Forest Files August 2012
IN THIS ISSUE
Protecting Montana’s State Fish
STANDING TALL: The Gentle Giant of Boulder County
Camping Under a Canopy
Credit: Brian Vallelunga
Camping is one of summer’s most popular recreational activities. You can beat the heat by spending your days hiking trails, rafting down rivers or just enjoying some peace, quiet and fresh air. There are so many unique places to camp across the country — including many captivating forests.
Take a trip through America’s most prized forest-camping destinations.
Palms From the Past
Credit: Jennifer Pickens/Flickr
It may be hard to imagine, but around 52 million years ago, palm trees grew along Antarctica’s coastlines. Scientists have found that during this time period, temperatures could reach 80 degrees F in this now frozen tundra. These findings of past warming periods and greenhouse conditions may be a good indicator of what to expect in the next 100 years.
Discover what could be the new normal in the future.
Protecting Montana’s State Fish
Credit: Corey Kruitbosch/Wikimedia Commons
More than 200 years ago, Lewis and Clark set out on a journey that would take them thousands of miles across the country to the Pacific Ocean. On this journey, they discovered new territories and an abundance of wildlife, including the cutthroat trout. Today, the Montana official state fish’s habitat is less than 30 percent of what it was when Lewis and Clark discovered it.
See what American Forests is doing to help restore this fish’s habitat.
Weather and Urban Forests
Credit: Peter Prehn/Flickr
All summer, the United States has dealt with record-breaking heat. As temperatures rise, we appreciate forests and trees even more. The EPA shares that “shaded surfaces may be 20-45 degrees F cooler than the peak temperatures of unshaded materials.” But with extreme heat comes extreme weather, which in turn can make trees a dangerous liability.
Learn what you can do to enjoy, protect and
maintain urban forests near you.
STANDING TALL: The Gentle Giant of Boulder County
Credit: American Forests
In Memoriam: It was secluded in an old irrigation ditch at the bottom of a steep embankment, and many residents in Hygiene, Colo., simply called it “The Big Tree.” At 150 years old, it lived a life much longer than the average for its species, but time caught up with “The Big Tree,” as the biggest plains cottonwood in the United States has been pronounced dead.