Simple Benefits Of A Tree

Most trees and shrubs in cities or communities are planted to provide beauty or shade. These are two excellent reasons for their use. Woody plants also serve many other purposes, and it often is helpful to consider these other functions when selecting a tree or shrub for the landscape. The benefits of trees can be grouped into social, communal, environmental, and economic categories.

We like trees around us because they make life more pleasant. Most of us respond to the presence of trees beyond simply observing their beauty. We feel serene, peaceful, restful, and tranquil in a grove of trees. We are “at home” there. Hospital patients have been shown to recover from surgery more quickly when their hospital room offered a view of trees. The strong ties between people and trees are most evident in the resistance of community residents to removing trees to widen streets. Or we note the heroic efforts of individuals and organizations to save particularly large or historic trees in a community.

The stature, strength, and endurance of trees give them a cathedral-like quality. Because of their potential for long life, trees frequently are planted as living memorials. We often become personally attached to trees that we or those we love have planted.

Even though trees may be private property, their size often makes them part of the community as well. Because trees occupy considerable space, planning is required if both you and your neighbors are to benefit. With proper selection and maintenance, trees can enhance and function on one property without infringing on the rights and privileges of neighbors.

City trees often serve several architectural and engineering functions. They provide privacy, emphasize views, or screen out objectionable views. They reduce glare and reflection. They direct pedestrian traffic. They provide background to and soften, complement, or enhance architecture.

Mushrooms Glowing In The Dark

Brendan tipped me off to the discovery of 4 new glowing mushroom species (and 3 old species that no one knew glowed). These tiny mushrooms (with caps less than 1 cm in width) continuously emit a bright yellow-green light and belong to the genusMycena, which also contains most other known luminescent mushroom species.

The genus Mycena contains innumerable tiny, dull-colored species that are much more common than anyone would normally notice. Their tiny caps can be found sprouting from decaying vegetable matter wherever it's found.Mycena species (and those of a few other genera) are often referred to as "little brown mushrooms" or "little brown jobs," reflecting their nondescript ubiquity and the near-impossibility of actually identifying them. Back when I worked in redwood forests, I often saw putative Mycenas popping out of fallen Doug-fir cones.

Dennis Desjardin, author of the above discovery, points out that luminescence appears in 16 separate lineages of Mycena species - suggesting that the ancestor of all Mycena species was capable of glowing, but that some species and lineages have since lost this ability. Desjardin came to this conclusion because one of the key tactics in science is to assume that the simplest explanation is most likely to be correct - and should be assumed to be correct until proven otherwise. Because it is more difficult/unlikely for an organism to acquire the ability to glow than to lose the ability, it is more likely that many Mycena species lost the ability (and a few retained it) than that many Mycena species acquired it independently. When shared traits are used to place evolutionary links between related species on a phylogenetic tree, this is known as "parsimony."

Desjardin suggests that the glow of these tiny mushrooms may attract nocturnal animals, which disperse their spores.

So the next time you kick open a rotten log and find the inside glowing, think of Mycena!

Cloud Forest In Monteverde

A Cloud Forest is a specific type of rainforest in which cloud covers the foliage and deposits moisture directly onto the leaves. The Monteverde Cloud Forest is the place in Costa Rica where visitors come to experience the unique environment. Even though the clouds don"t actually rain onto the canopy, the humidity is so high that the moisture that does make it onto the leaves often drips to the rainforest floor.
Monteverde is a protected biological reserve that is home to hundreds of species of plants and animals. Howler monkeys, snakes, and colorful birds fill the rainforest canopy with sound.

Skywalking and rappelling are two ways you can explore the Costa Rica rain forest and the animals that live in its upper reaches. The Skywalk is a series of bridges and platforms that are perched high up in the trees. Cable ranging in length from 195 to 650 feet let you fly at high speeds through the rainforest canopy to get a birds" eye view of this exotic environment.
There are a couple of different ways to get to the cloud forest from the capitol of San Juan. You can take the scenic northerly route, which is a full day"s drive but it allows you to see the city of La Fortuna, and you will get to drive around Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal. Or, you can opt for coming from the Southwest, going through San Ramon and Sardinal before turning at Lagarto for the last leg of the journey. Either way, plan for at least a four-hour drive, although the northern route is going to be a great deal longer, so take a full day to make this drive. It is a great way to get a feel for this part of the country before arriving at the rainforest.
Eight different trails crisscross the reserve. This protected part of the rainforest is open from 7am to 4pm, to allow you to have the best light in which to see animals in the dense canopy. Admission is $12 for adults, $6.50 for students that have ID, and it"s free to visit for children 10 and under.
400 types of orchids live in this part of the rainforest Costa Rica. 30 types of hummingbirds are part of the 400 species of birds that call the rainforest canopy home. Over 5000 species of moths are included in the ten of thousands of types of insects that make this their home. You might be able to see the regal Quetzal, an animal that lives here and that was considered sacred by the Mayan throughout the life of their empire.
Rainforest Costa Rica is filled with life and natural beauty. Even if you bring a poncho, a warm jacket, and comfortable hiking shoes, nothing you can do will prepare you for the experience of the Costa Rica rainforest.

