Forests Are a Low-Tech but High-Impact Way to Fight Climate Change
As advocates and policy makers search for ways to cut fossil-fuel use or methods for capturing carbon before it enters the atmosphere, recent research shows that intact forests are essential to mitigating climate change. Read more in Scientific American.
660 Species of Bees Live in Newly Shrunk National Monument
Scientists have found a striking diversity of bees in the most extensive study of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument to date. Read more in National Geographic.
Designing the Butterfly-Friendly City
With the population of the distinctive species in decline, cities around the U.S. are trying to add monarch-friendly spaces. Read more at CityLab.
Living Soil: A Documentary for All of Us
The Soil Health Institute published the online documentary “Living Soil” in November 2018. The one-hour film captures the story of soil as a unique living resource in need of protection. Scientists, farmers, and policymakers from across the country share their experiences. View the film.
Vanquishing the Winter Moth
With winter moth populations continuing at record lows in eastern Massachusetts, Dr. Joseph Elkinton, who coordinated biological control of the pest, has declared victory over winter moth. See the illustrated article in UMass Magazine.
Keep an Eye out for Spotted Lanternfly
After confirming presence of a single dead specimen of spotted lanternfly in Boston, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources urges the public to check potted plants received over the winter months for signs of spotted lanternfly adults. Find more information. To report.
Bee Alert: Is a Controversial Herbicide Harming Honeybees?
Recent court cases have focused on the possible effects of glyphosate on humans. But researchers are now investigating whether this commonly used herbicide could also be having adverse effects on the health and behavior of honeybees. Read the article in YaleEnvironment360.
North Carolina Bald Cypresses Are Among World’s Oldest Trees
Some of the trees along the Black River provide a window into climates dating back thousands of years. Read the article in the Smithsonian.
EPA RainWorks Challenge Winners
The U.S Environmental Protection Agency announced the winners of its seventh annual Campus RainWorks Challenge, a national competition engaging college students in the design of on-campus green infrastructure solutions to address stormwater pollution. Read about the winning entries.
Coastal Recovery: Bringing a Damaged Wetland Back to Life
An ambitious wetlands restoration project is underway on Delaware Bay, where scientists are using innovative methods to revive a badly damaged salt marsh. The project could be a model for other places seeking to make coastal wetlands more resilient to rising seas and worsening storms. Read the article in YaleEnvironment360.
UMN Offers Stormwater Seminar Series
Nationally recognized experts in stormwater management and green infrastructure gather for monthly discussion of successes and lessons learned. Join in person or online, or view recorded seminars. Find more information.
Survey from UMaine Cooperative Extension
To assess the needs of the green industry in Maine, Matt Wallhead, Ornamental Horticulture Specialist with UMaine Cooperative Extension is conducting a green industry survey. Please consider filling out the survey and share the link with anyone who may be interested in sharing their thoughts about the current state of the green industry in Maine. Take the survey.
Invasive Plant Management Providers in Maine
Invasive plants threaten landscapes by disrupting horticulture plantings, taking over productive farms and forests, and displacing beneficial native plants. The Maine Natural Areas Program (MNAP) within the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry often receives calls and emails from landowners looking for professionals to assist with invasive plant management.
Though some landowners are interested in hiring a licensed herbicide applicator and the Maine Board of Pesticides Control (MBPC) maintains a list of qualified professionals to which MNAP staff can refer inquiries, other landowners are looking for non-herbicide or “herbicide+” management approaches, such as (but not limited to): manual, mechanical, flame weeding, animals such as goats, and combinations of these treatments with herbicide treatments. If you offer non-herbicide or herbicide+ services in Maine and would like to be included in a list to be provided on the MNAP website, please fill out the form. If you have questions, email invasives.mnap@maine.gov or call 207-287-8046. The list will be published on the MNAP website in June and updated periodically thereafter.
Maine licensed herbicide applicators can be included on the MBPC list by emailing pesticides@maine.gov or calling 207-287-2731.
Plants for Sale
Annuals, perennials, shrubs, and trees are all priced to sell at the COGdesign plant sale on May 19 from 11:00am-2:00pm at the Pierce House in Lincoln, MA. Find out more.
Plants sourced from Wild Seed Project or grown in home gardens are for sale on June 1 at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, Wells, ME. Find out more.
May 18 and 19, City Natives, the native plant nursery of the Trustees of Reservations, will host two community plant sales. May 18 plants will be sold at City Natives Garden in Mattapan and on May 19 at Berkeley Community Garden, 500 Tremont St., Boston, MA.
