Welcome to the Friday Thread. For our first thread I’d love to hear about your local ecology. What’s blooming or dormant? How is climate change affecting the weather and plants? What’s something you’re doing or something you want to do to be involved in your local ecological community? Please feel free to respond to others and connect!
This is my first spring in Florida's panhandle. Today I am going to go to Leon Sinks Geological Area, a series of sinkholes and underwater caves. Two weeks ago, I spent time in a beautiful area where long leaf pine flourish (I'll be posting about that soon). It's getting hot here and for the past couple days some strong thunderstorms have come through, but today is cooler (in the eighties) and not as wet, so I'm excited to get out again. When I first decided to move to Florida I never imagined there would be so many beautiful and diverse landscapes, but there really is so much to do outside.
In town, the Crape Myrtles are blooming. Their flowers are so gorgeous! Shades of magenta, baby pink, purple, and white. I'm not looking forward to the extreme heat of summer, but I am trying to get outside as much as possible so I can acclimate.
I'm in the mid-montane zone of the Central Sierras in California. I think the big ticket items here have been well documented - bark beetles, water woes, more intensive fire from extended drought and poor land management practices.
This last winter & spring was a whiplash year - so much rain and snow! Again large scale - increased flooding from runoff such as the return of Lake Tulare.
But small scale and local is a shift in the wildflowers. The ones that prefer warmer drier springs haven't been as intensive (harlequin lupines, for example), while the cooler wet fans have flourished. I've seen more seep-spring monkey flowers this year than the last decade.
Forests are slowly starting to get back to a pre-European state, partly from good fire, partly bad fire, partly mechanical means, and partly smarter grazing practices. There's sooooo much more to do though. We've only made a small itty bitty dent.
Other than succession growth, I haven't noticed too much change in plants. I have noticed a slight change in birds though. It's a very small sample size over a small period of time, but in the last few years I've seen birds that normally live 1000 ft lower in elevation. On the good side, I haven't noticed less birds where this has been traditionally the lower end of their elevation range, so that's good. So far.
What am I doing? I have been indirectly involved with the local Fire Safe Council and other efforts to shape better land management practices and to listen, involve, and learn from the Tribes that were here before Europeans. I document through photography, bird counts, and a journal. And I vote accordingly.
Hi Elizabeth! I love hearing about what's happening in the Sierras and if you'd like, please do share your general location (as specific as you are comfy). I worked as a hotshot out of the foothills of the Sierras near Yosemite. That land is so deeply close to my heart and it's good to know that it's slowly seeing more good fire. Idk if you have read my interview with Frank K. Lake, but he is a Karuk ecologist who does a lot of work north of where I used to live, and it's a great interview! Wondering which tribes you are working with as well.
Oh you were right near me! I live outside of Twain Harte. The Mi-Wuk are local here. One of the happy/sad experiences I had was on a tour/workshop a few years after the Rim Fire. There was a diverse group of people - ranchers, forest service, local government, etc. I still remember the man from the Tribe saying it was the first time they remembered being invited to something like that. I was happy that he was welcomed and listened to, but sad it took so long.
I retired as director of our local fire safe council a few years ago when diagnosed with breast cancer. My son is an RPF, living in the same county and just launched a Firewise Community effort in his neighborhood.
That's amazing, Cathy! If he's up for it, I'd love to chat with him about how he is helping to launch the community effort. I think a lot of people don't understand how much agency we really have in our communities!
Hi Stacy, greetings from the west slope of the Sierra. It’s been an awesome spring here following a series of winter storms. Still a big snowpack in the high country and lots of wildflowers here in the foothills. Had a swarm of honeybees in the house and still dealing with that situation, but it’s an indicator of recovery for the honeybees. Prior to that, bumblebees have been most prominent this spring. Neighboring ranch is putting in a fuel break!! Yay!
I bet the wildflowers are so gorgeous right now, and it's really good to know that the snowpack is lasting longer than it has been in recent years. I hope you can get those honeybees out asap and to a safe place for them and you!
