Purdue University - Extension - Forestry and Natural Resources
Got Nature? Blog
“Community medicine collection programs make it easy for people to rid their homes of unwanted pharmaceuticals, but they can be difficult to get off the ground. That’s where our Unwanted Meds team comes in. They have helped police departments across Illinois and Indiana establish collection programs and raise awareness of the importance of proper disposal.
How to Dispose of Unwanted Medicine and Personal Care Products, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
Unwanted Medicine, IN.gov
Have you ever wondered what an unfettered rainforest sounds like? Or maybe been curious about the sounds of the shifting coastal tides of Alaska? Well Purdue Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Professor Bryan Pijanowski and his students have now made it possible to hear sounds from a wide number of locations around the world. Dr. Pijanowski, Professor of Human-Environment Modeling & Analysis Laboratory, has led teams to locations across the globe, including Costa Rica, Borneo and the Sonaran Desert, in an effort to record and archive the sounds produced by various ecosystems. Dr. Pijanowski and his team have developed a series of applications for mobile devices and other technologies for soundscape recordings and research.
You can help capture and preserve sounds of the Earth and highlight their bellwether role in alerting scientists to environmental habitat changes by using the free app available at The Education Store, Purdue Extension. On Earth Day, April 22, 2015, The Global Soundscapes Research Center will try to surpass the number of downloads these received in 2014 on Earth Day.
Resources
Center for Global Soundscapes
Conserving Biodiversity in Agricultural Landscapes, Purdue University Press
Managing Forest & Wildlife Resources: An Integrated Approach, The Education Store
Bryan Pijanowski, Professor of Human-Environment Modeling & Analysis Laboratory
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University
Remove perches from wildlife nest boxes like the bluebird box pictured here. Perches allow undesirable birds to harass native cavity nesters and take over a nest box.
Even though we have had some rough weather lately, this winter didn’t seem so bad to me. Now that the weather forecast is looking positive and the days are getting longer (this month, we gain about 75 minutes – I am embarrassed to admit that I check this frequently during the winter because it helps me get through the winter doldrums), it is a good time to think about wildlife habitat projects.
Many species of native birds and mammals will utilize nest boxes. When we put out a nest box, all we are doing is replicating what nature already provides with cavities in both live and dead trees. Woodpeckers are primary cavity users because they create their own. Other birds and mammals are secondary cavity users because they use what is already there – either those that occur in older, dying trees or those that are created by woodpeckers. Installing nest boxes in areas where cavities are likely scarce such as urban environments or young woods may be particularly beneficial.
Tips
- Use quality materials that are weather resistant. Exterior grade plywood and lumber are good choices. Cedar and other rot-resistant woods are best. Avoid using treated lumber and metal.
- Avoid painting or staining inside nest boxes. Painting the outside can prolong its life and may be attractive for some species (white for purple martins, for example).
- The roof should be sloped to allow water runoff and should hang over the sides.
- Drill at least four 3/8-inch drainage holes on the floor.
- The roof or one side should open to allow easy access for cleaning.
- Avoid perches. Natural cavities don’t have them and neither should your nest box. Perches also allow European starlings and English house sparrows, non-native invasive species, to harass native cavity nesters and take over a nest box.
- Near the top of each side, leave gaps or drill 5/8-inch holes (at least two per side).
More tips on design, such as nest box specifics by species (dimensions, hole size and placement, box placement and location), maintenance and problem species, can be found in our Nest Boxes for Wildlife publication.
Other resources available:
Attracting Hummingbirds to Your Yard, The Education Store
Birds of Benton County, Indiana, The Education Store
Brian MacGowan, Extension Wildlife Specialist
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University
“When it snows…
and temperatures drop,
That’s when you’ll hear
The Snap, Crackle and Pop.”
Few things can compare to the peacefulness of walking in a forest filled with snow covered trees until you hear a snap, crackle or an explosive “POP” echoing through the woods. What on earth was that? If the noise is followed by a “whoosh,” it may be a limb that just broke and crashed to the ground. If it sounded like a gunshot but nobody is there, you may be listening to the sound of a frost crack forming on a tree.
What are frost cracks?
Nobody knows for sure. You may hear one happen, typically on a cold late winter morning after a warm spell. They sound like muffled to loud rifle shots. Typically, these cracks occur on the south side of the trunk between two and five feet up the tree (when measuring from the ground). With leaves on, water is pulled upwards from tree roots through the xylem vessels by the differences in water potential from the air to the soil and escapes through the leaves (the soil-plant-air continuum).
Water in the plant is under a negative water potential, or in common terms, under tension. In the winter, when deciduous trees have no leaves, the water pressure in the sap becomes positive. A flow occurs where water moves up in the xylem and cycles down in the phloem (food conducting cells). The mechanism of this winter flow in temperate trees is not well understood physiologically. The sap increases in simple soluble sugars as the cold weather begins and increases until midwinter to work like antifreeze, depressing the freezing point of water. This is why maple syrup can be tapped in late winter.