World’s secret rooms

We see beautiful places everywhere we go; huge mountains, ridiculous plains, scary jungles and nice forests are all great places to experience nature, but how often do we venture into the world beneath us? Unless you’re an avid spelunker, or a troglodyte, the answer is probably not too often. Here we take a look at two gorgeous examples of the world’s secret rooms underneath us.

Beautifully Chaotic

We all remember the explanations; stalactites need to hold on “tight,” and if stalagmites try hard enough they just “might” reach the ceiling some day. At least, that’s one version out of countless rhymes and lessons children learn when studying caves. However they’re learned, they’re never fully understood until seen, and once seen they are never forgotten. Strange and wonderful at the same time, these formations and others like them that take thousands of years to grow, only take seconds to change a life forever when seen in their full splendor. To add to that appeal, every cave is different. Above we see two in stark contrast: First, the Onondoga Cave in Missouri, with strange rock “lilly pads” and “colons” as the photographer jokingly described them. Beneath that, the famed Reed Flute Cave in South China, creatively lit and spanning over 240 meters of acoustic cavern.

Fire and Ice

A number of things came together in an eons-long ballet of creation to make the caves that we find today.  Most that we’d find throughout the world would fall into one of two major categories; either ice/water carved them out, or lava flows birthed them.  These origins leave us with geologic oddities that are more like alien landscapes than anything we’ve ever experienced first-hand.  We see the results above, with caves in Vietnam, Scotland, and Norway.  The sea cave in Scotland is especially interesting to note; known as Fingal’s Cave.  Though it is a sea cave now, its history is volcanic in nature, and left it with an unusually man-made appearance.

The Most Remarkble Natural Phenomenal

The classical natural wonders are huge and hard to miss – vast canyons, giant mountains and the like. Many of the most fantastic natural phenomena, however, are also least easy to spot. Some are incredibly rare while others are located in hard-to-reach parts of the planet. From moving rocks to mammatus clouds and red tides to fire rainbows, here are three of the most spectacular phenomenal wonders of the natural world.

When a thick lava flow cools it contracts vertically but cracks perpendicular to its directional flow with remarkable geometric regularity – in most cases forming a regular grid of remarkable hexagonal extrusions that almost appear to be made by man. One of the most famous such examples is the Giant’s Causeway on the coast of Ireland (shown above) though the largest and most widely recognized would be Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. Basalt also forms different but equally fascinating ways when eruptions are exposed to air or water.

Blue holes are giant and sudden drops in underwater elevation that get their name from the dark and foreboding blue tone they exhibit when viewed from above in relationship to surrounding waters. They can be hundreds of feet deep and while divers are able to explore some of them they are largely devoid of oxygen that would support sea life due to poor water circulation – leaving them eerily empty. Some blue holes, however, contain ancient fossil remains that have been discovered, preserved in their depths.

While many see these apparently perfect ice circles as worthy of conspiracy theorizing, scientists generally accept that they are formed by eddies in the water that spin a sizable piece of ice in a circular motion. As a result of this rotation, other pieces of ice and flotsam wear relatively evenly at the edges of the ice until it slowly forms into an essentially ideal circle. Ice circles have been seen with diameters of over 500 feet and can also at times be found in clusters and groups at different sizes as shown above.

Planting Poinsettia

The Poinsettia, which belongs to the Euphorbia family, has become almost synonymous with Christmas and brings colour and joy to households all over Canada. It was first introduced to North America by the American ambassador to Mexico, Robert Poinsett.
The poinsettia does well in an indoor environment and if a few simple guidelines are followed will bloom well into Spring.

