Forest Files May 2012
IN THIS ISSUE
Burning Hot: The Evolution of Eastern and Western Fires
Python-hunting Dogs to the Rescue
Renewing a Legacy at Arlington
STANDING TALL: The Reigning Mega-trees
Burning Hot: The Evolution of Eastern and Western Fires
Credit: National Interagency Fire Center Archive, Bugwood.org
Fire season will soon be upon us. With much of the country experiencing droughts and dry winters, conditions are ripe for big blazes across the country. But why are some areas of the country more prone to fire? And why are eastern and western fires so different? It’s all about the forests.
See how fires affect forests and forests affect fires.
Python-hunting Dogs to the Rescue
Credit: Losch/Wikimedia Commons
Dogs may be man’s best friend, but in Florida’s Everglades, they’re quickly becoming the allies of many other furry and feathered creatures. That’s because some specially trained Labradors are hunting the pythons that have been wreaking havoc on the Everglades’ mammal populations.
Wade into Florida’s python problem and its problem-solving canines.
How Ice Shaped Our Forests
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Woody forests have been on Earth for 385 million years. But over the last few million years, glaciers have played a major role in shaping our forests, pushing some to their limits and consuming others in an eternal seesaw provided by Mother Nature.
Journey through millions of years of forest evolution.
Renewing a Legacy at Arlington
Credit: Leroy Council/U.S. Army
Last fall, Hurricane Irene claimed Arlington National Cemetery’s historic post oak, affectionately known as Arlington Oak. The tree stood witness to two centuries of America’s history and helped shade the Kennedy gravesites. Last month, American Forests helped plant descendants of this famous tree at the Kennedy gravesites.
Join the tree-planting ceremony in Arlington Cemetery.
STANDING TALL: The Reigning Mega-trees
Credit: American Forests
The 2012 spring edition of the National Register of Big Trees recognizes around 760 of the biggest trees in the country. But in the world of big trees, some trees are bigger than big: with more than 650 points, they’re mega.
“If you’re looking for mega-trees, the West Coast is the place to be. Only two mega-trees are found outside of California, Oregon and Washington: the co-champion common baldcypress in Louisiana and Mississippi.”