Hi from the Hudson Valley of New York! This place is home to red & sugar maples, white tailed deer, squirrels, oak, birch, pine and Douglas Firs. The weather has been weird and hard to predict. Last summer, we had a big drought that risked the drinking water supply - though there is a huge water supply near me, it goes to New York City, and the supply we drink from here was mismanaged on top of the drought and scorching heat. This year has come with late season freezes that I thought might kill off my peonies before they could bloom - but the peonies made it, and the prizes of the earth are abundant this year - I’ve been able to enjoy ramps, morels, lion’s mane. The scariest moment this year by far was wildfire smoke, and finding a dead bird in my yard that I suspect struggled to breathe. It felt like a wake up call to many of us here.
I am learning how to ID mushrooms, and I am going on locally lead mushroom foraging walks. I also started writing a Substack where I link every tarot card in the deck to a being in my local environment. I am planning on hosting local events where I teach people tarot, rooted to life around us. It’s been a fun and informative prompt so far!!
Hi Sarah! I used to live in Red Hook, and the Hudson Valley is oh so close to my heart. I was never there for summer, though. I bet it's gorgeous. I am really grateful to hear that there's more rain this season. Your Substack sounds like such a unique and *enchanted* idea!
This is a delightful conversation. Thank you for starting.
I have had the great fortune of hiking, mountaineering, and doing research all over the world. My home base is in the Bluegrass of Kentucky, the subject of my first book, Venerable Trees. It is one of the most beautiful, green, lush places on the planet.
We are having a beautiful, cool summer, though its a bit dry. There has not been a serious drought in Kentucky since the mid 80s. Our state and federal firefighters spend their time in the western US where the fires are. I do a lot of prescribed burning, and really enjoy it.
The Sierra stories are interesting. I have spent a good deal of time in the Sierra Nevada and White Mountains (the CA ones in addition to the NH ones). I crossed the Sierra from the sequoia groves in the west foothills to Lone Pine via Whitney. It's why my knees don't work very well any more.
I lived in Malaysia and Indonesia for a number of years, teaching and doing curriculum development. My favorite place to live was on the equator in Borneo, literally: My house was in the Southern Hemisphere and I could ride my bike to have breakfast with friends in the Northern Hemisphere.
All the stories associated with these places will be in my next book.
Thanks, Tom! I've never been to Kentucky so I don't know about much of the ecology there. It would be wonderful to hear more about what's blooming now and what is unique about it, especially because you *know* what's unique given all of your travels.
As a former Californian living in the hills near Nashville I am still becoming acquainted with the middle Tennessee ecology. We hike frequently in the forested Nashville Trace and along the local rivers. We had a record breaking winter cold snap which killed a surprising number of trees. Lots of bright red cardinals, great horned owls and many squirrels and chipmunks. A great blue heron and snapping turtles in the river. The irises and wild violets were spectacular this spring with lots of wildflowers blooming everywhere into this mid-June. A green and verdant world. Even the deer have now returned.
In Massachusetts it feels like a strange year for the ecosystem. The beech trees in my local forest have beech leaf disease which causes many leaves to shrivel. Ash trees are already dead from emerald ash borers. Some of the blueberries are hosting a fungus I haven't seen before. And some edible mushrooms like chicken of the woods haven't shown up yet because it's been so dry.
Mountain Laurel is blooming like I've never seen it before, with these beautifully strange shaped hexagonal flowers. And mulberries are starting. Ducklings are swimming around our ponds. Oak and pine trees seem to be doing splendidly, not touched by some of these diseases and insects (knock on wood).
Thanks so much for this discussion, it's lovely reading the reports from other places!
That is so tough, Rey! I know how disorienting it is to see plants, especially trees, struggling. I almost always relate it back to fire and I wonder how long it's been since the forests there have seen fire. Often trees become vulnerable to diseases because there is overcompetition, and it sounds like drought is definitely a factor too. I hope you're finding some connection amidst it all.
That's a great point about the fire and how long it's been. Last summer there were actually several small fires in the woods where I hike most often. The trees survived fine and the berry bushes are growing in again. I can't remember a fire previously to that. It seems like some of the diseases must be spreading because everything is overgrown. I'm certainly not an expert but it seems like a small, relatively nondestructive fire would help.
I am finding connection and feeling like I am more familiar with my local ecosystem than ever before. I feel grateful that I'm able to pick up these changes in the place where I'm at currently.
