Arboreality Returns in June

I am returning to Seattle this May, and Arboreality will be on vacation until June 1, 2008 while I pack and travel.

Arboreality extends a gracious thank you to Mike of 10,000 Birds for volunteering to host the Festival of the Trees next month on such short notice. Be sure to send in your submissions this April featuring trees, forests, and wood.

Once I am settled in Seattle I’ll be able to share images from my return trip across the US. We’ll return to the evergreen forests of my home-state with a fresh pair of eyes. Until then, enjoy the blooming spring or the glorious autumn (depending upon your location), and feel free to reminisce through the Pennsylvania hardwoods when we explored the Poconos, and my dear home right here at the farm in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

See you in June!

Fungi Along the Forest Trails

Goose Snag

Today’s image is from a recent hike at Ridley Creek State Park. This “goose snag” caught our eye from way up the trail, and was too cool not to share. Perhaps we should name her “Snaggle Goose.”

There is more to share from the park: coming up next I’ll share pictures of winter hardwoods, fungi, and lovely evergreen holly.

Fabulous Friday Philadelphia Snowfall

This morning we awoke to a beautiful snowfall which has given us about four inches in the last four hours (it’s 8am EST now). We took a quick walk to enjoy the boot-crunching-goodness of first-thing-in-the-morning snow. With little wind, the trees are well-coated; snow always accentuates the lovely shapes of trees. Today's top image is of the butternut tree (Juglans cinerea) over the driveway, an excellent tree and true friend, naturally photogenic in snow.

Just about everything looks good in snow, including our wood fence (built by The Fence Authority of Chester County, Pennsylvania). We’re thankful for our cedar fence (this is its first winter) which allows our husky Blackfoot to enjoy the yard as a good dog should. As you can see, the garden is also segmented, to keep our over-zealous husky out of the vegetables.

Now that it’s lighter outside I plan to go visit the local woods with my camera. More images to follow!

(Blackfoot's Washington buddy The Quilting Doberman posted some righteous pictures of the beautiful snow in the Cascades this January).

Frozen Forests at Ridley Creek State Park

I took some much needed time out this week to enjoy a small hike at Ridley Creek State Park. Ridley Creek State Park includes more than 2,606 acres of woodlands located in Delaware County near the West Chester Pike (Route 3).

Among the park’s many features is the Park Office and Gardens. From the DCNR park website:

"The park office is in the “Hunting Hill” mansion, built by the Jeffords family in 1914. The mansion was built around a 1789 Pennsylvania stone farmhouse that forms the core of the building and serves as the reception center."

Recently the Philadelphia area has seen bits of snow, ice, rain, and freezing rain, which meant that on this particular hike, most of my attention was spent trying to maintain my balance on icy trails. We will return soon on less icy days when I can carry my camera and bring you photos from the forest. In the spring I will also return to share images of the gardens. In the absence of pictures, I can tell you that the creek was roaring and full, and the trees were snuggly in their icy snow-blanket.

If you’re in the Philadelphia area and would like to learn more about local trees and forests, be sure to visit Steven Chmielnicki at Artisan Trees. Steven is an ISA Certified Arborist of Artisan Tree & Treehouse, LLC. Recently Steven began organizing informal “tree walks” at parks in our area. He invites groups of people to join him in learning to identify local species. These tree walks are free and open to the public. I hope to join Steven in the future and share a little about his tree walks here at Arboreality.

To learn more or to join in future tree walks visit the Artisan Trees website.

Warm Winter Sunset

Yesterday’s unseasonably warm sunrise was matched by the evening's delicious, colorful sunset. I’m not sure if it was the stormy weather, the eclipse, or my mood, but at yesterday's sunset the sky was positively glowing! My camera does not remotely do justice to the golden pink of the clouds and deep blue of the sky.

Blog Update: Arboreality is now listed at the Nature Blog Network. Be sure to check it out for listings of other great nature blogs!

Warm Winter Sunrise

It’s a warm, humid morning in Philadelphia (60 degrees Fahrenheit and rising). I’ve only been in Chester County, Pennsylvania for three winters, but each one has included some strange, unseasonably warm days often sandwiched between freezing days and big snows. Today the prediction is for rain and possibly thunder; by the speed of those low, lavender clouds – I suspect that we’re in for a wild new moon (accompanied by an equally electric solar eclipse). Time to plant!

Black Walnut Snow Dance

Winter Reds

Winter Woodshed

This winter we built a woodshed under the pine trees at our cottage in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Our design includes two segments of 8 feet square each: one for wood, and the other for the splitter.

When practical, we like to find opportunities to cut trees and split our own firewood from the rounds. This year we purchased our wood from the local Bradley Tree Experts as usual, and now we have someplace dry to keep it (rather than tarping the wood on the driveway).

