In Pennsylvania, for example, the Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission manage wildlife and fish. Furthermore, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) manages 117 state parks and 2.1 million acres of state forest.

Every state has similar wildlife conservation agencies, though their names and organizational structure vary. In West Virginia, the Division of Natural Resources manages fish, wildlife, state parks, and forests. In Ohio, the Division of Wildlife manages both fish and wildlife and is under the umbrella of the Department of Natural Resources.

To make matters even more confusing, a wide array of federal agencies is responsible for myriad aspects of wildlife conservation.

The primary federal wildlife agency is the Department of Interior’s Fish & Wildlife Service (www.fws.gov). FWS’ responsibilities include migratory birds, endangered species, national wildlife refuges (more than 150 million acres in more than 550 refuges), fish habitat conservation and restoration, among many other things. The FWS sets seasons and bag limits for migratory birds — ducks, geese, doves and rails — which they base on summer population surveys.

Curiously, the federal bird-banding lab is located in Interior’s U.S. Geological Survey, not the FWS. If you find a band on a wild bird, dead or alive (no pigeons), report it at www.reportband.gov.

But wildlife conservation is not limited to Interior agencies. For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service (www.fs.fed.us) manages the fish and wildlife on national forests and grasslands (193 million acres). The Forest Service’s mission is to restore and enhance landscapes, protect and enhance water resources, develop climate change resiliency and help create jobs that sustain communities.

USDA also houses the Natural Resources Conservation Service (www.nrcs.usda.gov) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The NRCS, formerly known as the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), helps private landowners conserve and improve their natural resources. It emphasizes voluntary, science-based conservation for farmers and other private landowners.

Part of APHIS’ responsibility is Wildlife Services (WS), which deals with wildlife damage complaints. If coyotes are killing sheep, geese are pooping on city ball fields, or thousands of starlings are roosting in a residential neighborhood, WS is the agency to contact (www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage). There’s a WS office in every state.

In the U.S. Department of Commerce (www.commerce.gov), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, www.noaa.gov) provides daily weather forecasts, manages federal fisheries, restores damaged coastal areas, and supports marine commerce.

NOAA’s National Weather Service (www.nws.noaa.gov) provides weather and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States, its territories, adjacent waters and ocean areas for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. For an instantaneous seven-day forecast, just enter your ZIP code.

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (www.nmfs.noaa.gov) conserves, protects, and manages living marine resources to ensure their continuation as functioning components of marine ecosystems, promote economic opportunities, and enhance the quality of life for the American public. Current information on the health of Gulf coast fish is available through Fisheries Service.

NOAA’s National Ocean Service (www.oceanservice.noaa.gov) is the nation’s premier science agency for oceans and coastlines. NOS manages America’s 95,000 miles of shoreline and 3.5 million square miles of coastal, Great Lakes, and deep-ocean waters. This vast area generates more than 60 percent of the nation’s gross national product each year.

NOAA’s Sea Grant Program (www.seagrant.noaa.gov), a nationwide network of 32 university-based programs that work with coastal communities, focuses on environmental stewardship, economic development and responsible use of America’s coastal, ocean and Great Lakes resources.

Finally, the Marine Mammal Commission (www.mmc.gov) is an independent agency created by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. The Commission’s primary focus and duties are the protection and conservation of marine mammals (whales, dolphins, sea otters, seals, sea lions, manatees, walruses).

I’ve only scratched the surface, but you get the idea. Wildlife conservation can be a bureaucratic maze.

Written by Scott Shalaway for the Charleston Gazette

Yes, it is. Some people prefer not to feed birds when natural food is abundant. However, during spring and fall migration (which begins in late July!), bird feeders can be very welcome sources of food for exhausted migrants. During exceptionally cold, rainy spells, bird feeders can even save some songbirds’ lives.

In the summer, there is usually plenty of natural food available for resident birds, but parent birds may take occasional quick breaks at a feeder in between searching for insects to feed their hungry nestlings. They do fine without this help, though, so the choice is entirely yours.

Suet spoils more quickly in hot weather, and may also soften, adhering to belly feathers. If this happens to a woodpecker or other bird feeding on suet, and then the bird returns to a nest, the surface of the eggs may become greasy, and some of the pores that get air to the developing chick may become plugged. So summer suet-feeding is usually not a good idea.

