At American Forests, we spend a lot of time talking about, thinking about and working to protect whitebark pine, a keystone species in the high-elevation West, as it struggles with disease and infestation, compounded by rising average temperatures. Maybe that’s why the story of another species of white pine facing its own set of struggles [...]
Last week, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced a new act to Congress: The Residential Energy and Economic Savings (TREES) Act. The legislation, co-sponsored by Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), focuses on a very specific ecological service provided by urban forests: energy savings. The TREES Act would set up a grant program [...]
I am excited to announce that American Forests is launching a new urban forest program called Community ReLeaf. American Forests Community ReLeaf will directly work with urban communities to first assess and then restore their forests. This work will help develop new information and research about the relevance and importance of urban forests locally and [...]
Last September, Michelle shared a story that pulled our heartstrings: the tale of Chips, an orphaned bobcat kitten who was rescued by workers after losing her mother and suffering second-degree burns and an eye infection in the Chips Fire in California’s Plumas National Forest. As you may recall, the young Chips was recovering at Lake [...]
Look out, big trees: Today, there are some new champions in town. More than 40 new trees were declared the biggest of their species today with the release of American Forests’ National Register of Big Trees, which contains a total of almost 780 national champion and co-champion trees. The register, which is updated twice per [...]
Happy Arbor Day! Enjoy the great outdoors this weekend by taking a walk, working in a garden, visiting a park, basking in the sun or planting a tree. Below are some of our favorite nature quotes to inspire you on this special day. “If you truly love Nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” Vincent Van [...]
“Riparian areas are extremely important and, with long-term forecasts calling for drought and higher temperatures, they are some of the most at-risk landscapes in New Mexico,” says Ron Loehman, conservation chairman with New Mexico Trout, in People Restoring America’s Forests: 2012 Report on the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program. Yesterday, I talked about the intersection [...]
It’s called the Land of Enchantment. From mountains to desert, from national forests to historic monuments, New Mexico is indeed a land of many wonders. Keeping all of its wonders healthy and intact, though, is proving a bit complicated. Southwest of Albuquerque lies Cibola National Forest, and within Cibola loom the Zuni Mountains. Here, delicate [...]
Now, before you skip this post based on the title, ask yourself this: How does the U.S. Forest Service decide what paint to use to mark trees? Ever been hiking through your favorite forest and think, who decides where to put those trail blazes and why did they choose white or blue or orange? Lucky [...]
This week, we celebrate not one, not two, but three amazing holidays that all focus on nature and the environment! Today is Earth Day, a day when people around the country gather together to give thanks to Mother Nature. First celebrated on April 22, 1970, Earth Day is a yearly reminder that we need look [...]
