and mills and truckers and gas stations and saw shops and country stores and all the other parts of the rural economy going. This “working” part is mandatory—every parcel enrolled in UVA is actively managed—so the tax break is not just money for nothing.

From http://www.treefarmsystem.org/trevorevans - “Trevor Evans owns almost 1,000 acres that he has acquired in bits and pieces over 28 years in Derby, Vermont.”

A quick google search shows that the author has a vested interest in this programs existence - which is good to know where where he is coming from.  I am sure there are many positives regarding the VT land use program but with property taxes skyrocketing in Vermont (and no end in sight thanks to Montpelier) I think someone who has the benefit of owning 1000 acres in Vermont could also afford to pay a little more in property tax.  I’d be more in favor of a plan to support dairy farm land separably and to expand federal and state park land that can be open to all.  Maybe the question should be why should someone be expected to pay more in residential property taxes without any breaks while someone else can be cut a deal for being a land baron in VT?

Mr. Marshall,
I realize you have good intentions by providing supplemental winter feed to the deer in your neighborhood, but as outlined in the article, you are doing more harm than good!

“Different microbes are needed to break down summer and winter forage as the ecosystem of the rumen changes slowly with the seasons. Feeding deer with corn, potatoes, and the like in winter is damaging. Such foods disrupt the rumen environment causing a die-off in bacteria that allows dangerous fungi to take hold. This makes them sick and can lead to starvation.”

I would add that while their stomachs may be full of artificially supplied food (so they stop eating), they do not have the microbes to obtain proper nutrition from their intake, and are essentially starving themselves, even though they have a full stomach.

If it is legal in your state, and you still wish to provide supplemental winter food, I suggest finding some browse for them - great time of year to prune apple trees and offer trimmed branches as your offering.  Other species of woody material works as well, i suggest looking for guidance on your State Wildlife Agency website.

Have not built either but the dovetail notches always impressed me.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-log-cabin-with-dovetail-notches/

Deer stop here a couple of times a week. We give them cracked corn, bread, and slices of apple. Is this OK and what else could we offer them?

Girdling a tree, as George described in the above post, is a technique used to eliminate poor stock and undesirable trees without the involved work of felling.  Girdling also allows smaller trees to have the support and shelter of the girdled tree while no longer having to compete with it for nutrients and sunlight.  As the girdled tree decays,  the smaller trees around it grow and take up the space once occupied by the girdled tree.

And George, I’m sorry to report that the tools for doing this work manually are indeed the axe and chainsaw.  An axe can be effective on smaller trees especially in the spring when the bark is loose; for larger trees with tougher bark, a chainsaw is the right tool for the job.

Carl Demrow, Tricks of the Trade Columnist