Changes in Private Forest Ownership Raise Concerns 

National Invasive Species Awareness Week Coming in February

ATHENS, Ga.--National Invasive Species Awareness Week is scheduled for February 23-28. And according to experts with the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), it's a topic that deserves our attention. Non-native plants, animals and pathogens can harm humans and the environment and impact our nation's economy.

"Though the impact of invasive species is profound, there are important steps we can take to manage infestations and prevent their spread," says Lee Van Wychen, Ph.D., director of science policy for the WSSA. "It all begins with awareness." Read more and learn what you can do at the NISAW Web site.

Forest Service and Smithsonian Protecting Native Orchids

The white lady's slipper grows on the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Illinois. (Photo: Thomas G. Barnes, USDA-NRCS Plants Database).

WASHINGTON--The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and the USDA Forest Service finalized a Memorandum of Understanding recognizing a mutual interest in the conservation and management of native plants, especially native orchids. The Smithsonian, through its North American Orchid Conservation Center, leads a coalition of organizations dedicated to conserving the diverse orchid heritage of the United States and Canada. By managing for native orchids and their habitats on national forests and grasslands, we help to ensure the conservation and resiliency of our Nation's biodiversity and create a healthier environment for wildlife and people.

Predicting Maple Syrup Yield from Seed Production

Sugar maple sap is collected using buckets or tubing. (Photo:  T. Davis Sydnor, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org)

MEDFORD, Mass.--A New York Times article recently reported on a paper in the journal Forest Ecology and Management, in  which ecologists at Tufts University near Boston suggest that syrup and seed production are linked. Because 2014 was a low seed year for maples, the scientists reason, maple trees invested spare energy into producing more carbohydrates. This year, the trees will use those carbs to flower-and fill sugar makers' pails with rich, sweet sap. That seed cycles affect syrup yield may come as a surprise to longtime maple farmers. Sugar makers historically relied solely on the weather to predict good and bad syrup years. Read the full article in the Times. 

How Do Trees Survive the Winter?

New Report on Impacts of White-Tailed Deer

Power-IT-Down Every Day 

GPO Is Now the Government Publishing Office

WASHINGTON-- Legislation recently passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama changes the name of the Government Printing Office to the Government Publishing Office. Publishing reflects the increasingly prominent role that GPO plays in providing access to Government information in digital formats through our Federal Digital System (FDsys), apps, eBooks, and related technologies. The information needs of Congress, Federal agencies, and the public have evolved beyond only print and GPO has transformed to meet our customers' needs. Read more about the process and rationale for the name change on the GPO Web site. 

New Book "Urban Environmental Education" Is Available 

WASHINGTON--Edited by Alex Russ and written by environmental educators in the United States, this book advances understanding of settings, audiences, teaching approaches and goals of urban environmental education. This book is appropriate for in-service and in-training educators in the United States and elsewhere. The  authors say that they hope the book will help educators to reflect on their own work, and inspire new ideas to improve their programs.  Download the book for free at the Web site of the North American Association for Environmental Education.

Watershed Forestry Intern Sought for Summer 

Has Your Home Been Tested for Radon Recently?

According to the Surgeon General indoor radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. (Source: A Citizen's Guide to Radon)

WASHINGTON--Radon is a naturally occurring odorless radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer.  Find out how to protect yourself. Visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Web site during National Radon Action Month this January.