Wild Turkey on the Rocks? Ecosystems of Southeast Impact Numbers

Meleagris gallopavo.The reintroduction of America's beloved
holiday fowl has been one of conservation's great triumphs--
but now some populations are plummeting. What's going on?
Photograph by Andrew Zuckerman.

By T. Edward Nickens

Audubon Magazine, November-December 2013

 

The scene is a staple of American holiday traditions, a verity founded during the birth pangs of the nation. The place: Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts. The year: 1621. In countless illustrations of what is considered that first Thanksgiving feast, tables groan with the harvest of field and forest while black-clad Pilgrims and leather-clad Wampanoag natives encircle the centerpiece dish--a perfectly browned wild turkey. While there's no question that a harvest meal was held in Plymouth Colony, there's no direct evidence that a turkey made the menu. The one surviving document that mentions the formative feast suggests that the big bird on the table--or birds, considering that the gathering drew 140 or more--was likely goose or duck. Just prior to the fete, wrote Plymouth leader Edward Winslow, the colony governor "sent foure men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoyce together after we had gathered the fruit of our labours."

Kathleen Wall, a culinary expert at Plimoth Plantation, the Massachusetts living history museum, provides some insight. "When Englishmen referred to 'fowling,' they are generally talking about waterfowl. Winslow specifically mentions deer, so we know there was venison on the table. And earlier, the governor wrote that turkeys were plentiful that year." After that oblique reference, however, the turkey track goes cold. "As far as that first harvest meal," Wall allows, "we simply can't say there was turkey."

These days that's not the only mystery surrounding Meleagris gallopavo. The reintroduction of the wild turkey to North America is frequently touted as the greatest wildlife conservation success story of the last century. Heavily hunted since the earliest days of European occupation, pushed out of huge swaths of its range by logging and land clearing, wild turkey populations reached a nadir in the early 1930s, with a continental population of about 30,000 birds. Today, after a massive trap-and-transfer effort that has spanned a quarter-century, about 7 million wild turkeys strut, gobble, and yelp from every state where they are native, and then some. "This was a monumental, continent-wide effort," says Tom Hughes, assistant vice president of conservation programs for the National Wild Turkey Federation. "There aren't many stories as inspiring in the history of wildlife conservation."

See full article, http://goo.gl/vVy2gc.

Counterpoin(settia): Break Out of the Poinsettia Rut for Holiday Florals

By Lindsey Taylor

WSJ, Nov. 22, 2013

When the holidays sneak up on you, with all their attendant stress, it's tempting to take the easy way out. Ordering gift cards for everyone. Grabbing a quart of supermarket eggnog. Buying a few no-brainer poinsettias in their blandly cheery foil and plopping them in the usual spots. But the nagging sense that you didn't muster much originality can just add to your anxiety. So I try to resist the path of least resistance, at least when it comes to living things. It doesn't take much extra effort to overcome predictability, and it leaves me feeling strangely peaceful.

To be clear, I have nothing against poinsettias, the humble genus native to Mexico. As with most botanical clichés, it's not so much the plant that's tired as how people use them. My primary advice: Get rid of the foil and pop the plastic container into another vessel. It could be an urn you bring in from the garden, a silver ice bucket or a Chinese decorative pot. I like clustering a group of mini poinsettias—one of the happy consequences of extensive breeding—on a table in Ben Wolff's Milton Pots or Footed Herb Pots ( grdnbklyn.com ). For a more organic approach, try wrapping the plastic pot in burlap. And don't assume that supermarket poinsettias are the only options: It's possible to find the plant at garden centers in unusual colors like apricot, salmon or variegated pink and cream.

But the poinsettia isn't the only plant that looks good this time of year and evokes a sense of the holidays. When searching out alternatives, I focus on flowers that are currently at their peak—e.g., those of tropical origin—and somehow seasonal in hue. I tend to stick to white and shades of pink and red. In the depths of winter, scent is a bonus. After all, a seasonal tableau is about bringing nature indoors, despite the odds.
     
One of my favorites is the florist cyclamen (3, 9)—which often shows up in Home Depots, garden centers and florists soon after Thanksgiving—a softer, shyer alternative to the in-your-face poinsettia. Their butterfly-like flowers are either quite petite or larger (up to 1.5 inches) and range in color from snowy white to soft pink to deep crimson. Their sweet, intricately marked heart-shaped leaves add to their appeal. Water cyclamens carefully. Too much and they wilt; too little and they dry up—so wait until the soil is dry to the touch and make sure it's draining well.

Then there are the easy "forced bulbs," such as amaryllises (6, 12) and paperwhites (8), that you nurture into bloom; both make great hostess gifts. You can either mail-order bulbs online (try whiteflowerfarm.com or brentandbeckysbulbs.com ) and pot up your own, or buy ready-made kits at garden centers or big-box hardware stores. The resplendent amaryllis comes in many varieties, from spidery striped blooms ('Lima' or 'La Paz') to elegant white trumpets with green throats ('Evergreen' or 'Trentino'), to name a couple. For paperwhites—which stand tall like a host of particularly attentive angels—I look for the newer varieties like 'Galilee', 'Inbal' or 'Nir.' Their scent is less off-puttingly intense than some of their breed. Like amaryllises, paperwhites look great in groupings, planted in terra-cotta pots and dressed with moss. Unlike poinsettias, which are static, both plants continually grow and change, sending up shoots and edging their way into bloom.

