What's Cool
- Falling Tree Leaves: Leaf Abscission
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Trees loose their leaves by design. When leaves become inefficient and unable to produce food and growth regulators, a process of shutting-down and sealing-off begins. Trees shed many parts besides leaves, including fruit, flowers, bud scales, trichomes,
- Autumn Colors
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The spectacular parade of colors associated with the "Indian Summer" days of autumn is created by a complicated series of interactions involving pigments, sunlight, moisture, chemicals, hormones, temperature, length of daylight, growing location and genetic traits.
- West Virginia's Property Taxes on Timberland
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This publication describes the taxation process of timberland in the state of West Virginia.
- Virginia Spirea (Spiraea virginiana)
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Added: October 20, 2008One of the rarest shrubs in North America, this is a short shrub about 1 - 2 meters (3.2 - 6.5 ft) tall. Grows in upright clumps and spreads by root sprouting. Leaves are alternate, with green upper surfaces and white undersides but are variable in shape. Some leaves may have a few teeth near the tip; others will be completely toothless. Leaf shapes range from narrowly elliptical to oblong. All have a tiny pointed tip. Leaves are 5 - 8 centimeters (2 - 3 in) long.
- Stream Corridor Restoration
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There's more to a stream than the rushing or meandering water. A stream corridor, or stream valley, is a complex and valuable ecosystem which includes the land, plants, animals, and network of streams within it. Recognition of the value of stream corridors has come with the understanding of what has been lost through uninformed or misguided actions on many streams and the watersheds that nourish them.
- Sooty Mold of Conifers and Hardwoods
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Sooty molds of trees and shrubs commonly occur throughout Virginia on conifers, hardwoods, and other plant species. They rarely cause problems in the forest, but in some cases they can interfere with proper growth of Christmas trees, nursery stock, or landscape plants.
- Urban and Community Forestry - USDA Forest Service
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Added: November 05, 2008As our cities grow larger and faster than ever before, urban forestry has become an integral part of building sustainable urban communities. "Vital Communities through Healthy Ecosystems" is the Forest Service emphasis for managing urban and community forests.
- Tree Decline - What Is It?
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Added: February 26, 2008This publication focuses on what takes place in the process of "tree decline" and how it is distinguished from "tree death." Understanding the reasons for decline may help you prevent, reduce or sometimes reverse decline of your yard or woodland trees.
- Tree Care Industry Association
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The Tree Care Industry Association is a 70-year-old public and professional resource on trees and arboriculture representing approximately 2,100 tree service and affiliated company members.
- Testing Your Soil
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Added: October 20, 2008This publication explains the benefits and process of testing your soil.
- Sustainable Urban Landscape Information Series
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Millions of dollars are spent each year designing, implementing, and maintaining urban landscapes. Unfortunately, long-term problems are caused when these processes are not carried out properly. Many of these problems can be avoided or reduced by utilizing sustainable landscape practices. A landscape developed with sustainable practices will improve the environment by conserving resources and reducing chemical applications.
- Soil Nutrient Variability in Southern Piedmont Soils
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When sampling soil, it is usually recommended that one collect a small amount of soil from a number of locations within a field, then mix the soil together in a pail for a good, representative sample. The reasoning behind this approach is that soil nutrient level tends to vary across a field due to the heterogenous nature of soil.
- Gypsy Moth
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The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar Linnaeus, is one of the most notorious pests of hardwood trees in the Eastern United States. Since 1980, the gypsy moth has defoliated close to a million or more forested acres each year. In 1981, a record 12.9 million acres were defoliated. This is an area larger than Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut combined.
- Find A Forest By State
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Added: October 01, 2007Find a forest by state.
- Benefits of Prescribed Burning
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Added: February 07, 2008Fire has been a frequent visitor to Florida's forests for thousands of years. During spring and fall dry seasons, and even during periods of summer rain, fires ignited in grass, dry leaves, and brush at the base of lightning-struck trees.
- Understanding Tax Deductions for Timber Losses
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Landowners whose timber has been destroyed may be eligible to deduct the loss on their federal income tax returns.
- What Is A Fishing Derby?
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Added: October 05, 2008Most fishing derbies involve some form of competition -- the most fish, largest fish, tagged fish, largest aggregate catch, or some combination of these. Although this may be a good method for bass tournaments in which the competitors are experienced anglers, it is not a good procedure for fishing derbies with large participation of mainly young and inexperienced participants.
- Wood Products Business: Not Necessarily as Usual: Part 1
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Starting a business of any sort requires many steps before actually opening doors. Planning, filing permits, financing, etc. all must be completed before successful startup can occur.
- The Global Positioning System
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GPS is a satellite-based radio navigation system. Users anywhere``on the surface of the earth (or in space around the earth)``with a GPS receiver can determine their geographic position``in latitude (north-south), longitude (east-west), and elevation.
- Southern Pine Beetle Control Techniques
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Southern pine beetle (SPB) caused timber losses can be reduced through the use of one or more recommended direct-control tactics. SPB control, to be most effective, should be a year-round activity.
- The Spruce Spider Mite In Fraser Fir
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If you have Fraser fir Christmas trees with off-color or chlorotic foliage, especially after a dry spell in the summer or fall, chances are you have damage from the spruce spider mite (Oligonychus ununguis) (SSM).
- Snakes After a Disaster
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Many snakes, like other residents in the path of a major storm, have been displaced and left homeless. As a result, it is common to find these animals seeking shelter and food in areas close to people.
- How Much Herbicide Do I Need?
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This factsheet outlines procedures that can be followed to determine the amount of herbicide needed to spray a particular planting.
- Tree Strength & Cross-sectional Area
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Assessing trees for structural integrity continues to be critical for risk management in landscapes, along right-of-ways, and for storm damage management.
- Southern Hardwood Management Manual
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We hope this publication will serve to expand the private forest landowners' horizon to the possibilities of hardwood management. We have assembled chapters on the various hardwood forest types found across the South. Other chapters address management practices designed to regenerate and maintain stand and site quality, plus many other benefits.
- Layman's Guide to Private Access Road Construction
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Poorly constructed access roads often cause severe erosion and stream sedimentation that benefit no one.
- Soil Organic Matter
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Organic matter makes up only a small part of the soil. However, even in small amounts, organic matter is very important. This fact sheet answers some basic questions about soil organic matter.
- Hardwood Lumber Grades
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More people are becoming involved in do-it-yourself activities, ranging from putting up a bookshelf to renovating an existing structure. All too frequently, though, they don't know what grade of lumber they might need for a particular project.
- Forest Landowners Tax Council
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Added: December 15, 2008The Forest Landowners Tax Council (FLTC) is an independent, national non-profit organization dedicated to providing an effective and unified voice for non-industrial, private forest (NIPF) landowners on federal tax issues. The Council seeks to provide technical research to identify opportunities for timber tax improvements.
- Basics of Tree ID
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Identifying and Classifying organisms is fundamental to Biological Sciences. All living things are divided up into groups. Each individual in the group has similar characteristics. The broadest group is the Kingdom and the most specific group is the species.
