February 28, 2020 8:34 am
Published by Janet Muncy
Did you know there’s a camp where teens get to fight fire? Not a scary western wildfire, but a well-behaved one that actually improves the environment? Last summer, a group of teenagers at Camp Woods & Wildlife learned firsthand how to manage a prescribed fire. These intrepid campers donned fire-retardant gear and set about preparing for a small understory burn. First, they raked a fire line down to bare soil... Read More
February 27, 2020 9:36 am
Published by Janet Muncy
On January 22, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) successfully conducted a burn on the first of two units (“the Field”) at Whitney State Forest scheduled for prescribed fire in the spring of 2020. (Read What’s Happening at Whitney State Forest? Part One for additional background information.) “A prescribed fire is like a wildfire that happens backwards – meaning, the fire practitioners are able to assess the site, plan for... Read More
February 26, 2020 10:11 am
Published by Janet Muncy
DOF foresters are lending a hand to locate foster moms for orphaned bear cubs in Virginia. DOF’s sister agency Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) recently reached out with a request for help identifying black bear dens on forestland throughout the state. DGIF biologists have received a number of calls about bear cubs that have been separated from their mother— “well beyond what we normally see at this... Read More
February 25, 2020 9:53 am
Published by Janet Muncy
by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Daffodils, Narcissus spp., are always a welcome sight — they are nature’s colorful announcement that spring is near! When we encounter daffodils in the middle of the woods, they are often a sign of an abandoned homestead. In the photos below, the flowers appear to surround an old shed or well (left), and these blooms near an old brick foundation (right) have thrived under 70... Read More
February 3, 2020 10:10 am
Published by Janet Muncy
by Area Forester Lisa Deaton For many of us who work in the natural resources arena, it is a joy to see school buses arrive for an outdoor field trip. Throughout the state, the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) staff partner with many school divisions and local, state and federal natural resource agencies to provide elements of meaningful watershed educational experiences, also called MWEEs, for students. It is especially nice... Read More