The great thing about using wood heat for your home is that it warms you several times over. You warm yourself up stoking the fire. You warm yourself up every time you haul in a load of wood. You warm yourself up sawing, rolling, loading, unloading, splitting, hauling, and stacking wood. Managing the fire is part of how I keep active in the winter with the garden sleeping under snow.

Inside the fire is cozy, and with the cost of oil these days it’s actually a more affordable way to heat the home.

Outside, my guess is that the squirrels have all put down payments on the prime real estate, and are having an excellent weekend moving in to the coziest corners of the shed. I’ve already discovered walnuts in the stack!

Freezing Rain in the Trees

Now, I realize that freezing rain is downright dangerous for driving… but it is SO GORGEOUS when it paints every needle and twig with icy crystals! Pictured here is a Pin Cherry (Prunus pennsylvatica), and an Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus), two of my dearest Pennsylvania friends. [Again, remember you can always click pictures to enlarge for a better view].

Snowy Chester County

The farm where we rent our cottage is nestled in Chester County, just outside of Philadelphia. For the last few days we’ve had a beautiful little snow dusting and crispy, cold temperatures. Our snowfall accumulated roughly two inches, and officially brought winter to our neck of Pennsylvania.

Yesterday’s sunrise illuminated the many oak trees which have not yet released their leaves. This phenomenon, called “leaf marcescence,” is common among oaks (Quercus), beeches (Fagus), and a few other deciduous trees. (Remember you can click on pictures to enlarge). I hope to take a drive up toward Phoenixville some time this winter so I can bring you pictures at Arboreality – there are beautiful swaths of forests (and lovely planted sycamores in town), and the blush of the young beech trees is always a warming sight in the cold of winter.

Of course, I can’t resist an excuse to share another picture of the stone silo. As an artist, I am perpetually inspired by the intermixing of farm, forest, and fauna here at my Pennsylvania home. This stone silo is one of a handful of remnants of the original farming days which once defined Chester County and the greater Brandywine Valley region. The third image is one of my favorite romantic staples in these parts: the elegant, imposing Black walnut (Juglans nigra).

Today, much of this land is being converted to suburban housing. Fortunately, the local culture allows room for a genuine interest in conservation, as demonstrated by the Open Space Preservation Department of Chester County. Last winter I had the pleasure of interviewing the Director, Mr. Bill Gladden. Check out the interview here at Arboreality, and stop by the Open Space Preservation Department website to learn more about local efforts to retain forest and farmland in the area.

Coming up at Arboreality: Christmas trees, winter planting, and green holidays.

Looking to bring a few more trees to your blog? The Festival of the Trees is a monthly blog carnival featuring trees and forests from around the blogosphere. Stop by the Festival of the Trees coordinating blog to learn how you can contribute your tree posts, or volunteer to host the festival right at your own blogging home! (An April volunteer is needed! April means Arbor Day for many in the US... what better time to host the Festival of the Trees?)

Cold Sunrise at the Farm

The Moon is waning. Here in the Philadelphia area the coming New Moon in Sagittarius (December 9, 2007) heralds wind, cold, and (hopefully) snow. When I woke around 4am today the moon was still high with Venus, and by dawn it was eclipsed by passing wisps of cold, grey clouds.

(Note for star gazers: the Moon is nearly conjunct Venus; that means they're really close together in the sky from our perspective. Seriously, just make yourself get up early for five minutes, and soak in the beauty before sunrise.)

No one calls in the winter wind like the Eastern white pines along the western side of our cottage. Without their leaves, the oaks may groan and the walnuts may roar, but the Eastern white pines still kick up a clatter, their voice clearer in the winter without the deciduous trees to drown them out.

I encourage you to visit Cady May at Meanwhile, Back in the Holler and listen in on what the trees have to say in her neck of the woods. She's composed a timely video which is as much a documentary as it is a lovingly constructed work of art: Autumn in a Tennessee Holler.

The Intrinsic Value of Trees?

Over at the Crow’s Nest Preserve blog, Dan Barringer is sharing a recent study examining the value of preserving and maintaining healthy ecosystems.

The discussion points to some less tangible ways to measure the value of trees and forests as they relate to the ongoing health of both human and wild communities.

Check it out and let us know what you think!

Open Space Preservation in Chester County, Pennsylvania

In April at Arboreality I shared my explorations of the Kirkwood Preserve, a local nature preserve here in Chester County, Pennsylvania. I stumbled upon the Kirkwood Preserve quite by accident while exploring. My curiosity to learn more about the preserve connected me with William [Bill] Gladden, director of the Open Space Preservation Department for Chester County.

Bill and I had a chance to meet earlier this month. We took some time to discuss the functions and goals of the Open Space Preservation Department, and ventured out to visit two of the eleven-strong preserves located around Chester County.

