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Groundwater

August 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Groundwater is a vital resource to each of us – individuals, communities and our businesses. It’s the water we drink, it grows our food and recharges rivers and lakes. It’s so very important to do your part at your home with your private well and help keep it clean! As you may know, groundwater is water found underground in cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rock. These underground stores of water are called aquifers. Groundwater is critically important to daily living. Of all the Earth’s water that is readily available for use by … [Read more...]

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Bats

April 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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We have been having bat "problems" around our home the last few weeks and in searching for a solution, I came across this article written by Lee Stribling, retired professor of Zoology at Auburn University.  It helped me understand more about bats, what to do (and not to do), and thought it was worth passing on to others. Bats are among the most misunderstood animals.  Because they are secretive and active only at night, bats are often feared and needlessly killed.  Contrary to common myths, bats are neither blind nor dirty. They do not … [Read more...]

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Dang ‘Dillos!

February 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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We receive numerous calls every year from homeowners and other turf managers regarding armadillo damage to their landscape. Before discussing damage management methods, I want to discuss some basic biology of this curious animal. Although generally considered a recent invader, armadillos were found as far north as Rogers County, Oklahoma, in the 1930s. They reach a mature weight of 8 to 17 pounds. Tracks indicate four toes on each front foot and five on the hind feet. Females produce a litter, most commonly four, of monosex siblings in March … [Read more...]

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Beware of Hazardous Materials in Barns and Shops

February 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Growing up, I remember going to my great-uncle's farm and looking through his barn/shop. Behind the old wooden doors, jugs of herbicides and insecticides, barrels of oil and grease, tools, his welder and whatever implements or tractor he had taken apart covered the dirt floor. When the floor got in bad shape, he would occasionally throw a shovel or two of soil over the top to "clean it up." Over the many years he used that old barn, there was no telling what had dripped, leaked or been knocked over and spilled. Honestly, did any of you … [Read more...]

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Cottontail Rabbits

January 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Many animals seem to disappear in the wintertime. Some animals, like opossums, skunks, ground hogs and bats hibernate or go dormant so they can survive when there is no food for them to eat. When animals hibernate, their heart rate slows, body temperature drops and breathing slows down. Hibernating animals don’t need to feed. Instead, they live off stored fat they gained during the late summer and fall. One animal active during the winter is the cottontail rabbit. They don’t hibernate, but use other behaviors to survive winter. The range … [Read more...]

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Protect Your Forest From Wildfires

December 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Damage from wildfires can be devastating to both your forests and wildlife.  A single fire can destroy years of investment in trees, and as we have seen throughout the country, it can happen to just about anyone.  Our friends at the Alabama Forestry Commission have five suggestions to keep your forests as safe as possible. 1.  Install Firebreaks - Construct and maintain firebreaks around the perimeter of your forest to help keep fire from entering your property.  Interior firebreaks can help contain wildfire in isolated areas.  … [Read more...]

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Conservation Easements

November 15, 2010 By 2 Comments
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We hear the term "conservation easement" often and almost always it is followed by a 32 page document explaining what it is, only for most people to come away still somewhat confused on what it is and what the pro's and con's are.  Here is what you need to know...... What exactly is a conservation easement? In a nutshell, a conservation easement is a binding legal contract between a landowner and another group (often called the easement holder) that ensures conservation is maintained on a given piece of property.  Easement holders can be in … [Read more...]

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Partners for Fish and Wildlife

November 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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The Partners for Fish and Wildlife program (PFW) is a program offered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for private landowners who are interested in restoring or enhancing fish and wildlife habitat on their property and provides both technical and financial support.  Most projects require the landowner to cover half the cost of the restoration but according to the USFWS, this percentage is flexible and in some cases, they can elect to pay for all of the costs involved in the restoration. So how does it work? Any private landowner is … [Read more...]

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Heating with Wood

October 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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With energy costs rising each year, there is a growing interest in using renewable resources for our energy needs.  One such source is firewood.  Most of us are comfortable with building a fire in our fireplace realizing that it offers more in the way of atmosphere than heat.  But relying totally on firewood as your source of heat takes careful consideration and more knowledge that just being able to build a fire.  We found an excellent article prepared by the Cornell University Cooperative Extension and the New York State Department of … [Read more...]

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Groundwater

October 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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On Protect Your Groundwater Day which took place last month, the University of Nebraska Extension team joined the National Ground Water Association in urging us to protect one of our most important natural resources – groundwater. According to Sharon Skipton, a University of Nebraska extension educator, everyone can and should do something to protect groundwater. We all have a stake in maintaining its quality and quantity.  Here are a few bits of information and tips you should know about: 95 percent of all available fresh water … [Read more...]

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