Mousam Way Land Trust
"Preserving special places for plants wildlife and the enjoyment of present and future generations"
Category: Out in the Woods
States of Dormancy
Hibernation, torpor, diapause, aestivation, and brumation Dormancy refers to the state of reduced activity that many organisms enter when exposed, or anticipate exposure, to environmental stress. During the dormant phase, energy is conserved within the organism by reducing metabolic activities. Chemical changes may also… Continue Reading “States of Dormancy”
Subnivean Zone
See those slithery, tunnel-like and bumpy shapes on top of the snow? You are witness to the creatures of…The Subnivean Zone! There are many ways that animals handle Winter’s cold. Some actually rely on the snow of winter for survival. Here’s how they do… Continue Reading “Subnivean Zone”
World Wetlands Day
Today February 2, is World Wetlands Day. Take a moment to reflect on the value of wetlands and how we can harness the natural power of this ecosystem to turn the tide on climate change. Cleansed and enriched by the Red Maple-Sensitive Fern and… Continue Reading “World Wetlands Day”
ROCKS & STONE WALLS
The oldest stone wall in New England was built in 1607 near the Kennebec River north of Portland. Most of them were built between 1775 and 1825, a time when massive deforestation made way for farms, tillage revealed the glacially deposited stones, and there… Continue Reading “ROCKS & STONE WALLS”
Bug Die-Off
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/05/where-have-all-insects-gone When’s the last time you accidentally swallowed a bug? When the last time you noticed a “Bug Deflector” on the front of a car’s hood?…or a “Cleans Bugs!” label on the jug of your windshield washer? Does it all seem like a distant… Continue Reading “Bug Die-Off”
LIGHT POLLUTION
On the first night of an Outward Bound camping trip, a teenager was found staring up to the skies…with tearful eyes. She had never before seen the stars and hadn’t realized the awesome beauty above her all those years. She was from an urban… Continue Reading “LIGHT POLLUTION”
The Beaver’s Keystone Activities
The activities of Beaver mold a landscape more than any other creature except man. Beavers perform unique and crucial roles within an ecosystem…functions that would be substantially different or nonexistent without them. Being a Keystone Species, many other species’ existence actually rely on the… Continue Reading “The Beaver’s Keystone Activities”
The Ladybug
The name “ladybug” was coined by European farmers who prayed to the Virgin Mary when pests began eating their crops. After ladybugs came and wiped out the invading insects, the farmers named them “beetle of Our Lady.” This eventually was shortened to “lady… Continue Reading “The Ladybug”
The Possum
The Isthmus of Panama formed about 3 million years ago. Colliding underwater continental plates created pressure, forming volcanoes that surfaced, and sand, silt, and continental debris filled in the spaces. Atlantic and Pacific waters became isolated, and the Gulf Stream Current was born…its Caribbean… Continue Reading “The Possum”
Woodland Diversity Factors: Light, Species, Habitat, Age
Diversity Importance Woodlands provide trees for lumber, fuel, carbon dioxide scrubbing and carbon sequestering, and produce oxygen; the rate of climate change and its effects are reduced, soils are stabilized, water is filtered, and folks just plain feel better walking around in woodlands. All… Continue Reading “Woodland Diversity Factors: Light, Species, Habitat, Age”
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