Merriam-Webster defines wilderness as an area essentially undisturbed by human activity together with its naturally developed life community. For those of us that enjoy recreating outdoors, that definition can vary depending on our intended use and interest. But there is one overarching theme that …
trees
Rescuing the American Chestnut
There are many discouraging stories when it comes to our native tree species these days: Emerald Ash Borer, Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, and Beech Leaf Disease, to name a few. The story of the American Chestnut, however, has had a much more positive trajectory in recent years, mainly thanks to the work …
Appreciating Portland’s Big Trees
On a beautiful, sunny Friday afternoon in late October, staff members from Maine Audubon, Portland Parks, U.S. Forest Service, Maine TREE Foundation, and The Nature Conservancy gathered in Portland to visit some of Maine’s biggest trees right here in “Forest City.” While all of us on the tour …
Tracking an Invasion at Gilsland Farm
All the basic information about the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) is right there in its name: "emerald" refers to the hue of its iridescent body; "ash" for the family of trees that these jewel beetles feed and lay their eggs on; and "borer" for the tunnels young beetles dig through the …
Celebrate the wonder of trees in Maine Arbor Week
In 1978, the Maine legislature designated the third week of May “Arbor Week,” a result of successful lobbying led by a classroom of students from Dover-Foxcroft. They successfully made the case that the national Arbor Day holiday in April, which actually started as a movement to restore trees in …
Nature Moments: The Songs of Trees
If you close your eyes on a breezy day, you can identify trees just by the rustle of their leaves. Are they singing to each other? For David G. Haskell, ecologist and author of The Songs of Trees, listening closely to the distinctive voices in a forest "can ignite our curiosity and get our minds …
Nature Moments: Faith in Trees
Trees provide us shelter, fuel, food, protection from climate change, and beauty. But they also have deep spiritual importance. In a treetop conversation with Nat Wheelwright, forest ecologist Nalini Nadkarni points out the connection between trees and …
Nature Moments: How to Identify Winter Trees at 60 mph
Bowdoin professor and Maine Audubon trustee Nat Wheelwright shares easy tips for identifying certain winter trees, even while driving (just remember to keep your eyes on the road!). His latest Nature Moments video: American beech is actually easier to identify in winter than in summer, even at 60 …