When you think about NASA, you probably picture outer space, comets and galaxies. But there is also much to explore on our home planet Earth. We still have a lot to learn about the weather, the water cycle, Earth’s interior and our planet’s many ecosystems. And NASA doesn’t only research big systems like the atmosphere; … More
Author Archives: Margaret Studer
Prescribed Burning: A resource used to maintain diversity in local Grand Rapids Fen.
Many of you may be surprised to know that Grand Rapids is home to a unique natural feature called the Lamberton Fen. A fen is a type of wetland that usually dominated by grasses and sedges and it is home to a wide array of various flora and fauna. The Lamberton Fen is one of … More
Nowhere to go but up: Growing metro Detroit’s tree canopy
After being battered by Dutch elm disease and then emerald ash borers, Kevin Sayers says the number of trees in metro Detroit and Michigan’s other urban centers has nowhere to go but up. “Right now we’ve hopefully bottomed out, in a sense, and we’re moving up the scale or up the cycle again,” says Sayers, … More
THREE CHEERS FOR TREE BEERS
GRAND RAPIDS — Collaborating for the third year in a row, Grand Rapids area breweries and Friends of Grand Rapids Parks are teaming up once again to raise money for The Brewers Grove Fund. A project created to maximize the tree canopy within the city. Translation: More trees to enjoy savoring our craft beer under! This … More
Extreme Droughts Weaken Trees’ Ability to Soak Up Carbon
There’s a mystery inside trees upon which the fate of coastal cities, threatened by rising sea levels from climate change, may depend. Each year, the Earth’s forests take up about one-quarter of the carbon dioxide emitted by humans, effectively slowing the speed and severity of global warming. They lock up most of this carbon in … More
Big Tree Hunt
The 2014-2015 Big Tree Hunt is underway! About the Contest: ReLeaf Michigan created the Michigan Big Tree Hunt contest in 1993. Before the contest, Paul Thompson, a brilliant botanist, searched for Michigan’s big trees and kept records since the early forties. Today, we encourage Big Tree Hunting among all age groups to assist tree experts with tracking these … More
DNR: Insects, infections threaten Michigan trees
Most of Michigan’s 19.3 million acres of forest are in pretty good shape, with the biggest threats coming from invasive insects, fungal infections or a combination of both, according to the DNR’s annual forest health report. “We do have this list of quite a number of pests that are trying to threaten certain species,” said … More
Tallest redwood in Muir Woods is 777 years old, half its believed age
In a new study by Humboldt State University researchers, the tallest redwood tree in Muir Woods was determined to be about 777 years old, about half of the 1,500 years scientists originally believed. The finding, initially reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, is the first time the towering Muir Woods trees have been dated — … More
Attention Arboriculture Professionals!!!
You’re invited to attend the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification program on June 22-24, 2015 at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, MI. This program provides an opportunity for individuals in the arboriculture industry to expand their knowledge through education and training in the fundamentals of tree risk assessment. ASM and Friends of Grand Rapids Parks … More
Pawpaws: America’s Best Secret Fruit
This wild fruit is worth tracking down. [Photographs: Samara Linnell] If you’re lucky, America’s best secret fruit might be growing on a tree close to your backyard. Or perhaps a county or two away. Finding it takes effort, but it’s rejuvenating effort. Tromping around in the woods seeking pawpaws makes me feel more a little … More
