Tag Archive: Native Species

Field Notes: Good Green, Bad Green

Field Notes: Good Green, Bad Green

April 7, 2020 - By Ellen Powell, Conservation Educator The calendar and the plants agree – spring has arrived in central Virginia! Patches of green among the leaf litter mean spring wildflowers are making their annual appearance. Often called “ephemerals,” for their short-lived bloom time, those in flower this week include pennywort (Obolaria virginica), star chickweed (Stellaria pubera) and wild geranium (Geranium maculatum). Unfortunately, the shrub layer of many hardwood forests reveals a “dark... Read More

AlterNATIVES

AlterNATIVES

March 20, 2020 - In Virginia, you know spring is just around the corner when you begin to see blooms on cherry, magnolia, pear, redbud and dogwood trees. These same signs of spring can serve as a reminder that it’s a good time to assess the plants growing on your property and make a plan to get rid of the invasive species. Non-native invasive plants usually have rapid reproductive rates, lack natural control agents... Read More

Field Notes: Protecting the Northern Source Longleaf

Field Notes: Protecting the Northern Source Longleaf

March 11, 2020 - By Senior Area Forester Scott Bachman The official start of spring may be only weeks away, but forester Scott Bachman doesn’t want to breeze past the (briefly) snowy landscape of southeastern Virginia. The scene highlights a unique landscape feature that DOF is working to protect – the northern seed source of longleaf pine. Several weeks ago, the southeastern counties and cities of Virginia received their first and only snow of... Read More

Forest Health: A Small But Mighty Pest

Forest Health: A Small But Mighty Pest

February 22, 2019 - The southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis) (SPB) is a small, seemingly innocuous beetle that brings new meaning to the phrase “small but mighty.” These beetles are known as the most destructive native forest insect in the Southeastern United States. While a single adult beetle is only about 1/8 inch long, the ability to aggregate quickly means these tiny insects can overtake a pine tree’s defenses in a short period of time.... Read More