Our first stop was Sadsbury Woods Preserve, a beautiful piece of forest consisting of the “largest remaining, un-fragmented woodlands in Chester County” (according to the brochure). What started with a 160-acre parcel has grown into over 430 acres of contiguous preserved wildlands. It was a beautiful introduction to the Department’s many achievements.

The Open Space Preservation Department works with private conservation groups to preserve natural lands around Chester County. Sadsbury Woods Preserve is managed by the Natural Lands Trust, just as the Kirkwood Preserve is managed by the Willistown Conservation Trust.

These joint efforts combine public interests and funds around the common goal of preserving wildlands in the area. At its most fundamental level, the Open Space Preservation Department represents one of the more ideal intersections of community values, private organizations, and government programs to sustain the quality of life for local citizens and wildlife.

The Open Space Preservation Department manages three primary programs, each with a specific land-use focus: the Agricultural Preservation Program, the Municipal Park and Open Space Acquisition and Development Program, and the Conservancy Program (Preservation Partnership Program).

According to the Chester County Open Space Preservation Department website,

“The programs are designed to preserve the most productive non-irrigated agricultural soils in the world, provide adequate local and County park and recreation opportunities, preserve significant natural areas, and encourage revitalization of developed areas.”

The Department of Open Space Preservation was formed in 1989 when residents of Chester County rallied community support for a centralized, focused effort to preserve wild and agricultural lands around the county in the face of accelerated urban development. The Chester County Commissioners’ office allocates funds from local taxpayers and state funding to support the Department’s efforts to preserve land under its three focus programs.

As director of the Open Space Preservation Department, Bill sees himself as responsible for ensuring that people at all levels – from citizen to commissioner – see the value and the investment in preserving local wildlands.

According to Bill, it is critical that people not only find the tangible, meaningful benefits of open space preservation, but that the Department operates with maximum transparency, allowing everyone to clearly understand how their investments of money and time have resulted in genuine community benefits.

Bill explains, “If people don’t find the value [in the efforts to preserve open space], then I haven’t done my job.” According to Bill, trust and communication are essential to maintaining a clear, open connection between private and public organizations, and ensuring that there are tangible public benefits for everyone to enjoy.


Our second stop was at Stroud Preserve, also managed by the Natural Lands Trust, and representative of the diversity to be found among the many preserves in Chester County.

Stroud Preserve includes 574 acres of a unique cross-section of grass, wet, and wood lands. Growing from the original 332-acre parcel bequeathed by Dr. Morris Stroud, the Stroud Preserve has incorporated the 120-acre Susan Groome Harney Preserve, the 47-acre Harney and Baker Preserve, and an additional purchase of 75 adjoining acres to make it the diverse and beautiful expanse it is today.

Stroud Preserve offers the Stroud Water Research Center for scientific research, the remnants of a 19th century Main House and Barn complex, beautiful wetlands, rolling hills, and ever-expanding swaths of trees and shrubs.

As we walked, it became evident that the Stroud Preserve is an active and valued component of the local community. Bill explained some of the unique cultural attributes of Chester County which have contributed to its ongoing success with open space preservation.

There are at least 12 private and not-for-profit conservation groups operating in Chester County. This emphasis on conservation is likely the result of a historical local interest in land use (including agriculture, hunting, sport, and a love of the land) which long predates the modern-day development boom. Bill also speculates that influence from the local Brandywine Valley has also helped sustain a common interest in conservation. Artists have shared images of the Brandywine Valley with the world, prompting a public interest in preserving its natural heritage.

The Open Space Preservation Department has established a standing goal to preserve roughly 5,000 acres each year, keeping it in acre-for-acre step with the average rate of urban development for the county. On average, the Department has managed to maintain that goal.

The preserves have sometimes been referred to as the “Second Park System,” or the “Invisible Park System,” and visiting even one of the preserves clearly affirms that analogy. Amid one of the fastest growing regions in one of the densest parts of the nation, citizens, private groups, and government agencies are working to ensure the quality of life for the public community both now, and for the future.

If you would like to learn more about the Open Space Preservation Department, be sure to visit their website, and the website for the Chester County Board of Commissioners.

The Chester County Nature Preserve Guide is now available online as a .pdf.

You can also learn more by visiting the websites of some of the other groups who partner with the Department in the preservation of local lands:

Brandywine Conservancy
Brandywine Valley Association
East Bradford Township
East Brandywine Township
East Goshen Township
East Marlborough Township Land Trust
Fair Play Foundation
French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust
Green Valleys Association
Kennett Township
Kennett Township Land Trust
London Britain Township
London Britain Township Land Trust
McLean Contributorship
Natural Lands Trust
Open Land Conservancy of Chester County
Pennsbury Land Trust
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development
Red Clay Valley Association
The Nature Conservancy
United States Department of the Interior
Wallace Trust
West Pikeland Township
William Penn Foundation
Willistown Conservation Trust
Willistown Township