Author: Lisa

Why not roadside prairie in McHenry County?

Written on July 22, 2015.

Have you driven through Iowa? The roadsides are beautiful. Native wildflowers and grasses line the roads throughout much of the state, offering habitat for wildlife, especially birds and insects. (Iowa roadside in photo on...

Break the Lawn Addiction

Written on June 11, 2015.

It is iconic. The American lawn: green, neatly cut and free of any plant but grass. No violets. No clover. Definitely no dandelions! It ranks right up there with motherhood, baseball and apple pie as a symbol of America. Think...

Does Fire Bug Wildlife?

Written on April 14, 2015.

When conservation groups burn natural land, does it disturb wildlife species? Simply put, yes. Then why do we do it, and how can we call it “ecological fire” if it may harm some species? Historically, fire was a...

The Big Three: Air, Water & Food.

Written on March 30, 2015.

It has been a couple of years since I mentioned “The Big Three.” With Earth month (April) starting on Wednesday, it seemed like a good time to refresh our collective memories! The Big Three are the three things...

Bird Migration over the years

Written on February 16, 2015.

Today, most people know that birds migrate by flying south during winter, and then fly north again as the days grow longer and temperatures rise. We also understand that some birds fly great distances each year to move from...

How Long is Forever?

Written on November 19, 2014.

A friend of mine in New Mexico is descended from a Spanish family that has been in Albuquerque since 1593. His ancestors were among the first settlers given land grants by the church when Spain first settled that area. Wow....