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National Forests Named after U.S. Presidents

February 21st, 2017|Tags: recreation|0 Comments

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By Suah Cheong, American Forests

Yesterday we celebrated President’s Day — an occasion to remember all our past presidents.

For some of our national forests, however, every day is President’s Day. The Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland (ARP), the Cleveland National Forest, the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests and the Lincoln National Forest are the only forests in the country named after our presidents.

Keep reading to learn more about their climates, recreational activities and rich histories!

Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland (ARP)

Credit: USFWS Mountain Prairie via Flickr.

Known collectively as ARP, these public lands are located in northern Colorado and serve as home to a large variety of wildlife and plants. The forests and grasslands encompass roughly 1.5 million acres, and topography varies from rolling hills to snow-covered peaks more than 14,000 feet high.

President Theodore Roosevelt established the Arapaho National Forest in 1908, naming it after a Native American tribe that had used the area in the summer for hunting. It wasn’t until 1932 that President Herbert Hoover renamed the forest to honor Roosevelt.

The ARP attracts more than 6 million visitors per year, making it the most-visited National Forest and Grassland for recreation in the country. There are also a variety of recreational activities available in the ARP, including hiking, camping, wildlife viewing, horseback riding, fishing, hunting, skiing and other winter sports. Visitors can also enjoy the ARP’s many bike routes and scenic drives.

Cleveland National Forest

Credit: David Stone via Flickr.

The Cleveland National Forest is located in southern California and consists of 460,000 acres. It houses an abundance of different terrains and offers a wide variety of recreational activities.

Initially, the lands we now know to be the Cleveland National Forest were only occupied by a few desert and coastal Indian tribes who thrived off of the abundant acorns and game in the area. Many of the trails in the forest today follow the paths of these original dwellers. In 1542, Spanish navigator and explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo discovered the land during one of his expeditions. President Theodore Roosevelt created the Cleveland National Forest in 1908, naming it after former President Grover Cleveland.

You can travel to the Cleveland National Forest to go camping, hunting, mountain biking, hiking, ATV riding and target shooting. This National Forest also lies along the famous Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail.

George Washington and Jefferson National Forests

Credit: Daniel Feivor via Flickr.

The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests are comprised of lands located in Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky. Combined, the two forests take up about 1.8 million acres, making them one of the biggest blocks of public land on the East Coast.

The George Washington National Forest was established in 1918 as the Shenandoah National Forest. In 1932, it was renamed after former President Washington. The Jefferson National Forest was established later, in 1936. The two forests were combined in 1995.

Within the Jefferson National Forest is the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, which contains Virginia’s tallest peak and more than 400 miles of designated trails. Some of the trails are designated for hiking, but others allow horse and bicycle use. The forests have a wide array of recreational activities, including hunting, hiking, fishing, off-roading, horseback riding and mountain biking.

Lincoln National Forest

Credit: USFS Southwestern Region via Flickr.

The Lincoln National Forest is located in south central New Mexico and consists of three major mountain ranges (Sacramento, Guadalupe and Capitan) that span approximately 1.1 million acres. Elevations range from 4,000 to 11,500 feet.

The General Land Office established the Lincoln Forest Reserve in 1902, naming it after former President Abraham Lincoln. The region houses five different life zones from Chihuahuan desert to subalpine forest. Vegetation ranges from rare cacti in the lower elevations to Engelmann spruce in the higher. The Lincoln National Forest is also famously known as the birthplace of Smokey Bear, the world-famous symbol of the campaign to prevent forest fires. The original bear was buried in Capitan, N.M.

The forest provides access to camping areas, trails of varying difficulty and several ski areas and resorts. Visitors can also head over to the Sitting Bull recreation site, which has one of the most scenic views of natural caves in the country.

To learn more about the connection between our past presidents and forests, check out our recent post on the most forest-friendly presidents.