Watering is one of the most important factors in maintaining a healthy poinsettia. Check the soil daily and when the surface starts to feel dry its time to water. Water until it runs freely out of the drainage hole. Never let water remain in the saucer, as the poinsettia does not tolerate sitting in water.
Poinsettias like lots of light so placing it near a south window is the best place for it. Lacking that option an east or west window will do. Never allow the leaves to touch the glass, as the cold will damage them.
One of the reasons Poinsettia’s do so well inside is that they like the same kind of temperatures we do. So during the day a temperature of 20 – 22 degrees Celsius is ideal and in the evening a temperature a couple of degrees cooler is preferable.
Every year after Christmas I am determined to keep my Poinsettia over the year and have it bloom beautifully just in time for Christmas. And every year it doesn’t happen. Well, this year I think I’ve finally found the right formula to produce a beautiful plant for next Christmas. You can too just by following these simple ( well, not too hard) guidelines:
• Continue watering normally until April 1st then let it dry out gradually. Note that you don’t want it to dry out so much that the stems shrivel. After drying keep in a cool room until the middle of May.
• In the middle of May prune the poinsettia back to about 4 inches above the soil and re-pot in a new pot 1 – 2 inches bigger than the old pot. Put it in a sunny window and water when the soil starts to feel dry. As the new growth starts you can begin fertilizing every two weeks.
• In early June you can move it outside in a lightly shaded area. Continue to water and fertilize while it is outside.
• In early July pinch out 1 inch of the terminal stems.
• Between the middle of August and September 1st prune the plant back so that each stem has three or four leaves on it, bring it back inside and place in a sunny location.
• From the beginning of October until the last week in November keep the plant in total darkness from 5PM until 8AM. This is the important part. There has to be total darkness. Any stray light will delay the blooming cycle. During the day it still needs to be in a sunny window and don’t forget to water and fertilize regularly.
If you follow these guidelines you should have a beautiful Poinsettia blooming just in time for Christmas.
Just a note. For years various reports have led the general public to believe poinsettias are toxic to humans; however, this has not been authenticated. Research conducted at The Ohio State University and other institutions has proved the old wives' tale that poinsettias are poisonous to be false.

Are You Interested In Kangaroo

If you are interested in learning about Kangaroo, you must look at its natural kangaroo habitat. Kangaroos are found mainly in Australia but they can also be found in New Guinea and Tasmania. They are the largest marsupial mammal and Kangaroos belong in the macropodidae family. They like to graze on leaves and small foliage and can adapt and live even with only small amounts of water.

 Kangaroos are light brown on color and have long legs. They also have a long tail to help them hop and maneuver and use it to balance and lean on when fighting. This frees up their large powerful legs to kick and injure the offending enemy. They are also unique because they carry their young in a pouch. The pouch is located on the stomach area and it is used to house the offspring for 9 months. During this time the young kangaroos stay in this pouch. Inside the pouch the mother kangaroo or doe has 4 nipples, so that the baby joeys can eat.
When you are looking for a particular kangaroo habitat, you must first look at the type of kangaroo you are studying.
Eastern gray kangaroos are perhaps the heaviest of all the different types of kangaroos. The males are larger then the females and even though they live in smaller groups, they can join larges ones if they are crazing. They are active at night and during the day they like to relax under trees and hide in shrubbery. These larger marsupials are very powerful and can run at incredibly fast speeds and can leap over 9 feet. The eastern gray kangaroo habitat is located in eastern Australia. This area skirts the coastline and the gray kangaroos like to be in the moist damp forest that surrounds it.
Red Kangaroos are the largest marsupials and they are known for their unique coloring. The females have a blue gray tinted fur and the males are distinctly red in the eastern sections, but elsewhere both sexes can be a brownish red color. Red kangaroos travel in mobs. These mobs can have hundreds of kangaroos but all mobs only have one male that dominates over the rest. The red kangaroo habitat covers most of Australia. They can adapt and live in just about any area. They like the moist forests but they can also live in desert areas. This is because kangaroos can go without water for days without feeling any negative affects.
Western gray kangaroos are a gray and brown color but they resemble the eastern gray kangaroo. One difference is they are a smaller size. They are slim animals and the males have a distinct odor. For this reason they are referred to as stinky animals. They are also very loud and like to communicate with others using a clicking sound. The western gray kangaroo habitat can be found on the lower west and southern corners of Australia. Like the red kangaroo, the western gray can be found not only in the dense forest but also in the desert areas. They are known to be found in golf courses and even in cities. Where ever there is an unlimited food and water supply, these western gray kangaroos can be found.
The reason more kangaroos are found in Australia compared to other countries is because Australia has incorporated many new watering sites for the kangaroo population. They were concerned about the health and well being of the animal and began to help them in the wild. Now, Australia has by far the most species of kangaroo and in some places kangaroos over populates entire areas.