This is my first spring in Florida's panhandle. Today I am going to go to Leon Sinks Geological Area, a series of sinkholes and underwater caves. Two weeks ago, I spent time in a beautiful area where long leaf pine flourish (I'll be posting about that soon). It's getting hot here and for the past couple days some strong thunderstorms have come through, but today is cooler (in the eighties) and not as wet, so I'm excited to get out again. When I first decided to move to Florida I never imagined there would be so many beautiful and diverse landscapes, but there really is so much to do outside.
In town, the Crape Myrtles are blooming. Their flowers are so gorgeous! Shades of magenta, baby pink, purple, and white. I'm not looking forward to the extreme heat of summer, but I am trying to get outside as much as possible so I can acclimate.
I'm in the mid-montane zone of the Central Sierras in California. I think the big ticket items here have been well documented - bark beetles, water woes, more intensive fire from extended drought and poor land management practices.
This last winter & spring was a whiplash year - so much rain and snow! Again large scale - increased flooding from runoff such as the return of Lake Tulare.
But small scale and local is a shift in the wildflowers. The ones that prefer warmer drier springs haven't been as intensive (harlequin lupines, for example), while the cooler wet fans have flourished. I've seen more seep-spring monkey flowers this year than the last decade.
Forests are slowly starting to get back to a pre-European state, partly from good fire, partly bad fire, partly mechanical means, and partly smarter grazing practices. There's sooooo much more to do though. We've only made a small itty bitty dent.
Other than succession growth, I haven't noticed too much change in plants. I have noticed a slight change in birds though. It's a very small sample size over a small period of time, but in the last few years I've seen birds that normally live 1000 ft lower in elevation. On the good side, I haven't noticed less birds where this has been traditionally the lower end of their elevation range, so that's good. So far.
What am I doing? I have been indirectly involved with the local Fire Safe Council and other efforts to shape better land management practices and to listen, involve, and learn from the Tribes that were here before Europeans. I document through photography, bird counts, and a journal. And I vote accordingly.
Hi Elizabeth! I love hearing about what's happening in the Sierras and if you'd like, please do share your general location (as specific as you are comfy). I worked as a hotshot out of the foothills of the Sierras near Yosemite. That land is so deeply close to my heart and it's good to know that it's slowly seeing more good fire. Idk if you have read my interview with Frank K. Lake, but he is a Karuk ecologist who does a lot of work north of where I used to live, and it's a great interview! Wondering which tribes you are working with as well.
Oh you were right near me! I live outside of Twain Harte. The Mi-Wuk are local here. One of the happy/sad experiences I had was on a tour/workshop a few years after the Rim Fire. There was a diverse group of people - ranchers, forest service, local government, etc. I still remember the man from the Tribe saying it was the first time they remembered being invited to something like that. I was happy that he was welcomed and listened to, but sad it took so long.
I think I remember your interview, but will go back to it anyway!
I was in Sonora!
Oh wow!! It is such a small world sometimes!
I retired as director of our local fire safe council a few years ago when diagnosed with breast cancer. My son is an RPF, living in the same county and just launched a Firewise Community effort in his neighborhood.
That's amazing, Cathy! If he's up for it, I'd love to chat with him about how he is helping to launch the community effort. I think a lot of people don't understand how much agency we really have in our communities!
I’ll talk to him, but this is his super busy season.
I totally get that! We could even table it until autumn or winter, I know how fire season goes. Also, I hope you are in remission and feeling healthy.
Hi Stacy, greetings from the west slope of the Sierra. It’s been an awesome spring here following a series of winter storms. Still a big snowpack in the high country and lots of wildflowers here in the foothills. Had a swarm of honeybees in the house and still dealing with that situation, but it’s an indicator of recovery for the honeybees. Prior to that, bumblebees have been most prominent this spring. Neighboring ranch is putting in a fuel break!! Yay!
I bet the wildflowers are so gorgeous right now, and it's really good to know that the snowpack is lasting longer than it has been in recent years. I hope you can get those honeybees out asap and to a safe place for them and you!
Hi from the Hudson Valley of New York! This place is home to red & sugar maples, white tailed deer, squirrels, oak, birch, pine and Douglas Firs. The weather has been weird and hard to predict. Last summer, we had a big drought that risked the drinking water supply - though there is a huge water supply near me, it goes to New York City, and the supply we drink from here was mismanaged on top of the drought and scorching heat. This year has come with late season freezes that I thought might kill off my peonies before they could bloom - but the peonies made it, and the prizes of the earth are abundant this year - I’ve been able to enjoy ramps, morels, lion’s mane. The scariest moment this year by far was wildfire smoke, and finding a dead bird in my yard that I suspect struggled to breathe. It felt like a wake up call to many of us here.