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Forest Digest — Week of February 13th, 2017

February 17th, 2017|Tags: Forest Digest|0 Comments

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Find out the latest in forest news in this week’s Forest Digest!

Credit: Eric Kilby via Flickr.

The Endangered Species Act may be heading for the threatened list. This hearing confirmed it. — Washington Post
A Senate hearing to “modernize the Endangered Species Act” occurred on Wednesday. Republican lawmakers argued that the federal effort to keep species from going extinct encroaches on states’ rights, is unfair to landowners and is impacting the ability for mining companies to create jobs.
Beetles Have Killed 5 Million Acres Of Colorado Forests (And Counting) — Huffington Post
According to a new report, the mountain pine beetle and the spruce beetle have destroyed more than 5 million acres of Colorado forests. The dense, mature, drought-plagued forests of Colorado are perfect targets for the insects, who thrive on weakened trees.
‘Forest cities’: the radical plan to save China from air pollution — The Guardian
Italian architect Stefano Boeri, known for his vertical forest skyscraper in Milan, unveiled plans for a similar project in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing. The structures will reportedly house offices, a 247-room luxury hotel, a museum and a green architecture school. The project is set for completion next year.
In the Sierras, New Approaches to Protecting Forests Under Stress — e360.yale.edu
In California’s Sierras and around the world, extreme drought and rising temperatures are killing trees and threatening the survival of forests. Ecologists suggest that land managers need to combine strategies of resistance, resilience and realignment in order to preserve native biodiversity.

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Flushed Away…Probing For Antibiotic Presence in Our Food Supply

Penn State University doctoral candidate Alison Franklin collecting samples of treated wastewater

Penn State University doctoral candidate Alison Franklin collects samples of treated wastewater used to spray-irrigate crops at a research site. Photo by Katie Colaneri.

It’s a question with major public-health implications: Could antibiotics and other widely used medications get into our food supply when they are flushed into our sewers?

To try to answer that question, researchers from USDA and Penn State University (PSU) assessed whether some commonly used pharmaceuticals could get into a wheat crop irrigated with recycled wastewater.

Clinton Williams, a soil scientist with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Maricopa, AZ, and Alison Franklin, a Penn State doctoral candidate, along with her PSU adviser Jack Watson, evaluated wheat irrigated with treated wastewater at a specially designed site at University Park, Pennsylvania. The site was spray-irrigated with treated recycled wastewater over a 12-hour period at weekly intervals.

It’s difficult to find reliable estimates of how much cropland is being irrigated with recycled water in the United States or overseas. It’s a common practice in parts of California, Arizona, and in Israel and other arid regions around the world. Previous studies have found no risks to human health. But the study by Williams and Franklin was the first to evaluate pharmaceutical-based contaminants found in wheat grown under actual field conditions.

The researchers chose wheat for the study because it is the third most commonly grown cereal grain in the world and the fourth most common U.S. agricultural crop. The wheat produced was harvested for animal feed.

The researchers collected wheat at the site three weeks before the harvest and again during the harvest, separated it into grain and straw, and rinsed it to remove any compounds that might have adhered to plant material. They then analyzed the grain and straw for sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, ofloxacin and carbamazepine. The first three are common antibiotics, and the fourth is an anti-seizure medication. Any waterway downstream from a wastewater treatment plant is likely to have at least some levels of the same compounds, Williams said.

The researchers found residues of ofloxacin in the straw and residues of sulfamethoxazole, ofloxacin and carbamazepine in the grain, but not at levels that would make them a health risk. In fact, a person would have to consume up to 200 pounds of the wheat grain in a day to ingest the equivalent of a daily dose of any of the compounds found in medications.

Franklin and Williams say that questions remain about the health effects of long-term exposure to contaminants that enter our waterways, even at very low levels. That’s why the studies are continuing.

