February 26, 2020 - 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
July 20, 2018 - by Area Forester Sarah Long If you were out in the Conway Robinson State Forest around the end of June, you might have wondered what those folks with chainsaws were doing to your state forest. As one of those folks with a chainsaw, I am here to tell you that tale. Trees produce untold pounds and pounds of seed every year in the hope that just a few of them... Read More
April 10, 2018 - by DOF Forester Manij Upadhyay Wildfire is a serious environmental issue in The United States and may cause significant damage to communities and properties. On the other hand, prescribed fire is an essential tool for forest managers. Each year prescribed burns are carried out on thousands of acres of land. You could say fire has two sides. Fire has a bad side because each year large numbers of uncontrolled wildfires... Read More
April 5, 2018 - by DOF Area Forester Lisa Deaton Wildlife and Clearcuts Part 2 A beaver hut in the middle of a pond or swamp is a familiar sight. The one above is located in Beaverdam Swamp in Gloucester County. While mapping a creek for another Riparian Buffer Tax Credit application, I had the opportunity to see a number of signs of beaver activity alongside a clearcut. First, I came across the beaver... Read More
March 22, 2018 - by DOF Longleaf Pine/SPB Coordinator Jim Schroering Several DOF staff participated in a field tour of the Zuni Pine Barrens in Isle of Wight County earlier this month. The Zuni Pine Barrens is a cooperative conservation project made up of the Blackwater Ecological Preserve (Old Dominion University) and the Antioch Pines Natural Area Preserve (Department of Conservation and Recreation). ODU Professor of Botany and Zuni Pines Preserve Manager Dr. Lytton... Read More
March 7, 2018 - Big Trees and Little Trees by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Lately we have been recertifying trees for the Virginia Big Tree Register. Trees on this register are checked every ten years to see if they are still alive, and if so, remeasured. The swamp chestnut oak above is located in Mathews County. It is 6.5 feet in diameter and 96 feet tall We have also recently encountered a number... Read More
February 28, 2018 - by Area Forester David H. Terwilliger The red maple (Acer rubrum) is one of the first native trees to burst with color in February. You may recognize their seeds (samaras) as the little “helicopters” that spin to the ground when mature. The fall foliage is a brilliant red or orange. These trees are sexually unique. The species is polygamo-dioecious, meaning some trees are entirely male, producing no seeds; some are entirely female; and... Read More
February 27, 2018 - by Area Forester Kyle Dingus In 2014 the Virginia Department of Forestry (DOF) celebrated its 100th anniversary. At the time, I was less than a year into my job as an Area Forester serving the NOVA work area. Through college I had always admired the DOF and was excited to be a part of the agency. I was impressed by the diversity of management and conservation-related duties it is responsible... Read More