Though winter is the peak bloom time for orchids (4, 10), this flower is often perceived as too refined to be jolly, and overlooked in favor of the more assertively festive poinsettia. But if your taste leans toward the modern, a white Phalaenopsis (moth) orchid is an elegant indulgence. I find a pink orchid refreshing, too. And, of course, orchids last months longer than any cut flowers. Find them at the suppliers mentioned above, and (incredibly affordably) at IKEA. Keep them out of direct light and water once a week.
Though merely green, topiaries can be lovely. I like to line a mantle with myrtle (5) that's been whimsically shaped into small trees or balls ( shopterrain.com ). And one of my favorite moves is to group little cypress trees (7) in a window box indoors or out. You end up with a miniature forest that's Christmassy but not over the top. Look for the variety called 'Lemon' which has a citrus scent ( shopterrain.com ).

I'm also a fan of Christmas cactus (1), a tough houseplant that can live on little water and light and which blooms in the winter, hence its name. Nestled into a pretty pot with its cascading flowers spilling over the edge of a foyer table, it welcomes your dinner guests when you're too preoccupied with cooking to do much more than mumble "Hello." If you can't find a Christmas cactus at the grocery store or Home Depot, try eBay, which offers an almost implausibly wide variety.

Finally, two plants that are normally seen outdoors—and too low to the ground to be fully appreciated: I recently noticed that farmers' markets and florists were offering small potted heathers (2), with their sprigs of vibrant magenta, and Lenten rose or hellebore Niger (13, pre-bloom), whose subtle beauty will impress your gardener friends. It's rare to see these hardy plants up-close when they're flowering. And if the ground in your area hasn't frozen, you can plant them in the garden to grow on once the hectic season's done.

Gardens + Art: NC Botanical Gardens presents "Sculpture in the Garden"

Don't forget to visit the NC Botanical Gardens exhibit on thru Dec. 8.

Every fall the North Carolina Botanical Garden hosts an outdoor exhibition of exciting sculptures by North Carolina artists. This year, for the 25th anniversary of this dynamic exhibition, we have 44 pieces of outstanding art framed by our fall garden landscapes. Twenty-eight artists, 9 of whom are new to the show, were chosen to bring in their artwork that has been delighting visitors. Be sure to visit several times over the more than two-months-long exhibition! Read an article about the show in the Daily Tar Heel.

The juror for the 2013 invitational sculpture show was Steve Litt, art and architecture critic from The Plain Dealer (and formerly of the Raleigh News & Observer). Awards were announced at the festive opening reception on September 20th:

Best in Show Award—Mark Hewitt's Polka Vase, above left
People's Choice Award—Stan Harmon's Dionaea Muscipula Arboresque, above right
Merit Awards: Joseph Gargasz's Amulets 1 - 10 and Craig Usher's Crushed Up Wave (see link to photos, below)

View the sculptures and artists' statements HERE.
Purchase sculptures HERE.

There is no admission fee for visiting Sculpture in the Garden or any part of the North Carolina Botanical Garden. Please come and enjoy a self-guided tour anytime now through December 8.

Turning Water Into Trees: Water Bill Program Funds Durham Beautification

Redbuds Cercis canadensis  blooming in downtown Durham.

By Alex Johnson City of Durham
The Durham Herald
 

As of this week there is an easy way for you to support planting more trees in Durham, and you should really consider doing it. The “Water into Trees”  program allows water customers to contribute a  little or a lot via their water bill to the fund that allows the city’s Urban Forestry crews to replace some of the trees that they take down, and even make up for  the loss of trees elsewhere. 
The amount you donate is up to you.  You can round-up your bill to the nearest dollar, allowing you to slowly contribute as time goes by, or you can increase you bill each month by a set amount.  You can also make a one-time donation with the option to contribute in honor of someone or to commemorate an event.
 
So what’s the connection between water and trees?  It’s been known for a long time that trees located in areas where water quality is low on account of urban conditions can help bring pollution levels down.  They do this by putting out a canopy over paved or compacted surfaces, intercepting and slowing the movement of water, and taking up a lot of the excess water and pollution (in the form of nutrients) through their roots.  Those roots also hold together soil and keep erosion in check. 
Durham has enjoyed steady growth, despite the recent recession, and as we develop and pave over areas that once were forest, our ability to manage the flow of water moving through our storm sewers becomes increasingly challenging.  One way to manage pollutants from impervious surfaces is to  plant more trees, and we will happily do it for you, on city right-of-way, and take care of them into the future.
 
However, we can’t do it without help.  The amount of money needed to purchase a tree to be planted in an urban setting varies according to size, species and the overall trend in nursery costs.  Each year the allotted funding for tree planting in Durham is subject to the budgetary process, which in recent years has called for cuts and creative resource management. 
Having a budget that is supported by voluntary contributions helps to fill the gaps left by cuts and material price increases. It also clearly illustrates that the residents of this proud community care about their trees. 
 
 If you are interested in opting into the program, or adopting a tree, visit the Urban Forestry website at http://durhamnc.gov/ich/op/gs/Pages/Urban-Forestry.aspx , or shoot me an email at Alexander.Johnson@durhamnc.gov .
 
Alex Johnson is urban forestry manager for the City of Durham.