Author Archives for Janet Muncy

Aerial map of Whitney State Forest with control lines marked in red

What’s Happening at Whitney State Forest?: Part One

January 28, 2020 10:55 am Published by 1 Comment

Edited from a December 2019 notice from Whitney State Forest. You may have noticed that the trail along the Shortleaf stand (see map) has been reopened and the trail around the Meadow (see map) has been widened. This is in preparation for prescribed fire that the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) hopes to accomplish this winter or early spring.  (Note: The first portion of the prescribed burn took place on... Read More


Two people wearing headsets smiling inside a small aircraft

Field Notes: Looking Down on Tree of Heaven

January 24, 2020 2:20 pm Published by 1 Comment

By Katlin Mooneyham and Lori Chamberlin The City of Winchester and Frederick County are in the midst of an invasion. The spotted lanternfly, a non-native invasive insect, was first discovered in Winchester in January 2018. This pest feeds on more than 70 host plants worldwide and poses a significant threat to multiple Virginian industries. There is still much to learn about the spotted lanternfly, and the Virginia Department of Agriculture... Read More


Close-up of large white shelf fungus growing on dark tree trunk in green forest

Field Notes: What’s in the Woods? Best of Summer 2019

January 16, 2020 2:37 pm Published by 1 Comment

By Area Forester Lisa Deaton  A Round-up of Interesting Moments & Encounters in the Woods from Summer 2019  When a local deadline for forest land use reports passed in late fall, I had time to share photos from the past few months. Note:  Land Use Assessment is available in many Virginia counties (but not all) for property owners with 20 or more acres of woods.  You can check with your... Read More


Close-up of carved wood detail from Emerald Ash Borer damage

NASF Centennial Challenge

January 3, 2020 1:19 pm Published by 2 Comments

The Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) is excited to participate in the Centennial Challenge put forth by the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) in 2020. Below is the campaign announcement from NASF: “The National Association of State Foresters is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2020 with a Centennial Challenge campaign, honoring both the work of the association in providing a unified voice for state and private forestry in the... Read More


Virginia’s Capitol Tree Lighting, 2019

December 6, 2019 3:14 pm Published by Comments Off on Virginia’s Capitol Tree Lighting, 2019

On the evening of December 5, State Forester Rob Farrell and Raina DeFonza (public information specialist) attended the Capitol Tree Lighting Ceremony in Richmond, Virginia with Helen Braunworth, Cindy Crickenberger and Wayne Crickenberger – donors of the Capitol tree. (Read for more details about the selection and harvest of this year’s Capitol tree.) The weather was clear and cool for the evening event, and students from the orchestra at the... Read More