5 Forest-Friendly Presidents

February 16th, 2017|Tags: forest policy|0 Comments

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By Lindsay Seventko, Communications Intern

In honor of Presidents’ Day next week, let’s take a look back at some of our nation’s leaders who pioneered and prioritized the conservation of America’s forests. The United States has been fortunate to have many presidents who recognized the value of America’s wildspaces, but here are five of those who most advocated for our nation’s forests.

1. Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)
Abraham Lincoln is often remembered as being one of the most iconic presidents to grace the White House, thanks to abolishing slavery and reuniting the North and South. But, many people are unaware of the benefits that Lincoln’s presidency brought to forest conservation in the United States. During his term, Lincoln established California’s Yosemite Valley, including the giant Mariposa Grove sequoias as a public trust. This landmark policy was the seminal time that land was put aside strictly for public enjoyment, laying the beginning groundwork for the later development of the national park system. Lincoln also established the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Academy of Sciences, which would both become important players in forest conservation over the decades.

Mariposa Grove. Credit: Tom Simpson via Flickr.

2. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)
In the midst of a period of American history characterized by heavy commercial logging and mining, along with rapid urbanization, Teddy Roosevelt sowed the seeds of the value of nature and of protected wildlands, as he fiercely advocated for the protection of America’s wild forests. During his terms, he preserved 150 million acres of forest as public land, created 50 wildlife refuges and five national parks and oversaw the creation of the U.S. Forest Service.

Teddy Roosevelt established Crater Lake National Park. Credit: Eric Sonstroem via Flickr.

3. Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1933-1945)
Through the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps, FDR created millions of jobs related to forest conservation including planting trees, improving parks, cutting and maintaining trails, reducing soil erosion, opening summer camps and constructing fire roads and towers. During his term, he also oversaw the establishment of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, which gives a portion of tax revenue on firearms and ammunition sales back to individual states to fund wildlife habitat protection and restoration.

1941. One of the several miles of woods roads which FDR loved to ride on his vacation trips to Hyde Park.

4. Richard Nixon (1969-1974)
Richard Nixon has a very muddled legacy, yet thanks to societal pressures during his term he managed to improve forest conservation and the entire environmental movement quite substantially. On Earth Day 1970, nearly 20 million people celebrating in the streets brought environmentalism to the forefront of urgent issues needing to be addressed. Thus coerced into action, Nixon oversaw the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act and several other conservation-focused acts. The impact of these agencies and policies have profoundly guided and expanded conservation efforts in the U.S. and certainly give Nixon a great environmental legacy.

Earth Day Crowds in New York City in 1970. Credit: Tommy Japan via Flickr.

5. Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)
Jimmy Carter’s claim to conservation fame is much more than his famous installation of solar panels on the White House roof. He also oversaw the passing of the Soil and Water Conservation Act and the Endangered American Wilderness Act, which protected more than a million acres of wildlands. Ensuring that the massive exploitation of the lower 48’s forests during the past century would not also happen in Alaska’s Last Frontier, Carter oversaw the creation of the Alaskan National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which preserved more than 100 million acres of Alaska’s forests, rivers and wilderness.

Misty Fjords National Monument. Credit: Alan Wu via Flickr.

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Research Can Help the Economy and Inform Policy

Wood pellets which can be used as biofuel are one example of the many technologies and products the Forest Service produces or supports that provide sizable financial benefits to stakeholders and industry. (Photo credit: USDA)

When most people think of forests, science isn’t the first thing that comes to mind, but, perhaps, it should. That’s because the U.S. Forest Service Research and Development program oversees projects across many science disciplines including forestry, genetics, wildlife, forest products and wildfire.

And the agency has been using this science to deliver returns on investments for stakeholders, industry partners, and the public.

For instance Forest Service research supported the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s decision to not list the Greater sage-grouse under the Endangered Species Act, listing the species would have necessitated restrictions on economic activity across 163 million acres.

Because monitoring and managing rare species can be expensive, Forest Service researchers developed new environmental DNA (eDNA) technologies that make it easier and less expensive to monitor rare fish species. Additionally, Forest Inventory and Analysis research estimates the value of carbon sequestered in U.S. forestlands from 2016-2045 at $450 billion.

