June 24, 2009 eNews Trivia: What invasive species of the Great Lakes can be used to keep pesky squirrels from eating your freshly-planted spring bulbs?

Answer:  Zebra mussels

According to a reader of HORTICULTURE magazine, he’s been using zebra mussels in his soil to keep the squirrels and chipmunks from devouring his spring bulbs for many years.  Ground oyster shells have more commonly been used to deter the bulb-eaters, who don’t appreciate the rough, gritty texture the shells add to the soil.  The zebra mussels provide the same effect and (sadly) they are free and readily available. While the mussels will keep the squirrels from eating your bulbs, they will do nothing to deter the deer from eating them the next spring.

While you’re out in your garden, make sure you aren’t using any invasive plants. Try to stick to what’s native- it means less maintenance and watering for you! Thank you Carol for this week's question!

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June 10, 2009 eNews Trivia: What is the single most effective management practice to prevent sediment, a highly contaminating pollutant, from flowing into rivers?

Answer: hardening the road approach

Backroads are unpaved or graveled roads. The top layer of these roads is shaped, compacted and smoothed so that surface water will move quickly from the road surface to established ditches. Some backroads are maintained year-round and some are seasonal forest roads. Seasonal roads are usually less traveled than year-round roads, yet because of tourism in the Upper Great Lakes region, year-round traffic can be considerable. Because many of these year-round and seasonal roads cross small feeder streams and other environmentally sensitive areas, it is important that road/stream crossings are designed to protect water quality.

A great way to reduce the amount of sediment entering the river is through hardening the road. By their nature, backroads are typically sand or gravel. If approach slopes are excessive, or if ditches are not installed, the road surface should be treated by hardening. Hardening is usually done with asphalt, seal-coat or limestone gravel. Surface hardening also minimizes maintenance and greatly reduces the potential for maintenance- related problems. To learn more about improving backroads, read the Great Lakes Better Backroads Guidebook.

Huron Pines works throughout Northeast Michigan to improve road/stream crossing (RSX) sites. In 2007, we completed the Crapo Creek RSX site (above). Six tons of sediment every year used to enter Crapo Creek at this crossing.  Now we have better fish passage, better roadway safety, and better control of the sediment transport. The road surface will be hardened this summer.

We also launched the Silver Creek Super Project this year that will address 10 RSX sites. The focus of the project is to protect stream habitat by preventing sediment entry and to improve fish passage. By coordinating the restoration of all of these sites, project resources will be better utilized and resource impacts will be realized on a watershed scale. The total estimated project cost is $500,000 and the planned completion date is December 2010. Please visit Watershed Protection to learn about other projects.

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May 27, 2009 eNews Trivia: How fast do raindrops fall?

Answer: Raindrops fall between 7 – 22 miles per hour or 3 – 10 meters per second in still air.

The range in speed depends on the size of the raindrop. The average size of a raindrop is 6 millimeters in diameter, about the size of a housefly. Of course all raindrops vary in size due to the strength of a specific rainstorm, but this is considered a reasonable value of a typical raindrop.

When a raindrop falls to the surface of the Earth, it is acted on by two main forces, gravity and drag. A stationary raindrop initially experiences acceleration due to gravity of 9.8 m/s², as would any falling body. As gravity increases the speed of the raindrop in its descent, drag retards the downward acceleration of the raindrop. Usually, air resistance that comes in contact with the water molecules as they fall causes the drag. The combination of these two forces causes a raindrop to reach a terminal velocity when the drag force is approximately equal to the weight of the raindrop. At this point, a raindrop experiences no further acceleration and therefore falls at a constant velocity.

The magnitude of the terminal velocity of an object is also affected by its orientation. A common misconception is the shape of the raindrop. It is often depicted as pointy and lopsided. However, research has found the shape of a raindrop to be rather spherical or slightly flattened on the bottom by airflow like a hamburger bun.

The terminal velocity of a 6-millimeter raindrop was found to be approximately 10 m/s. This value has been found to vary between 9 m/s and 13 m/s when measurements were taken on different days. The variance has been contributed to different air temperatures and pressures. In comparison, a human being falling to the surface of the Earth experiences a drastically larger terminal velocity of approximately 56 m/s.

