Blog

Blog Entries - 2020

salamander under water

Go Spots!

By Olivia Espinoza, Natural Areas Manager I’m certain that one of the staples of a childhood is the discovery of a tadpole in a ditch, puddle, or pond. I grew up with a lake in my backyard and would spend the summers

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Wintercreeper sprouts found in my yard.
Wintercreeper sprouts found in my yard.

The Myth of Groundcover

by Jason Neumann I didn’t plant it, but there it is at the bottom of my wood privacy fence: wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei). As a naturalist, I know that this unwanted botanical surprise is courtesy of neighborhood

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Red Deadnettle
Red Deadnettle

What’s (Probably) Growing in Your Yard: Our Bioblitz Round-Up

By Connie O’Connor and Jason Neumann

We had a great time with our first-ever bioblitz—our Lawn Plant Identification Challenge! We totaled 349 observations of 175 different species in and around lawns in our region!

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perfect green grass
Neighbor’s perfect green carpet.

Rethinking Your Lawn: A Guide to Living with Imperfection

By Jeff Sperry, Director of Development and Marketing  There’s a reason the lawn treatment companies put little signs up saying “Stay Off the Grass for 24 Hours” when they finish a treatment. The chemicals they

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The Story of My Land—Keeping a Phenology Journal

By Connie O’Connor    “Every place, like every person, is elevated by the love and respect shown toward it, and by the way its bounty is received.” -- Richard Nelson I bought my first home, hidden away on 3.6

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Brush Pile? It’s Habitat, Not Waste!

By Jason Neumann, Public Programs Manager My mother is fond of saying “you could sell a dirty oil rag.” Turning garbage into something of value has always been one of my favorite things to do. I’ve been pondering

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