Scientists are challenged to study the phenomena of frost cracks. They involve thousands of xylem vessels in a very narrow vertical line bursting all at once – as if a line of sap is too low in sugar concentration – and then freezes hard explosively bursting the vessels. After several growing seasons, most trees will heal over the crack, but callus growth makes them appear wider. Valuable timber logs can still be profitably harvested with frost cracks as millers can cut through them to minimize the defect.
Species with darker colored bark and thinner bark can be affected by frost cracks. Some genotype effects have been found in black walnuts at Purdue. Field conditions and topography that effect cold air movement can affect frost cracks. Most form on the southwestern section of the trunk, the area most affected by warming from sunlight during winter afternoons. Somehow, this conditioning sets up the tree when temperatures plummet to single digits (in Fahrenheit) or lower, especially after a warmer period.
So if you wander through the woods this winter, stop but don’t “drop” when you listen to the sounds of the trees.
“When the snow twinkles
and the skies are bare…
Temperatures drop
and a chill fills the air.
If you listen real close
and adjust your cap,
You just might hear
a tree go ‘Snap!’”
Resources
Bark Splitting on Trees, Cornell University
Video: How Do Trees Survive Winter? MinuteEarth
Winterize Your Trees, The Education Store
Shaneka Lawson, Adjunct Assistant Professor
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
James McKenna, Operational Tree Breeder
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources
The 2015 Indiana Tree Farm Landowners Clinic is a program designed to provide landowners interested in managing their forests and wild lands an introduction to management practices and resources for advice and assistance. The program is open to anyone interested in trees and wildlife. Since 1941, the American Tree Farm System has educated and recognized the commitment of private family forestland owners demonstrated in sustainable forest stewardship. We will have tree measuring sticks available for sale. Join us to learn more about Tree Farm and how you can improve your property. This program is offered through the cooperation of the Indiana Tree Farm Committee, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (INDNR) – Division of Forestry and the Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center (HTIRC).
What: 2015 Indiana Tree Farm Landowners Clinic
When/Where: Friday, March 27, 2015, at The Reuter Tree Farm from 1-4 pm; Saturday, March 28, 2015, at McCormick’s Creek State Park, Spencer, IN from 9 am to 4 pm
Registration: $50 per person or $75 per couple. Must register by March 20, 2015.
See the brochure for more details and registration.
Resources
Purdue FNR Events
Forest Improvement Handbook, The Education Store
A Landowner’s Guide to Sustainable Forestry: Part 1: Sustainable Forestry – What Does It Mean For Indiana?, The Education Store
Lenny Farlee, Sustaining Hardwood Extension Specialist
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources & HTIRC
Bob Burke, Consulting Forester
Indiana Tree Farm Program
Photo Credit: Dave Menke/USFWS
While most of us think of spring as the bird breeding season, several species get a jump start during the winter. Bald Eagles are one of those species. Winter is a time when Bald Eagles build nests in large trees or snags near sources of food – rivers, streams and lakes. The nests they construct are very large (4-6 feet in diameter) and can weigh more than 1,000 pounds. They also construct alternate nests within their territory and will usually return to the same nesting territory year after year.
Bald Eagles were once listed under the Endangered Species Act. However, their populations recovered to a level where they were delisted. Even so, Bald Eagles are still offered some level of protection under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Almost all birds in Indiana and the U.S. are protected under the MBTA. In fact, under the MBTA, it is unlawful to “take, possess, transport, sell, purchase, barter or offer for sale any migratory bird or the parts, nests or eggs of such bird.” The MBTA also protects nests from destruction while they have eggs or dependent young (i.e., prior to fledging).
For Bald Eagles, I think most people know you can’t directly harm them. But I do receive questions about what activities can be done around Bald Eagles and especially their nests – Bald Eagles are quick to abandon a nest in the presence of disturbance. The MBTA provides protection from harming an eagle or a nest with eggs or young. The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act provides additional protection during the breeding season as well as the nest.
According to the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, it is unlawful to disturb eagles during the breeding season. In this case,
“Disturb means to agitate or bother a bald or golden eagle to a degree that causes, or is likely to cause, based on the best scientific information available 1) injury to an eagle, 2) a decrease in its productivity by substantially interfering with normal breeding, feeding or sheltering behavior or 3) nest abandonment by substantially interfering with normal breeding, feeding or sheltering behavior.”
To minimize the risk of disturbing eagles, the guidelines suggest a buffer between a nest and the activity, but it depends on the category activity, according to the guidelines. For example, Timber Operations and Forestry Practices list a distance of 330 feet from the nest at any time. They suggest avoiding harvesting operations within 660 feet of the nest during the breeding season.
The management guidelines are downloadable from the link provided below in the Resources. If you have questions about Bald Eagles and their protection, contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at their Bloomington Field Office.
