entertaining way of saying lawns are stupid

This fella has an entertaining way of saying, what I have been saying for a while, "lawns are stupid":

Enjoy.

The Battle to Preserve Global Biodiversity Starts Here

We'll, its been a long time since I have posted!  We've just finished our busy season so we have some time to breath, reflect, and share some ideas. I'm on a hard-earned vacation at the moment, and just today I read an article in Science Daily who's title could have been taken right out of some of Good Oak's marketing material: "Ongoing Global Biodiversity Loss Unstoppable With Protected Areas Alone".

This article goes into some pretty grim statistics and projections, that seem quite overwhelming.  But I urge readers to not look at this dire forecast and be disheartened.  Instead, consider it a battle cry!  There may not be a lot you can do about Africa, the Amazon or coral reefs, but this biodiversity crisis is a global issue, and it is happening right here in the Midwest.  In the words of Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has".

So lets start by restoring all of our woodlands, grasslands and wetlands to a more natural state that can harbor the biodiversity of our regions.  At the moment, most of our "natural" areas (on both private and public land) hold only a fraction of the native species that belong there.  We can't rely on state parks and natural areas to be the only places where we conserve our local biodiversity.

And really, there's a lot we can do in our back yards, front yards, school yards, city parks, roadsides and field edges.  Our fine natural areas will need the support of a larger network of corridors and patches of native wildlife in order to preserve our unique and fascinating local biota for future generations.  Every little bit you can do will make a difference!

Its Garlic Mustard Pulling Season!

Perhaps May should be Garlic Mustard Awareness Month? With this agressive invasive species just beginning to flower in southern Wisconsin, its clear to see that it is taking over large parts of our landscape. This biennial weed has two unfair advantages over native plants First, it stays green all winter, so in the absence of prescribed fire it can gather resources in late fall and early spring and get a head start on native plants. Its others secret weapon is chemical warfare: garlic mustard releases chemicals into the soil that kill soil fungus. Our native plants rely upon these fungi in a symbiotic relationship in which the fungus help the plants extract nutrients from the soil and the plants provide the fungus with energy in the form of sugars. Without these fungus native plants are weakened and unable to compete with the invading garlic mustard.

We can turn this first advantage into a disadvantage by herbiciding them in late fall and early spring when native plants are dormant, and by applying prescribed fire which kills seedlings and weakens (and sometimes kills) overwintering rosettes. But by mid-May when the garlic mustard begin to flower, the best advice for most people is to PULL! Take a look at the video below and learn more about identifying and controlling this invasive plant.

Wisconsin Family Forests' Garlic Mustard Video

Madison Conservation Park Tours begin this Wednesday!

Over the past couple years I led semi-regular "Wildflower Walks" throughout the growing season at great natural areas in the greater Madison region.  Due to an increasing work load as Grand Pooh-Bah of Good Oak, I've had to put the wildflower walk series on hold for this year.

But if you still want to get out and see some great natural areas, never fear!  Madison Parks is kicking off their "Wild Side Tours" Starting this Wednesday at 6:30pm at Turville Park and continuing with tours through spring, summer and into fall.  Check out their official announcement below for more information:

Hike Madison’s Wild Side
Conservation Park Tours begin this Wednesday, April 27 at 6:30p.m.

Hike Madison’s Wild Side web: http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/parks/conservation/tours.cfm

Madison Parks is hosting free monthly tours of Madison Conservation Parks.  The tours are led by a Madison Parks staff member and co-sponsored by the Madison Audubon Society.  Each tour will focus on a different park and unique natural feature of that park.  Madison Parks has 14 conservation parks comprising over 1600 acres.  Each conservation park focuses on the restoration of native plant and animal communities while providing educational areas and opportunities for all.

April 27, 6:30p.m.
Turville Point Park, 1156 Olin-Turville Ct.
Explore this beautiful downtown park and its spring ephemerals

May 4, 6:30p.m.
Heritage Sanctuary, 600 Meadowlark Drive
At peak trillium bloom in mid-May, Heritage Sanctuary is unequaled.

June 9, 6:30p.m.
Kettle Pond, 5808 Old Middleton Road
Explore the restoration progress around this glacial kettle pond.

July 13, 6:30p.m.
Owen Park, 6021 Old Sauk Road
Explore the summer wild flowers and the ponds and their wildlife.

August 6, 8:00a.m.
Cherokee Marsh, Upper Yahara River Tour
Bring your own canoe or kayak and meet at the School Road boat landing
Partnering with the Friends of Cherokee Marsh, the tour will focus on the restoration work on Cherokee Marsh

September 7, 6:30p.m.
Strickers Pond, 7214 Longmeadow Road
Explore another glacial kettle pond and the lessons learned from this restoration project

October 12, 5:30p.m.
Knollwood Conservation Park, 3334 Westview Lane
Enjoy the fall colors, hike on the new “Cannonball Trail” and see the only sand prairie in the Madison Park system.

Just wrote an angry letter to the Arbor Day Foundation:

Dear Arbor Day Foundation,

I recently received a mailer from your organization promising 10 free Colorado blue spruce along with membership. I live in Wisconsin, not Colorado, and blue spruce are not native here as they are in the Rocky Mountains.

Your organization claims to promote conservation and wildlife preservation, yet continues to push non-native trees for landscaping and "conservation" projects.  Your distribution of non-native trees ignores the critical need local wildlife have for native plants to provide the resources they need for survival.  For example native trees not only provide cover, they also provide fruit, seeds, and host to the local insect species which are the foundation of the diet of songbirds and other wildlife.

For example, you have a picture of an eastern bluebird on your mailer.  Eastern bluebirds favored habitat is oak savanna and open oak woodland.  How will Colorado blue spruce trees help reestablish this habitat type for the bluebirds?  In fact, the bird is landing at its nest hole, in what appears to be a bur oak, bringing to its young a caterpillar that was undoubtedly plucked off of an oak or other native tree.  Certainly ANY tree can provide SOME resources for wildlife, but native trees provide a considerably wider range of resources for our local wildlife.

Please do not contact me again until you can offer me hardy Wisconsin oaks, or other appropriate trees native to my region.

Sincerely,
Frank Hassler
Owner/Ecologist
Good Oak Ecological Services