Analytic tools which R&D scientists developed identify specific areas where water drains off forest roads and carries unwanted sediment into waterways. These tools informed a new Environmental Protection Agency policy decision on roads and helped avoid potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in additional regulatory costs.

Research also helps protect valuable wood resources. Scientists developed technologies and techniques to identify illegally trafficked wood and researchers provide guidance and efficacy data for wood-destroying termites and fungi to the public. The research informs regulations, codes and standards, and supports the pest control industry which contributes about $14 billion to the U.S. economy and employs approximately 107,000 people.

Another part of the U.S. industry Forest Service R&D supports is wood pellets – biofuels made from compressed organic material and used for heating. R&D refined tools that allow for identification of areas for development of biomass use. This tool resulted in sizeable private sector investments and created more than 300 forest sector jobs. U.S. pellet exports to the EU exceeded $358 million in 2013.

Whether it’s wood pellets, identifying illegally trafficked wood, or valuing carbon sequestration, Forest Service R&D influences national policy and the economy while still advancing science.

Tornado Devastates NFC Building, But Not NFC Workers

Tornado damage at the National Finance Center (NFC) Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017 in New Orleans, LA. USDA photo by Mike Clanton.

Within minutes of being notified of an impending storm, the employees of the US Department of Agriculture’s National Finance Center (NFC) in New Orleans felt the devastating impact of the EF-3 tornado that descend upon the two-story building with enough force to tear away whole sections of the brick façade in eight places and leave portions of its interior exposed to the elements.

“I could see it coming,” said Tara Gilliam, chief of Human Resources Management Staff. “It swallowed the building in a matter of seconds.”

Acting Deputy Director Michael Jackson saved countless lives by running down the halls to alert his coworkers of the incoming danger. He yelled for people to take cover before the pelting rain and heavy winds, reminiscent of the thunderous sound of a freight train, engulfed the NFC.

“It was scary, especially when the lights went out,” said Sharon Cannon, a supervisor and program analyst at the NFC. Cannon said they were in total darkness for a few seconds before the generators kicked in.

Though still standing after the tornado, whole sections of the exterior walls are missing, and various internal office spaces as well as a toilet in the second-story bathroom are now visible from the street. Post-storm assessment revealed the winds had ripped out floor tiles that had been previously glued down, blown out windows, and collapsed ceilings. Outside, cars were damaged beyond repair from flying debris that shattered windshields and scratched paint jobs. Fences were destroyed and swivel chairs, typically reserved for inside meetings, littered the ground after strong gusts blew them out of the building.

Tornado damage at the National Finance Center (NFC) Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017 in New Orleans, LA. USDA photo by Mike Clanton.

“With all that, amazingly, we didn’t have any serious injuries,” said Calvin Turner, Director of the NFC.

Through communications with the National Weather Service, Turner said they knew that there was enough of a lull in the storm to get the approximately 1,300 employees that work at the NFC into the cafeteria, which is equipped with storm shutters.

“After we got everyone safely bedded down and moved into the east side of the cafeteria, we needed to immediately execute the COOP plan, and that just went flawlessly,” said Turner.

The Continuity of Operations Plan, or COOP, is a contingency plan that provides guidance for what to do if a natural or man-made disasters impacts the NFC. Additionally, it allows for continued operations of the NFC’s mission, which is to process the payroll for more than 650,000 Federal employees across 172 agencies and provide payment to vendors, distribute block grants to States, and manage retiree benefits.

“We immediately told our folks to start deploying, and that message went out within an hour of the event,” said Turner.

NFC personnel train annually on implementing the COOP and within hours advanced teams were able to relocate to the alternate work site in Bossier City, near Shreveport, La., and resume business operations.