Bird feeders may provide a special boost to busy parent birds, but another danger in summer feeding is when adults bring their fledglings to feeders. Seed, jelly, and suet don’t contain enough protein for young birds still growing muscle, bone, and feather tissue. If you notice the same family with fledglings visiting your feeder more than once a day, close it down for a week or so, until the young birds are farther along in their development.

Summer feeding does entail a few other risks because many disease organisms grow more rapidly as temperatures rise. To ensure a safe bird-feeding environment, change hummingbird nectar every three days—more often during extreme heat. Rake up and dispose of wet or moldy birdseed regularly. Change water in birdbaths daily.

What is Tree Topping?

According the Nebraska Forest Service, topping is the indiscriminate cutting of large branches back to long stubs.  Topping cuts are made without regard to the locations of side branches. The Nebraska Forest Service says that if a tree service recommends topping you should decline and look for another tree service provider.  They further state that topping is never recommended by anyone with a good understanding of trees.

What Tree Topping Does

• Tree Topping removes a major portion of a tree’s leaves, which are needed to produce food.  Topping can thus begin an irreversible decline of the tree.
• Topping makes a tree sore susceptible to insects and diseases by reducing the ability of the tree to produce chemical defenses.
• Branches left after topping become decayed and create a hazardous situation if the branch breaks.
• Cuts made by topping stimulate the development of many “water sprouts” just below the cut which are weakly attached and are easily damaged in future storms.
• Topping destroys the natural form of a tree.

What can land owners do when dealing with damaged trees after a storm?

Inspect Trees – Look for splits and cracks in the trunk or major limbs.  Look for any areas where water appears to be seeping from within the tree.  Inspect the root collar area to look for uplifted soil or disturbed roots.

Pruning – Large trees should be pruned by a professional.  Many times large trees are located near utility lines and you need to be aware of this.  If this is the case, you will need to call the utility company rather than a local tree professional.  First and foremost, prune to make the tree safe.  The object then becomes to maintain as many live branches in the crown of the tree and remove severely damaged branches, and minimize open wounds that will lead to decay.

Mulching – is good for both large and small trees.  Stressed trees can be helped by mulching an area at least 2-3 feet from the base of the tree and 2-4 inches in depth without piling it up against the bark.

Fertilization – is not recommended for damaged or stressed trees.  It can upset the natural defense mechanisms of a tree and can cause more harm than good.

Removal – If over 50% of the tree’s crown is destroyed, removal may be recommended.  However, if the root system is still in intact, the crown will re-grow.  The Forest Service advises to think carefully before deciding to remove a tree as long as it does not create a hazardous situation.

And when in doubt, consult a professional arborist.  To find one in your area, contact your state Arborists Association or the International Society of Arboriculture.

Nebraska Forest Service Storm Damage Bulletin No. 4 and 5

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To get started on the path to land ownership……

Order A Practical Guide to Buying Land.

Whether you are buying, selling, or improving, it is best to understand what these terms mean, and sometimes it can be an overwhelming task to search a host of different locations for such information.  We have compiled a list of nearly 100 terms that will be helpful in any water issues you may face or want to learn more about.  Below is a sampling of terms included in the glossary.  Insider Basic Members can click here for the complete glossary of terms.  Not an Insider?  Join now, it’s free.

Baseflow – that part of streamflow derived from groundwater flowing into a stream or river.

Brook – a natural stream of water, smaller than a river or creek; especially a small stream that breaks directly out of the ground, as from a spring or seep.

Discharge – the volume of water that passes a given point during a given period. It is an all-inclusive outflow term, describing a variety of flows such as from a pipe to a stream, or from a stream or river to a lake or ocean.

Dispersion – the spreading and mixing of chemical constituents in both surface and groundwaters caused by diffusion and mixing due to microscopic variations in densities and velocities.

Eutrophication – the process of nutrient enrichment causing a water body to fill with aquatic plants and algae. Eutrophic lakes often are undesirable for recreation and may not support normal fish populations.

Field capacity – the amount of water a saturated soil contains after rapid internal drainage has ceased (approximately 2 days).