Information provided by The Physics Factbook™ Edited by Glenn Elert - Written by his students. To learn more, visit Falling Raindrops.

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May 13, 2009 eNews Trivia: What is the only part of a poison ivy plant that is not poisonous?

Answer: the pollen

Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans syn. Rhus toxicodendron, Rhus radicans) is a plant in the family Anacardiaceae. It is a woody vine (not ivy) and is well known for its ability to produce urushiol, a skin irritant that causes an itching rash for most people, technically known as urushiol-induced contact dermatitis.

Around 15- 30% of people have no allergic response, but most people will become sensitized with repeated or more concentrated exposure to urushiol. Urushiol binds to the skin on contact, where it causes severe itching that develops into reddish colored inflammation or non-colored bumps, and then blistering. These lesions may be treated with calamine lotion, Burow solution compresses, or Aveeno baths to relieve discomfort. In severe cases, clear fluids ooze from open blistered sores and corticosteroids are the necessary treatment.

The oozing fluids released by itching blisters do not spread the poison. The appearance of a spreading rash indicates that some areas received more of the poison and reacted sooner than other areas or that contamination is still occurring from contact with objects to which the original poison was spread. The blisters and oozing result from blood vessels that develop gaps and leak fluid through the skin; if the skin is cooled, the vessels constrict and leak less. If poison ivy is burned and the smoke then inhaled, this rash will appear on the lining of the lungs, causing extreme pain and possibly fatal respiratory difficulty. If poison ivy is eaten, the digestive tract, airway, kidneys or other organs can be damaged. An untreated rash can last up to four weeks.

Urushiol oil can remain active for several years, so handling dead leaves or vines can cause a reaction. In addition, oil transferred from the plant to other objects (such as pet fur) can cause the rash if it comes into contact with the skin.  People who are sensitive to poison ivy can also experience a similar rash from mangoes. Mangoes are in the same family (Anacardiaceae); the sap of the mango tree and skin of mangoes has a chemical compound similar to urushiol.

Learn more about poison ivy at USDA Poison Ivy Profile or http://www.poison-ivy.org/.

Thanks Jennifer for this week’s question! Jennifer has been the ecologist at Huron Pines for 2 years now. She’s a plant whiz and can tell you all about Michigan’s Native Plants.

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April 29 eNews Trivia: What threatened and globally rare species found in northern Michigan typically lives 20 to 25 years before reaching sexual maturity, and then only reproduces once every four or five years?

Answer: Michigan’s Lake Sturgeon

The lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) is one of 27 sturgeon species found world-wide. Once plentiful across the Great Lakes states, lake sturgeon populations were drastically reduced by a combination of overfishing, dam construction, habitat destruction, and more recently, poaching. Yet the sturgeon persist at scattered locations, notably in northern Michigan’s inland waterway of Mullet, Burt and Black Lakes. 

An evolutionary relic from the age of dinosaurs, the sturgeon is both the oldest and largest fish found in the Great Lakes system. Lake Sturgeon can grow to a length of 8 or 9 feet and weigh upwards of 300 pounds. While male sturgeon can live for 50 to 60 years, the females can live for as long as 150 years.

Each year at spawning time, an army of over 350 volunteers, organized by the non-profit group Sturgeon For Tomorrow, stand guard in shifts at spawning sites along the upper Black River, to protect the fish from poachers during the most vulnerable point of their life cycle. Additionally, a cooperative effort between Sturgeon For Tomorrow, the MI Department of Natural Resources and Michigan State University supports an ongoing fish tagging and research effort, along with a hatchery program to raise sturgeon fingerlings for restocking purposes.

Huron Pines has also been active in the sturgeon restoration effort, by undertaking habitat improvement projects along the upper Black River (click here for more information). Erosion control and bank stabilization techniques were applied at three critical sturgeon spawning sites, using a combination of slope terracing, fencing, riprap, re-vegetation and the “sweat equity” of some 60 Huron Pines volunteers.

