Category: environment
Sage grouse guest blog
Birds in the marsh
As I told my cat, there were birds in the water, in the brush, in the trees, in the sky, on the ground. They were in all directions. And some were singing. That is all you need to know. But, if you want more, hitch alongside an Audubon group walk. This walk was here, the… Continue reading Birds in the marsh
Beaver State
Beavers are a keystone species. They create wetlands that support a rich diversity of life. Many animals and insects benefit from the efforts of beavers, including salmon, frogs, turtles, birds, otter, deer, elk, and dragonflies. Oregon is the beaver state. It is the only state with a two-sided flag, and one side is dedicated to… Continue reading Beaver State
Madrone
Touch the bark of a madrone tree sometime. Put your whole hand on it, skin to skin. The tree’s covering is a blend of copper and green. The copper peels, the green stays. If you are in the United States, it’s called madrone, possibly madrona. If you are in Canada, it goes by Arbutus. In… Continue reading Madrone
Hippie haven
City parks often come from land nobody wants. Tugman park, in south Eugene, used to be a dump and a major flood zone. The park was born in 1958 with actual structures going up in 1965. It was a sweet little community park but in the late 60’s some worried about the people who gathered… Continue reading Hippie haven
Zombie parasols
The way you recognize mushrooms is the same way you learn faces. You just have to get familiar with them, like you do when you meet people, or groups of people. Here are a few notes from a fungi sermon at Hendrick’s park. It was supposed to be a walk too, but most of the… Continue reading Zombie parasols
Turtle Club Med
Western pond turtles live here! Here is Golden Gardens park, in west Eugene. It’s nearly 200 acres of land, with a mile walking path that weaves around ponds. This area became ponds after gravel was removed to build freeways. Back then they didn’t demand that gravel businesses restore the land. Instead, they left steep loose… Continue reading Turtle Club Med
Port Townsend
The areas of the brain that process emotional thought and response are larger, percentage-wise in the brains of orcas than any other animal. So said a sign at the visitor center in Port Townsend. Port Townsend is a place that I love. Historically, some people say it’s “the city that whiskey built.” I didn’t drink… Continue reading Port Townsend
Sol Duc retreat
No computer, no TV, no cell service Sol Duc resort sits down on the floor of Washington’s Olympic National Park. Sol Duc is said to mean “sparkling water,” and was discovered by non-natives around 1880. Sitting in the hot sulphur water, about 30 of us watched a man high up on a rickety ladder, replacing… Continue reading Sol Duc retreat