Resources:
National Bald Eagle Management Guidelines (2007), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/South Dakota
Indiana Eagle Watch Events, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (INDNR)
Have You Seen a Soaring Eagle Lately, Morning AgClips, Purdue Extension – Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR) Got Nature? Blog
Indiana Department of Natural Resources Shares Bald Eagle Successfully Recovered, MyDNR, Indiana’s Outdoor News
Bald Eagle, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IN DNR)
Forestry for the Birds Virtual Tour, Purdue Extension – Pond and Wildlife
Breeding Birds and Forest Management: the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment and the Central Hardwoods Region, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Forest Birds, The Education Store
Managing Woodlands for Birds, The Education Store
Managing Woodlands for Birds Video, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel
Breeding Birds and Forest Management: the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment and the Central Hardwoods Region, The Education Store
The Birders’ Dozen, Profile: Baltimore Oriole, Indiana Woodland Steward
Ask An Expert: Birdwatching, Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube channel
Birds and Residential Window Strikes: Tips for Prevention, The Education Store
No Room at the Inn: Suburban Backyards and Migratory Birds, The Education Store
Dr. Brian MacGowan, Extension Wildlife Specialist
Department of Forestry & Natural Resources, Purdue University
FNR is pleased to announce a new program that will provide undergraduate extension internship opportunities for qualified students this summer. This is an exciting program with the potential to build on an already strong set of FNR extension programs while providing valuable experience and training for undergraduates.
Purdue University’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources seeks candidates for extension internship positions. The department extension program has a broad environmental scope including fisheries, forest management, invasive species, urban forestry, sustainability, wildlife and wood products. Student interns can enhance their career potential through practical, hands-on experience. Our extension internship program can help you:
- Develop leadership and decision-making skills in handling creative challenges
- Gain experience developing extension products including publications, online videos, presentations and/or more
- Participate in professional development opportunities
- Build professional references and contacts
- Clarify career goals
- Learn from a diverse and experienced group of natural resources professionals
Internships are open to non-Purdue students. Requirements for the position(s) include status as a junior or senior level college student in natural resources or related discipline, minimum 3.0 GPA, evidence of initiative, independence and commitment to conservation of natural resources. Internships are available for summer term (up to 40 hours/wk., up to 8 weeks) with pay at a rate of $12 per hour. Internship start dates and work hours are flexible depending on the applicant’s availability.
Resources
FNR Extension Internship Information, Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR)
Brian MacGowan, Extension Wildlife Specialist
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University
Communities in developing countries have limited budgets for education. Even though they may provide a school building, they often don’t have money to buy furniture to equip it. However, low-cost, durable, attractive school chairs can be produced in essentially any region of the world from locally available wood, wood residues or semi-processed woody materials. These chairs could fill a need for economical, functional school furniture in developing countries. This six-page publication describes the process for producing these kinds of chairs.
How to Build a Simple Chair for Schools or Homes in Disadvantaged Areas of the World Using Local Resources and Low-End Technology is available in The Education Store today!
Resources
Joint Design Manual for Furniture Frames Constructed of Plywood and Oriented Strand Board, The Education Store
The Shrinking and Swelling of Wood and Its Effect on Furniture, The Education Store
Performance Test Method for Intensive Use Chairs – FNEW 83-269: A Description of the Test Method with Drawings, The Education Store
How Baby Bear’s Chair Was Made, The Education Store
Eva Haviarova, Associate Professor of Wood Products
Carl A. Eckelman, Professor of Wood Products
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University
The Purdue Yard and Garden Calendar for January has provided some tips on how to care for your plants as a bitter cold winter sweeps upon us.
HOME
Keep plants near a bright window and hydrated. Increase humidity around houseplants by grouping plants together, placing them on a pebble-water tray or running a humidifier. Check stored produce and tender flower bulbs and roots for rot, shriveling or excess moisture. Remove and discard damaged material.
Repot houseplants as they outgrow current pots.
YARD
Check young trees for rodent injury on lower trunks. Prevent injury with hardware cloth or protective collars.
Keep road and sidewalk salt away from plants. Construct a screen of burlap, if necessary, to keep salt spray off plants.
GARDEN
Order seeds and plants as early as possible for best selection.
Wood ashes from the fireplace can be spread in the garden, but don’t overdo it. Wood ashes increase soil pH, and excess application can make some nutrients unavailable for plant uptake. Have soil tested to be certain of the pH before adding wood ash.
View all of the tips on the Purdue Yard and Garden Calendar page.
Resources
Winter Injury of Ornamentals, The Education Store
Steps To Ensure Your Plants Survive This Winter, Got Nature?
Winterize Your Trees, The Education Store
Purdue Yard and Garden Calendar
This is a Spanish-language version of our helpful how-to guide, Tree Installation: Process and Practices, which helps in choosing, planting and maintaining trees. It includes a 12-step planting process, Indiana native tree and utility-friendly tree charts, information on Midwest hardiness zones and detailed tree-planting graphics and photographs. View it in The Education Store today!
Resources:
Tree Installation: Process and Practices, The Education Store
Native Trees of the Midwest, The Education Store
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest, The Education Store
Planting Forest Trees and Shrubs in Indiana, The Education Store
Lindsey Purcell, Chapter Executive Director
Indiana Arborist Association
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