Thank you Mary Ann for this week's question! Dr. Heidemann is a very supportive and active partner. She has been crucial in balancing land use and conservation issues in Northeast Michigan.

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April 15 eNews Trivia: What is a splake and how do you identify one?

Answer: A hybrid trout . . .

A splake is a hybrid produced from a male brook trout (also called "speckled trout") crossed with a female lake trout.  Splake generally display characteristics intermediate between a lake trout and a brook trout.  For instance, the caudal (tail) fin is not as deeply forked as a lake trout, but is more so than a brook trout. 

Splake can be positively identified by counting pyloric caeca (below), which are finger-like extensions of the intestine.  Brook trout have about 23-55 caeca, lake trout have 93-208, and splake have 65-85. 

Thanks Neal for this week’s question!

Neal is a great partner; whether it’s speaking at AmeriCorps Clean-ups or hooking trees to a heavy-lift helicopter to enhance fish habitat (click here to learn more), he brings his extensive technical knowledge and positive attitude.

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April 1 eNews Trivia: What year did the State of Michigan officially begin a Forest Fire Control program?

Answer: 1923, but this is sort of a trick question. One could say 1903, 1907, 1914, 1921 or 1923

The first rudimentary protection began in 1903, when the first forest fire law was passed to authorize state expenditures for fire control, along with the creation of the first state forest reserves and state forestry nursery. It was 1907 when the first organized protection began with the appointment of district deputy game, fish and forest wardens. These men acted primarily as game wardens, but forest fire warnings were posted and they were encouraged to take action on fires as well. 

The inadequacy of state and local protection efforts and the heavy losses of the 1908 fires led a number of larger timber operators to undertake the protection of their own holdings through the creation of private organizations.  1908 had been one of Michigan’s biggest fire years, which included the tragedy of the Metz fire in Presque Isle County on October 15, where 29 lives were lost in the fire. Michigan’s other great fires included 1871, 1881 and 1896.

Although there were efforts by both the state and private organizations to control fires before 1914, this was the year that the first full-time fire control officer, William J. Pearson, was appointed.  A scattered number of fire towers were erected across Michigan, both by private associations and the state. The state’s first three fire towers were erected on the Higgins Lake and Houghton Lake Forest Preserves and the Hanson State Game Refuge. These three towers were the three-legged “windmill” towers that stood fifty-feet high with an open platform. The Higgins Lake Tower still exists on a different location at the Historic Higgins Lake Nursery and CCC Museum at North Higgins Lake State Park.

The Department of Conservation was established in 1921 which became the central agency for forest fire suppression (instead of splitting with the local governments and private organizations). “Fire bosses” were hired to oversee local firefighting crews and seasonal fire wardens and lookouts were employed.

The state continued to make improvements after 1923. The greatest amount of effort took place from 1933-42 under the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Through the effort of the thousands of young men working in the CCC in Michigan, 95 lookout towers, 8 lookout cabins, 1,958 miles of telephone line, 24 airplane landing fields, 6,818 miles of truck trails, 55 miles of foot trails, and 1,371 miles of fire breaks were constructed for fire control purposes.  The ‘CCC Boys’ also spent 207,410 man-days fighting forest fires and 205,478 man-days on fire prevention and presupression duty, such as manning fire towers, cutting dead timber and the removal of other fuel. 
 
Much of this information came from Forest Fires and Forest Fire Control in Michigan by J.A. Mitchell, Lake States Forest Experiment Station and D. Robson, Michigan Department of Conservation, 1950. For more information on Michigan’s historic fires see Michigan on Fire by Betty Sodders, Thunder Bay Press, 1997.

Things have really come full circle, though. We would like to add that the latest trend in ecosystem management has been to actually start fires in what are known as prescribed burnings. After all, fire is a natural ecosystem process. Data has shown that total fire suppression will actually cause more hazardous fire situations. As organic material collects on the forest floor, fires have more fuel to burn making them more severe.

