Tag: habitats

Why I Support Re-introduction of Grizzly Bears to the North Cascades National Park

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The grizzly disappeared from the North Cascades on our watch, with the last verified sighting near Glacier Peak in 1996. Thankfully, biologists can successfully reintroduce grizzlies to areas where they are gone, as proven by their ongoing recovery efforts in the Cabinet-Yaak ecosystem in northwest Montana. Enormous swaths of high-quality habitat in remote areas are the key to success, and we have plenty in the North Cascades. The designated recovery zone covers more than 9,500 square miles and centers on the North Cascades National Park and surrounding public lands, including the Glacier Peak, Pasayten, and Sawtooth wilderness areas. Leavenworth biologist Bill Gaines has documented that this vast area has a diversity of habitats with at least 100 plant species for this apex-omnivore to eat. Continue Reading →

Neotropical migrants raising their young in our canyons

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Hanging clothes on my backyard clothesline gives me a chance to look west, up into the V-shaped Number Two Canyon, where steep sagebrush-covered slopes plunge down to the brushy canyon Continue Reading →

cottonwood felled by beaver

March Mud-ness

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This is the turn-of-season time of year in the Wenatchee Valley, where mud may hamper your first choice of how to spend time outside. I’ve gathered a long list of activities and events to keep you engaged in nature in my bi-monthly eNews. T Continue Reading →

Jan. 8, 2022

Big Sagebrush Haiku

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I am thankful for a particular stately sagebrush that I walked by on January snow walks in the Wenatchee Foothills. Each time I arrived, I wondered what lesson this sentinel Continue Reading →

Basin Big Sagebrush

Movie Night Ideas

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This week’s bitter cold makes staying inside inviting, especially once the sun dips behind the ridge. Winter is a good time for armchair adventuring from the comfort of your own home. The recent Wenatchee Naturalist eNews included this list of sure-to-please films.
Continue Reading →

Methow Valley October aspen

Admiring Aspen

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Most of us come home from an outing in the Wenatchee Watershed with new questions that begin with “Why?” Recently, my “Why” was preceded by “Wow,” in response to seeing the golden beauty of an aspen grove, encountered amidst the rich greens of conifer-clad mountainsides, on a bluebird mid-October day. I wondered, why are some aspen leaves tinged with a pinky-red, yet most are a vivid gold? Continue Reading →

Clark's nutcracker

Forest Foragers of Whitebark Pine Seeds

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September is peak conifer cone ripeness throughout the western U.S for dozens of species of pines, firs, and spruces. Locally, in the upper reaches of the Icicle River watershed, whitebark pinecones project from the tops of trees. The cones are deep red and covered in resin so they glisten in the sun. The seeds are large and desirable food sources for a variety of native wildlife. Continue Reading →

Milkweed Mindfulness

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Today’s guest bloggers have both been inspirated by showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa), a native wildflower that grows in abundance along the Horan Natural Area trails. These encounters independently inspired Wenatchee writer Glen Carlson and photographer Bruce McCammon to create art generously shared and paired here. Continue Reading →

Bitterroot (Lewisa rediviva)

Curious About … Shrub-steppe Lithosols?

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I wish we had a more endearing term that “lithosols” to describe Columbia Basin habitats of thin, rocky soils!. Here, the wind deposits has deposited bits of soil in-between a pavement of lichen-encrusted basalt rocks. Each spring, a diverse display of native wildflowers create splashes of color worth exploring. Continue Reading →