Limiting factor - any factor such as temperature, light, water, or chemical that limits the existence, growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism. For example, an increase in phosphorus loading to a lake, stream, or river can trigger the growth of algae.

Percolation – the movement of water through saturated soil layers, often continuing downward to groundwater.

Porosity – the ratio of the volume of open spaces or voids to the total volume of a material. For example, a sand and gravel deposit may have 20 % porosity. Porosity determines the amount of water that can be stored in a saturated formation. A saturated formation 100 feet thick with a porosity of 20 % could store an equivalent water depth of approximately 20 feet.

Recent research breaks down the years between four distinctly different periods:

• The farm boom period from 1970 to 1981
• The farm crisis from 1982 to 1987
• The recovery period from 1988 to 2003
• The Ethanol Boom from 2004 to 2009

During the farm boom period, an average farmer enjoyed 7.3% average cash rent return on their land and their land appreciated in value from an average of $392 per acre to $1,941 per acre or an average return of about 14.3%.  Therefore the total average return for this period was about 21.6%.

During the farm crisis, the average cash rent was actually at the highest average of about 8%, however, this was due to the decrease in land prices.  During this period, land values decreased from $1,941 per acre to about $786 per acre or an average negative return of (14%), which about wiped out the returns during the farm boom.  Overall average returns during this period was a negative (6%).

During the recovery period, average cash rents were about 7.25% and land prices increased from about $786 to $2,010 or an average increase of about 6% or a total annual return of 13.25%.

Therefore, the overall return during the 40 year period wsa about 6% from appreciation and 7% from cash rents for an overall annual return of 13%.

During the Ethanol Boom, the average cash rents was the lowest at about 4.4%, but the increase in price from $2,010 to $3,850 or 11.4% equals an average annual return of about 15.8%.

The best cash rent return was 9.6% in 1987 at the peak of the farm crisis and worst return was 2008 at 3.8% during the Ethanol Boom.  The best appreciation year was 1977 at 36.8% and the worst was 1985 at a negative 28%.

This article was contributed by Paul Neiffer, editor of  Farm CPA Today, and was based upon the research done by Iowa State University.

INSIDERS can read the entire report here. (Insider Basic Membership is FREE.  Join here.)

Here’s the full report on farmland returns from Iowa State University.

The report includes estimates of the average returns from owning farmland since 1970. Annual returns are in two forms: cash returns and change in market value. Total return is the sum of these two. The source of data for cash rents and land values is the Economic Research Service (USDA) data series for whole farm rents and value, not data from ISU Extension, which refers to rental rates for corn/soybean land only.

Read “Returns to Farmland Owners”

Native Trees Tolerant of Wet Soils

• Red and Silver Maple
• River Birch
• Catalpa
• Ash
• Cottonwood
• Swamp White Oak
• Sycamore

Native Shrubs Tolerant of Wet Soils

• Red Osler Dogwood
• Leatherwood
• Winterberry
• Inkberry
• Pussy Willow
• Shrubby cinquefoil

Native Herbaceous and Flowering Plants for Sunny Moist or Boggy Conditions

• Cattails
• Joe-Pye Weed
• Great Blue Iobella
• Ironweed
• Cardinal Flower
• Goldenrods
• Marsh Marigold
• Swamp Milkweed
• Gentian spp.

Native Herbaceous and Flowering Plants for Shady Moist or Boggy Conditions

• Bee Balm
• Arrowhead
• False Hellebore
• Turtlehead
• Skunk Cabbage
• Royal fern
• Netted Chain Fern
• Jack in the Pulpit
• Cinnamon Fern
• Shield Ferns
• Lady Ferns

True Bog Plants Requiring Low pH and Sun

• Sundews
• Butterworts
• Pitcher plants

Fords, culverts, PVC pipe bundles, wood mats, panels and pallets, tire mats, corduroy crossings, pole rail crossings are all ways to cross a wetland or stream.  Which one is the best?  That depends on a lot of different factors;  the size of the stream, creek, or wetland, the potential for debris, the cost of both construction and maintenance, and the amount the road will be used and how it will be used all play a role in deciding which method or methods are viable and which ones aren’t.