In addition, many species, especially those in dry sand prairies and jack pine barrens, depend on fire for their survival.  Perhaps the most well known is the jack pine (Pinus banksiana), whose serotinous cones will not release their seed until temperatures reach 120 degrees F. Although prescribed burns are done on only a few thousand acres a year, they are a critical land management tool. Learn more about Prescribed Fire in Michigan State Parks.

Rob Burg is the Site Historian/Historic Site Manager for the Hartwick Pines Logging Museum at Hartwick Pines State Park and the Historic Higgins Lake Nursery/CCC Museum at North Higgins Lake State Park. Both sites are part of the Michigan Historical Museum system. Rob has been a wonderful person to work with and we look forward to another great year of partnerships!

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March 18 eNews Trivia: How much of the $30 per month wage paid to Michigan’s Civilian Conservation Corps workers in 1933 was required to be sent home to parents and families?

Answer: $22

In the first 100 days of the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Congress passed 13 major measures for economic recovery and federal relief for the needy.

During March 1933, Roosevelt summoned Congress to an emergency session to hear his plan to enlist men in an effort to "preserve the natural resources of these United States." He proposed putting unemployed city men to work restoring the country to its former beauty through the Civilian Conservation Corps.

"We can take a vast army of the unemployed out into healthful surroundings," he told Congress. "We can eliminate to some extent at least the threat that enforced idleness brings to spiritual and moral stability." By June of 1933, 270,000 men were working in 1,330 camps throughout the nation, with an average of 200 men per camp. The Corps allowed blacks and American Indians to enroll, but most camps were segregated and were led by white officers and advisors. Native Americans worked on their own reservations and did not live in camps. Eventually nearly 3 million men served in the Corps.

In April 1933, only a month after Roosevelt's inauguration, 9,500 Michigan men were working in 10 hastily constructed CCC camps up north. By 1936 there were 77 camps in Michigan. More than 55,000 men had served terms of either six months or a year. Participants were paid $30 a month and most sent $22 to $25 home to their families.

In Michigan, the "boys" performed a variety of conservation and reforestation projects. Between 1933 and 1942, the Michigan CCC planted 485 million trees, spent 140,000 days fighting forest fires, constructed 7,000 miles of truck trails, built 504 bridges and constructed 222 buildings. They built 4,000 fire towers and strung 75,000 miles of telephone wire. They built 132,000 miles of road, and diked flooding river banks.

They worked eight-hour days and attended school at night. Most were aged 18 to 25, but many were World War I veterans in their 30s and 40s.The program was credited with curbing juvenile delinquency and reducing the prison populations. It revitalized the Michigan park system, and helped to establish Isle Royale National Park along with improving campgrounds in Michigan's forests.

Information from the Detroit News Library - January 22, 1997.

Although the Civilian Conservation Corps no longer exists, there are still a number of national service programs available such as AmeriCorps. Read about what the White House is doing to boost national service by clicking here.

Huron Pines began an AmeriCorps program in 2007 to address the needs of conservation organizations in Northeast Michigan. Currently, it is the only environmental AmeriCorps program in the state. Learn more at Huron Pines AmeriCorps.

Thank you Paul for this week’s question. Paul has served on the Huron Pines Board for four years and has provided invaluable leadership to the organization. We greatly appreciate his dedication and passion for conservation.

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March 4 eNews Trivia: What State has the lowest land elevation?

Answer: Michigan! The elevation of Lake Superior is about 602 feet above sea level. The deepest spot in the Lake is 1332 feet, about 40 miles north of Munising.

That puts the bottom of Lake Superior (the land’s surface) about 730 feet below sea level – well below the -282 foot elevation (albeit exposed land surface) of California’s Death Valley. The bottoms of Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Ontario also extend well below sea level–amazingly deep depressions scoured by the glaciers, hidden under the lake waters, and located nearly in the center of the North American continent.

We would like to thank Doug Fuller for this week’s question! Doug is the Director of Stewardship at the Little Traverse Conservancy in Harbor Springs. He oversees the care and management of the private conservation easement-protected properties and the protected nature preserves owned by the Conservancy. The Little Traverse Conservancy has been a great partner to work with on projects such as the Pigeon River Habitat Initiative.

