We use 16 or 32 ounce spray bottles for a lot of our herbicide applications. They are ideal for basal bark applications of small brush. They also work well for…

Those following these posts know that sumac has been one of our serious threats and that we have worked out methods for its eradication. One of the secrets is early…

I couldn't resist posting this fine image of the signature bur oak at Pleasant Valley Conservancy. The weather has been very fine in late September this year, and with clear…

Because of buckthorn's importance, there have been many earlier posts from Tom's Blog. A list of these posts, with URLs, can be found at this link. **************************************************************************** Buckthorn is probably…

We've been having Baltimore orioles nesting near our cabin for quite a few years. They build their characteristic nest in a nearby decrepit elm. We ought to fell this tree…

When we started restoration about 15 years ago, the parcel under discussion here consisted of a small clone of quaking aspen, about 0.2 acres. The trees were girdled in 1998…

Have other prairie restorationists observed this? At Black Earth Rettenmund Prairie a major dieback of Silphium species is occurring. Strikingly, at Rettenmund this has only occurred in the areas that…

As the photo here attests, fringed gentian (Gentianopsis crinita) is an extremely handsome plant. It was first discovered for us by a participant on our Labor Day 2014 field trip,…

Baltimore checkerspot at Pleasant Valley Conservancy Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) in the Valley Prairie The primary larval host of the Baltimore checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton) is the White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra), a…

Bur oaks are amazing trees! Long-lived, powerful, fire-resistant, and providing great ecological support for a wide range of creatures. In fact, many long-lived bur oaks are not giant trees, but…