Connecting With Nature Is Good For You

Connecting with nature can improve your health and wellbeing, say researchers in this week's British Medical Journal. The theory is known as ecotherapy: restoring health through contact with nature.
Use of wildlife in some therapies is reported to improve quality of life, write the authors. Smaller animals (for example, squirrels, owls, and raccoons) have been used successfully in therapies for children with emotional and behavioural problems.
People who take part in conservation projects report subjective health benefits, ascribed to being outdoors and to feeling part of a greater system connecting beyond the individual. Such projects can help overcome social isolation, develop skills, and improve employment prospects, as well as provide the known benefits associated with exercise.
Although initial research has been promising, the UK needs robust health impact assessments of wildlife projects to determine their objective therapeutic value, say the authors.
English Nature has advocated a national strategy to encourage people to reconnect with nature and benefit from proximity to wildlife.
Partnerships between healthcare providers and nature organisations to share and exchange expertise could create new policies that recognise the interdependence between healthy people and healthy ecosystems, they conclude.

Carnac, France: traditional and beautiful place is exactly the same

A prehistoric stone enclosure at Carnac that may have been a sacred area. (Susan Spano)

Florida. It is my home state, a beautiful

    

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Ah, Florida. It is my home state, a beautiful and diverse place with ecosystems ranging from uplands and freshwater wetlands to coastal and aquatic ecosystems. It is a fragile place full of endangered species. And it is currently wavering and in need of your environmental support.

As I have mentioned numerous times before, Florida is a magical place. The subtropic climate breeds biodiversity, and although we relish tourism, a great many awe-inspiring nature retreats await us just outside of the bright lights.

With this in mind, my final column is dedicated to this great and beautiful state. I would like to welcome every single one of you to make it your personal duty to care for it, to have and to hold it with the utmost respect. If you enjoy watching the wading birds and swimming dolphins, please consider the ways you can help protect this beautiful place.

Many local nonprofit agencies are working to protect and save Florida. Follow the links below to discover the various ways you can give back. After all, we are ultimately responsible for the overwhelming urban sprawl and how it has contributed to Florida’s conservation issues. We must start somewhere to begin to make the change.

I encourage you to find an organization that advocates for something that you feel passionately about. Whether it be manatees, birds or panthers, please forward this information to your friends and family, and then get thoroughly involved! 

I love the green nature

　　
　　This is the story of a reformed beauty queen — a girl who was once drawn to her local drugstore by the allure of a magazine ad and its promise of magical ingredients, snazzier packaging and better results. No longer... And here's why:
According to a 2005 survey of 2,300 adults by the Environmental Working Group, the average woman encounters 168 chemical ingredients in her beauty regimen everyday. And let's not forget about the men — they're slathering themselves with an average of 85 chemicals everyday, too.
With 90% of the 10,500 different chemicals used in personal care products never evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration for safety, it's impossible to have peace of mind when our skin is potentially absorbing chemicals that might cause cancer, reproductive problems or other health concerns. Plus, some of these chemicals can harm the environment, too. Even the drugs and personal care products that disappear down the drain can harm fish and other wildlife at the other end of the pipe.
So you may be asking: What's the big deal? Beauty products contain small amounts of toxic chemicals. Even "active ingredients" that promise the most benefits for your beauty make up just 1% of most products.
The big deal is that we're using these products regularly, essentially creating a stockpile of some chemicals in our bodies (stored in fat cells) that may only cause harm after years of use. Some preservative chemicals used in cosmetics (like parabens) have been shown to mimic the hormone estrogen, contributing to breast cancer risk. Pregnant mothers can pass along the effects of some chemicals to their unborn offspring, like testicular abnormalities in little boys or obesity in teenage girls. And don't think that spending more money is the answer — endocrine-disrupting chemicals are found in both drugstore and high-end department store brands.
These are frightening claims that have inspired me to pursue preventative measures now in my 20s, rather than allow this ticking time bomb to explode years down the road, potentially affecting me or my future children.
Thanks to information from expert sources like The Green Beauty Guide ($10.50 at amazon.com), The Essential Green You! ($6.40 at amazon.com), and Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products ($11.50 at amazon.com), I've compiled my top takeaway points from these books to show you how to embrace the green in your beauty regimen. I call them my 8 Commandments of Natural Beauty.