Learn more about Extremes on Earth.

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February 18 eNews Trivia: Do low temperatures at night affect groundwater discharge into streams?

Answer: Yes, extremely low temperatures at night essentially “shut off” the groundwater.

Stream discharge diminishes greatly during cold nights. However, groundwater discharge regains quickly the following day. Groundwater is typically regarded as a liquid unless permafrost conditions exist. The temperature of groundwater is fairly constant and relative to the mean annual air temperature.

To view water data from local Michigan streams, visit the U.S. Geological Society Real-time Water Data for Michigan.

Groundwater-fed rivers provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat and numerous recreational opportunities. Local communities depend heavily on the tourism generated by these coldwater streams.

High inflows of groundwater, due to the extreme permeability of the soils, are key to the stability of such river systems. This groundwater provides suitable temperatures for coldwater fish. These fish species are generally less tolerant of silt and turbidity, and are commonly associated with a coarser stream bottom.

Research has indicated that sediment is the number one pollutant in many of the rivers of northern Michigan. In a healthy, stable river system, the amount of erosion is generally in balance with the amount of sedimentation that occurs. Past and present human activities have dramatically accelerated the rate of erosion along these river corridors and reduced the ability of streams to flush out sediment the way they normally would. Once introduced into the stable water flow of our streams, sediment, particularly sand, tends to remain for several decades.

Thank you Steve for this week’s question! Steve is a dedicated partner and assists with a number of projects including Large Woody Debris. Rarely does something positive happen on the Au Sable without his wise guidance.

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February 6 eNews Trivia: What invasive species will threaten the maple trees of Michigan if it becomes established?

Answer: Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis)

The beetle is native to China where it prefers poplar, willow, elm and maple trees. It has a large (1-1.5”) black body with white spots and distinctively long antennae.

It is a threat to North American deciduous hardwoods. During the larval stage, the ALB bores deep into a tree's heartwood, where it feeds on the tree's nutrients. The tunneling damages and eventually kills the tree. Tree species considered ALB host species include all species of maple (Norway, sugar, silver, and red maple) as well as horse-chestnut, poplar, willow, birch, London plane tree, mountain-ash, mimosa (silk tree), and elm.

Signs of Asian longhorned beetle infestation include perfectly round, 2 cm exit holes; frass, a sawdust-like material comprised of tree shavings and insect waste; and oozing sap. Dead and dying tree limbs or branches and yellowing leaves when there has been no drought also signal ALB infestation. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) research indicates this beetle can survive and reproduce in most sections of the country where suitable host trees exist.

The insect was first discovered in the U.S. in 1996. It is present in New York, Illinois and Massachusetts where eradication efforts are underway.

As illustrated by the Asian longhorn beetle, invasive species are an international problem. Species like the emerald ash borer, Eurasian watermilfoil and phragmites have already cost our state millions of dollars. This is why Huron Pines has made this issue a priority by creating the Invasive Species Removal program. Through the Huron Pines AmeriCorps program, we have an Invasive Species Coordinator working to map and remove target species. Key species include: purple  loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), buckthorn (Rhamnus spp.) and phragmites (Phragmites australis). Learn more at Invasive Species Removal program.

Thank you Ned for this week’s question. Ned joined the Huron Pines Board in 2007. Prior to that, he spent a number of years as a Forest Supervisor for the DNR in the Pigeon River State Forest. He brings a great wealth of knowledge about forest management and is a great asset to our organization.

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January 21 eNews Trivia:

What is the name of the rare brown trout/brook trout hybrid?

Answer: the tiger trout (Salmo trutta X Salvelinus fontinalis)

The brown trout/brook trout hybrid exhibits features of both trout but retains vertical markings or tiger stripes. Tiger trout are known to be highly piscivorous (fish-eating). It is a rare phenomenon in the wild, with the brook trout having 84 chromosomes and the brown trout 80. Artificially, tiger trout can be produced reliably enough to be grown by hatcheries. The hybrid cannot reproduce naturally.