I am learning how to ID mushrooms, and I am going on locally lead mushroom foraging walks. I also started writing a Substack where I link every tarot card in the deck to a being in my local environment. I am planning on hosting local events where I teach people tarot, rooted to life around us. It’s been a fun and informative prompt so far!!
Hi Sarah! I used to live in Red Hook, and the Hudson Valley is oh so close to my heart. I was never there for summer, though. I bet it's gorgeous. I am really grateful to hear that there's more rain this season. Your Substack sounds like such a unique and *enchanted* idea!
This is a delightful conversation. Thank you for starting.
I have had the great fortune of hiking, mountaineering, and doing research all over the world. My home base is in the Bluegrass of Kentucky, the subject of my first book, Venerable Trees. It is one of the most beautiful, green, lush places on the planet.
We are having a beautiful, cool summer, though its a bit dry. There has not been a serious drought in Kentucky since the mid 80s. Our state and federal firefighters spend their time in the western US where the fires are. I do a lot of prescribed burning, and really enjoy it.
The Sierra stories are interesting. I have spent a good deal of time in the Sierra Nevada and White Mountains (the CA ones in addition to the NH ones). I crossed the Sierra from the sequoia groves in the west foothills to Lone Pine via Whitney. It's why my knees don't work very well any more.
I lived in Malaysia and Indonesia for a number of years, teaching and doing curriculum development. My favorite place to live was on the equator in Borneo, literally: My house was in the Southern Hemisphere and I could ride my bike to have breakfast with friends in the Northern Hemisphere.
All the stories associated with these places will be in my next book.
Thank you, Anastasia, I enjoy these discussions.
Thanks, Tom! I've never been to Kentucky so I don't know about much of the ecology there. It would be wonderful to hear more about what's blooming now and what is unique about it, especially because you *know* what's unique given all of your travels.
As a former Californian living in the hills near Nashville I am still becoming acquainted with the middle Tennessee ecology. We hike frequently in the forested Nashville Trace and along the local rivers. We had a record breaking winter cold snap which killed a surprising number of trees. Lots of bright red cardinals, great horned owls and many squirrels and chipmunks. A great blue heron and snapping turtles in the river. The irises and wild violets were spectacular this spring with lots of wildflowers blooming everywhere into this mid-June. A green and verdant world. Even the deer have now returned.
Sounds so wonderful!!! I am especially a fan of irises. So glad you are enjoying such a verdant spring!
We hasd beautiful irises until recently. Both dwarf Siberian and German irises were incredible. Noe they won’t bloom. Summer I guess.
In Massachusetts it feels like a strange year for the ecosystem. The beech trees in my local forest have beech leaf disease which causes many leaves to shrivel. Ash trees are already dead from emerald ash borers. Some of the blueberries are hosting a fungus I haven't seen before. And some edible mushrooms like chicken of the woods haven't shown up yet because it's been so dry.
Mountain Laurel is blooming like I've never seen it before, with these beautifully strange shaped hexagonal flowers. And mulberries are starting. Ducklings are swimming around our ponds. Oak and pine trees seem to be doing splendidly, not touched by some of these diseases and insects (knock on wood).
Thanks so much for this discussion, it's lovely reading the reports from other places!
That is so tough, Rey! I know how disorienting it is to see plants, especially trees, struggling. I almost always relate it back to fire and I wonder how long it's been since the forests there have seen fire. Often trees become vulnerable to diseases because there is overcompetition, and it sounds like drought is definitely a factor too. I hope you're finding some connection amidst it all.
That's a great point about the fire and how long it's been. Last summer there were actually several small fires in the woods where I hike most often. The trees survived fine and the berry bushes are growing in again. I can't remember a fire previously to that. It seems like some of the diseases must be spreading because everything is overgrown. I'm certainly not an expert but it seems like a small, relatively nondestructive fire would help.
I am finding connection and feeling like I am more familiar with my local ecosystem than ever before. I feel grateful that I'm able to pick up these changes in the place where I'm at currently.