“The process has been smooth because we had all of our plans in place and everyone was able to pick up and get the job done,” said Aisha Bias, who is the current COOP Coordinator.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Acting Deputy Secretary Michael Young visits the staff of the USDA Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) National Finance Center’s (NFC) Alternate Worksite Facility near Shreveport, LA, at Bossier City, LA, on Monday Feb 13, 2017. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.

On Monday, Acting Agriculture Deputy Secretary Mike Young along with the USDA Acting Chief Financial Officer Lynn Moaney met with employees to express their gratitude and admiration for the hard work and personal sacrifice that has kept the NFC running.

“I wanted to say thank you,” said Young addressing a crowd of NFC employees. He stressed the work they do is incredibly important, and commended them for their ability to execute their COOP in an instant and still deliver on providing the vital services without interruption.

“I am was impressed to see how the New Orleans team dropped everything, leaving your families, to make sure the mission was carried out,” said Moaney talking to workers. “For that I owe each and every one of you a debt of gratitude for what you have done.”

“I keep thinking of the timeline,” said Young. “The tornado hit and within hours, folks were on their way up here, 350 miles from where they normally live and to get this place going. It was operating the next morning, and payroll happened for 650,000 employees, and on time!”

NFC workers are no stranger to disaster. The COOP was implemented 12 years ago when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Currently, there are about 182 employees deployed to Bossier City while approximately 300 others are teleworking. NFC leadership is working to find another facility closer to New Orleans to get the rest of the employees back to work.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Customer Service Specialist Sally Gorsuch helps a WebTA users log into their account while during her work at the USDA Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) National Finance Center’s (NFC) Alternate Worksite Facility near Shreveport, LA, at Bossier City, LA, on Monday Feb 13, 2017.

What to Do if You Are Lost in a Forest

February 15th, 2017|Tags: recreation|0 Comments

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By Lindsay Seventko, Communications Intern

Credit: Elisa Paolini via flickr

No matter how prepared you may be for an outdoor adventure or how confident you are in your ability to follow a trail, it’s always a good idea to be prepared for the unexpected. Brush up on your contingency planning with these tips for what to do if you get lost in a forest.

Remain Calm

First, stay calm. It’s normal to feel upset and confused when you realize you’re lost, but panicking and thinking negatively will cloud your judgment and limit your problem solving abilities. Take a moment to focus and calm your mind before taking any action.

Stay in One Place

If you don’t have a compass to direct your way, stay in one place where it will be much easier to search parties to find you. If you can easily retrace your steps back to the trail, do so and continue back up the trail. But if your path isn’t easy to follow, stay right where you are. Mark that original “I’m lost” spot with branches or rocks to make it very noticeable and use it as a jumping off point to explore your near surroundings, remembering to frequently return back to the original spot so that you never lose it.

Find Shelter

During these short, well-marked ventures away from the original “I’m lost” spot, look for existing structures you can use for shelter. If there aren’t any, begin structuring wood overlaid with leaves and branches to fashion a makeshift shelter and be sure to layer any clothing items you have so that you can stay as dry and warm as possible.

Credit: Joseph via Flickr.

Make a Fire

A fire is essential to staying warm, purifying water and cooking. Begin gathering dry wood, twigs, bark, leaves and any paper you have that could fuel a fire. If you didn’t bring matches, a lighter or flint, use the fire-plow method to start a fire (think “Cast Away”). To use this method, rub dry wood together in a divot until the friction creates smoke and/or a spark, which can then be gently blown on until a piece of paper or twigs are caught on fire.

Credit: timquijano via Flickr.

Find a Water Source

Hopefully, you brought plenty of water and food on this forest adventure, but if not, or if your supplies are dwindling, it’s important to find food and water. If you are able to make a fire and have a container, boil water from a stream, river or puddle for at least three minutes before drinking. But, if you are unable to start a fire, begin collecting rainwater or drinking the dew off of leaves. Drinking straight from a river without purification should be reserved for emergencies only, as it may make you extremely sick.

Credit: norsez Oh via Flickr.

Forage for Food

If you’re worried about running out of food, begin foraging for foods from your surroundings like acorns, walnuts, pine needles, wild onion and garlic. If you aren’t completely certain that the food is edible, don’t eat it. It is often wise to avoid berries and mushrooms, since there are many look-a-likes of edible varieties that are poisonous. If you aren’t able to subsist on plant matter, you can roast insects or small game over the fire. Hunt by throwing a sharp stick at the animal to stun it before killing it, or try spear-fishing with a stick. Above all, when it comes to finding food, it is better to be hungry than sick. Avoid eating anything risky for as long as possible.

Wild Garlic. Credit: Mark Robinson via Flickr.

No one likes to think about being lost out in the forest, but it is always good to be prepared. Before going on your next forest adventure, brush up on survival techniques and be sure your backpack is full of the essentials — a map and compass, waterproof and windproof clothing, a way to start a fire and plenty of water and high calorie food.

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Continuing the Challenge: Achieve MyPlate Everyday

This year’s MyPlate New Year’s Challenge participants turned their New Year’s resolutions into real solutions by making small changes over time.

Congratulations to everyone who joined us for the MyPlate New Year’s Challenge! Over the course of these last five weeks, participants incorporated each of the MyPlate food groups – dairy, fruits, vegetables, protein foods, and grains – into their days in an effort to find and maintain a healthy eating style while being physically active. Over 400 people took on the MyPlate-sponsored challenge, and many others used SuperTracker to host their own challenges. To all of you we say, “Way to go!” You all proved that making small changes to your daily routine can lead to big wins for your health.

Now that you’ve mastered the challenge, it’s important to continue using the lessons you’ve learned to maintain your healthy eating solutions. What tips, tricks, and real solutions did you discover and utilize to fit all five MyPlate food groups into your meals? That’s what MyPlate, MyWins is all about – finding a healthy eating style that works best for you and your family.

Corey, a Nutritionist on the MyPlate team, incorporated MyPlate into her daily life by keeping her kids involved in meal prep. She says, “With hectic schedules, dinnertime is always a little crazy! Giving my kids something to help prepare keeps them occupied and gets them interested in trying their own creation. Surprisingly, salad prep is their favorite job because they can mix and match lots of colors!” Like Corey, you can find real solutions that become habits for you and your family! For more tips from our team, and share your real solutions for a healthy new year on social media using #MyPlateMyWins, please visit ChooseMyPlate.gov’s Stories from Families and Individuals page.

You started 2017 on the right track; now keep up the momentum! Use USDA’s SuperTracker to keep yourself accountable. You can track your progress by logging your food and physical activity every day. SuperTracker’s Food Tracker tool will allow you to see how your food choices stack up to your food group targets and daily limits. The Food-A-Pedia feature can help you compare your favorite foods’ nutrition information to see what you’re really eating and find healthier alternatives that taste just as good! If you thrive off of competition, take advantage of SuperTracker’s custom challenge tool and keep the spirit of the MyPlate New Year’s Challenge alive. Build your own healthy eating and physical activity challenge for you, your friends, family members, a youth group, or a classroom.

We’re already six weeks into the New Year; keep using your real solutions to make healthy choices. Let MyPlate, MyWins continue to guide you in your journey towards healthy eating this year and into the future. For more healthy eating tips and resources, visit ChooseMyPlate.gov, follow MyPlate on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for email updates.

5 Wildlife Love Stories

February 14th, 2017|Tags: wildlife|0 Comments

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By Suah Cheong, American Forests

It’s finally Valentine’s Day — simultaneously one of the most loved but dreaded holidays. Though humans are not biologically programmed to mate for life, our social structure has been built around monogamous relationships. We sometimes go to great lengths to show love and affection, whether it be by embarrassingly serenading those we care about or by spending fortunes on rocks.

In our defense, we aren’t the only ones crazy in love. Take a look at some of these other interesting relationships in nature!

Alternative motives!

Swans are famously monogamous animals. Their love for their partners is so deep that they mate for life, and their loyalty is so storied that that the image of two swans’ necks forming a heart has become a universal symbol of romance. However, the reality is not so romantic. Their monogamy is merely a strategy for them to raise the maximum number of cygnets, or baby swans. Because migrating, establishing territories and raising their young are their main priorities, swans don’t bother searching for new mates.

Credit: Happymillerman via Flickr.

#RelationshipGoals

Although rodents don’t exactly scream romance, prairie voles are perhaps the most romantic species out there! They mate for life, share nesting and pup-raising responsibilities, huddle together, groom together and are highly supportive of each other. When their partner shows signs of stress, they’ll give them the prairie-vole equivalent of hugs and kisses. In about 80 percent of cases where a vole’s partner dies, it never takes on another. Only about 3 percent of mammals show this kind of monogamy.

Credit; theNerdPatrol via Flickr.

Materialistic much?

Bowerbirds have an incredibly unique courtship ritual. The male bowerbird will create a nest in order to impress a potential mate. But there’s a weird catch — he has to decorate the nest with items of a specific color! They choose their colors based on what color they think will give them the highest success rate; usually, they pick blue. Male bowerbirds collect a combination of natural and manmade objects, arrange them carefully, then present their masterpiece to a female. If the female likes what she sees, the mating can commence.

Credit: Krysia B via Flickr.

“‘Till death do us part”

Despite their vicious reputation, wolves are actually quite affectionate! Starting as early as age two, wolves mate for life (until one of them dies). A pack is usually made up of an alpha male, an alpha female and their offspring. Sound familiar? Wolves rarely ever deviate from their packs — they’re all about family values and teamwork! Wolf packs depend heavily on the leadership of their alphas. Using their strong leadership skills, alphas organize the pack to hunt as a group and monitor them closely to watch for interpack fighting.

Credit: Angell Williams via Flickr.

Young and in love

Lovebirds certainly live up to their name. These monogamous animals start looking for mates when they are merely two months old! The female will ruffle her feathers to attract a male. Once she has his attention, the male will respond by bobbing his head up and down. After this process, they will have successfully paired up! They maintain strong bonds and often cuddle with each other, hence their name.

Credit: DMangus via Flickr.

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Five Signs You Might Be the Perfect ‘Soil Mate’

There’s a whole new generation of “soil mates” working to unlock the secrets in the soil.

The hope in healthy soil is taking root across America.

Farmers, ranchers, researchers, conservationists, non-profit organizations, foodies and others are all working to help regenerate our working lands by improving the health of function of our nation’s soil. So inspired by what they’re learning about the hope in healthy soil, there’s a whole new generation of “soil mates” working to unlock the secrets in the soil.

Here are five signs you might be one of them:

When you drive by a freshly plowed field, you feel sad knowing that the habitat for trillions upon trillions of soil microbes is being disrupted—and that much of the rain that falls on that freshly plowed field will simply run off, carrying sediment and inputs with it.
You eagerly look for roots, pores, nodules and organisms in a shovel full of soil and reflexively smile when you smell the earthy aroma of healthy soil that’s teeming with life.
You nod approvingly when you see cover crops growing in field after harvest, knowing that water will infiltrate easily into the soil profile and that living roots will be feeding the microorganisms throughout the year.
You swell with pride when you talk to farmers who are demonstrating that we can actually build our soils—make them more productive, profitable and resilient to weather extremes like drought—and you feel assured knowing that through soil health, we can store an amazing amount of carbon in the ground where it will feed the organisms that nurture the crops that feed the world.
You find yourself enthusiastically espousing the basics and benefits of soil health to family, friends and anyone else who will listen because you want to spread the good news about the on- and off-farm benefits of healthy soil.

If you show three or more of the signs above, you’re in good company. You’re among a growing number of soil mates throughout the world who realize that the promise of our future lies in our living and life-giving soil.

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