Huron Pines works to enhance fish habitat through our Large Woody Debris program and protect our high-quality, coldwater stream. Check out some of our fish structures upstream of Mio on the Au Sable and you may find the natural anomaly. If you do see one, you’ll know the tiger came to be naturally because fish are not stocked in this stretch of river.

Thank you, Bob, for providing a great question! Be sure to check out the Au Sable River Watershed Restoration Committee to learn about the outstanding work Bob and the committee are doing.

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January 7 eNews Trivia:

What is the only canine species with the ability to climb trees?

Answer: the gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)

Gray foxes are the only North American canines that climb trees. They have been found in squirrel nests and abandoned hawk nests up to 60 feet above the ground!

Gray foxes range throughout most of the southern half of North America from southern Canada to northern Venezuela and Colombia. They are solitary hunters and are largely omnivorous. These clever climbers are thought to live from six to 10 years in the wild.

Thank you Andrea for this week’s question. Andrea is a great resource partner for Huron Pines. She has been instrumental in completing several road/stream crossings and serves on our Resource Advisory Group. She is also an active Huron Pines Member.

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2008 Trivia

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• December 22 eNews Trivia: Phragmites (Phragmites australis) plants can grow up to 15 ft. in height, but what percentage of the plant’s mass is underground? Answer: 80%

• December 10 eNews Trivia: Do all trout spawn at the same time of year? Answer: Each species spawns at different times. Brown trout (Salmo trutta) start off the spawning run for salmonids in late October.  Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) head to the redds in mid November, probably waiting until those big browns are recovering and no longer on the prowl.  Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are non-conformists and wait till spring, the beginning of April, to reproduce.

• November 26 eNews Trivia: 1. What is a baby turkey called? Answer: Immature turkeys are called poults. 2. Wild turkeys often spend the night in trees. What species of tree do they prefer Answer: Turkeys prefer to spend the night in oak trees.

• November 12 eNews Trivia: What year did the state of Michigan pass the first legislative act regarding deer management? Answer: In 1859, the state of Michigan established the first deer season dates.

   

• October 29 eNews Trivia: How far can witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), a small understory tree found in northern Michigan forests, shoot its seeds? Answer: In the fall, witch hazel flowers will release their seeds by shooting them up to 50 feet in the air! These seeds will lay dormant in the seed bed for up to two years.

   

• October 15 eNews Trivia: How many singing males were counted in the 2008 Kirtland’s warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii) survey? Answer: Approximately 1,800 singing males were counted.

• October 1 eNews Trivia: How many trees were placed along the Au Sable during the Large Woody Debris helicopter week Answer: Over 415

   

• September 17 eNews Trivia: On average how many eggs are in a clutch of a Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus)? Answer: 8-14

   

• September 3 eNews Trivia: There are approximately 76,000 regulated dams in the U.S. What is the average life span of a man-made dam? Answer: The average life expectancy of dams is approximately 50 years.

   

• August 20 eNews Trivia: Historically, what is the average number of years between wildfires in a jack pine ecosystem? Answer: According to a US Forest Service Rapid Assessment Reference Condition Model, the average fire interval is 22 years. However, the MI DNR website reports that fires returned every 30 to 100 years.

   

• August 6 eNews Trivia: In 2006, there were 1.4 million anglers in Michigan. How many were primarily interested in fishing for trout? Answer: Nearly 180,000 or 13%

   

• July 23 eNews Trivia: What is the sweetest soil in Michigan? Answer: Sugar Soil!

   

• July 2 eNews Trivia: How many river miles, lake acres and shoreline miles are in Huron Pines’ 11-county service area? Answer: 5,005 river miles, 172,800 lake acres and 467 shoreline miles.

   

• June 25 eNews Trivia: What North American songbird has the longest migration, over 12,000 miles round-trip? Answer: The bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)

   

• June 13 eNews Triva: How deep can loons dive? Loons, an icon of our northern Michigan lakes, can dive 200-250 feet deep!

   

• May 28th eNews Trivia: Just how high do brook trout jump? The maximum height brook trout have been observed jumping in the wild is 2 feet.