Most phone calls I get start with “I think my trees are dying”. No one likes to look up and see something wrong with their trees. I usually start by reassuring people that there are varying degrees of unhealthy trees and they don’t all end in tree death. However, in order to diagnose anything, we […]
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Better Birding: How to Get Started?
While taking a family walk on Mother’s Day, my wife pointed out a female Baltimore Oriole in its yellow plumage. My sister-in-law, who could not ID the bird, was impressed. She sighed, ‘I wish I knew birds…’ Her comment got me thinking. How did we learn about birds and what tips would I share with […]
Taking a Snapshot of Wisconsin’s Wildlife
Have you ever wondered what’s wandering the woods when you’re not there? Motion-triggered trail cameras are a great way to find out. Trail cameras have been popular in the whitetail hunting world for a while. However, in recent years the technology has greatly improved, and the prices have plummeted. As trail cameras become more accessible, outdoor enthusiasts of all sorts are pursuing […]
It’s the time of the season… for wildfires in Wisconsin
Did you know May is National Wildfire Awareness Month? Since many of us have been spending more time at home during the extended Safer at Home order, now is the perfect time to start thinking about preparing our homes and properties for the 2020 fire season. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram […]
Is Silvopasture an Option For Me? By Randy Mell
Professional foresters are educated in the basic needs of establishing and growing trees. During the course of their work, they share with woodlands owners activities they can do in their woods that mimic natures’ way of establishing and improving their trees. Foresters occasionally get questions from landowners on how they can earn more income from […]
The Sit Spot Challenge
I’ve been working from home lately, and have found a lot of joy watching nature come back to life this spring. Things change quickly in spring and considering the pandemic we’re living through, even more so in 2020. As we adjust to the new reality, all of us at UW-Madison Extension are working on ways to […]
Identifying and treating invasive species in the spring
With the recent Safer at Home Act many of us are looking for ways to pass the time and keep our children and families active and healthy. What better way to pass the time than to learn how to identify invasive species, begin planning control methods, and gathering garlic mustard if it is present on […]
If a person bathes in the forest, and no one is around to see it, did it really happen?
According to Web MD and National Geographic, yes, it did really happen! But wait, what exactly is forest bathing? Forest bathing (shrinrin-yoku) is the act of ‘bathing’ or basking in the forest using your senses. When I first read the definition of forest bathing, I thought I was a seasoned forest bather, but I was […]
Who are those NRCS folks and what can they do for me?
I was talking recently with a landowner about some of the projects they had in mind for their property. As is the case with many of the folks I work with, they had projects that required much more time and money than they had to give. The solution to many of their restraints was a […]
The right shrubs for the right habitat for the wildlife you are looking to attract
In a previous article, we discussed some of the basics for how to choose which wildlife trees and shrubs to plant. For this article, I would like to share more specific details about several shrubs, why to choose them, and where to plant them. These native shrubs fit a fairly wide array of soil and […]