Fords – a crossing in which vehicles drive directly through the stream.  Fords work well when crossing infrequently or for short periods of time.

Culverts – a pipe or other round object that diverts water under the crossing.  Culverts work well in streams with well defined, deep channels and can be installed rather quickly.

PVC Pipe Bundles – consist of pipes cabled together with galvanized steel to form mats which are placed on top of a water permeable (but very durable) fabric.

Wood Mats, Panels, and Pallets - are made from logs or sawn hardwood.  These are cabled together to make a single layer crossing.  Panels and pallets are stronger and larger versions of shipping pallets

Tire Mats - are constructed by interconnecting tire sidewalls.  Lengths and widths are modified to fit different soils and conditions.

Corduroy Crossings – are built from brush, slash, small logs and other woody substances such as mill slabs.

Pole Rail Crossings -  are built on site from hardwood poles from local trees.  Pole rails should only be used with skidders that have wide, high flotation or dual tires.

Pipe and Canvas style weed wiper. A: Spigot to control flow. B: Height adjustment.

Have you ever needed to spray your pasture, but it was too windy? Or have you ever needed to spray but didn’t want to damage your clovers and other legumes? Do you want to save money, cut down on herbicide rates and help the environment? Then consider a weed wiper as your herbicide application method. If you can graze desirable forages so that weeds are 6 inches taller than the forages, a weed wiper will work for you.

Many people are unfamiliar with wiper or wick applicators. However, they have been used for years to control volunteer corn in Midwestern soybean fields. The concept is simple. Herbicide solution, usually Roundup (glyphosate), is supplied to an absorbent surface. The herbicide soaked surface only contacts weeds taller than the crop. Chemical is transferred to the surface of the weeds as the applicator “wipes” over them. There are many variations, but the principle is the same.

Key elements include a surface that will hold solution without dripping, a way to prime the surface, a way to mount the unit so the height can be adjusted, and weeds that are taller than desirable plants.

In one version, a pipe with small holes in the bottom is covered with an absorbent canvas. The pipe is filled with an herbicide solution. It is mounted horizontally on a vehicle so that it is above the crop, but will contact the weeds. The covering “wicks” the herbicide solution out of the pipe through the small holes. The chemical is then applied to the weeds as the unit wipes over them.

In the most basic unit, the pipe is used as the reservoir for the herbicide. Flow is regulated with a throttling valve that controls the amount and rate of air that gets inside the pipe, thus regulating the amount and rate of solution that can leave the pipe. Other models connect the pipe to a tank with a pump. The pump is turned on and off as needed to prime the wiper. Better models mount a hooded spray boom above the wiping surface to wet it as needed.

Rather than canvas, some wick applicators use braided cotton rope plumbed into a pipe. Rope sections are about 8 inches long and overlap.

Rotowiper style weed wiper. A: Spigot to control flow. B: Height adjustment.

Many times it is necessary to wipe weeds from opposite directions to get thorough coverage. However, better models with hooded booms use a counter-rotating drum, which improves coverage and eliminates the need for this. Some units are mounted on the front of a 4-wheeler and others are pulled behind like a cart with wheels on the ends. Mounting the unit to the front of a loader makes it easy to adjust the height on the go.

There are many benefits to wiper applicators. First is the use of Roundup (glyphosate) herbicide. This allows control of almost any weed in any crop, as long as the weed is taller than the crop. An excellent example is johnsongrass control in bermudagrass hay. With the low cost of generic glyphosate, weed control can be done very economically (less than $1 per acre for medium weed density). Glyphosate is also more environmentally friendly than other herbicides.

With a properly adjusted wiper, herbicide is only applied to the weeds. This reduces the amount of herbicide used per acre and introduced into the environment and reduces or eliminates damage to non-target species. Wipers can be used regardless of wind speed — a big advantage. They can also be used with herbicides containing 2,4-D, pichloram, dicamba and triclopyr. This can provide increased control of tougher perennials like horse nettle, briars and tree sprouts.

You can purchase wipers or wicks fully assembled, as kits you put together or build one completely from scratch. They can be small hand-held units or as large as 45 feet.

This article was contributed by Jim Johnson of the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation.