Post Type: Field Notes

Field Notes

Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Nov. 14, 2017

November 14, 2017 - by Area Forester Lisa Deaton Mushrooms! When you work in the woods every day, it can be joyful to see something new.  After the rain last week, quite a variety of mushrooms sprouted.  The most unusual one I saw was hairy on top. These mushrooms were so tiny I almost missed them. This mushroom is keeping company with a small army of lichens, and perhaps fungi, on the decaying log... Read More

Field Notes

Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today? Nov. 8, 2017

November 8, 2017 - Snack Time by VDOF Area Forester Lisa Deaton Last week I was asked to see if a 16-year-old loblolly pine plantation had grown large enough for a commercial thinning. I was perplexed to find what looked like pieces of honeycomb on the ground.  There were no large hollow trees nearby, just young, solid pine trees. Then I noticed that there were several pieces of it scattered around a nearby hole... Read More

Field Notes

Field Notes: What’s in the Woods Today?

October 30, 2017 - by Lisa Deaton, VDOF Area Forester It’s Deer Time! Last week I walked around a forested property to prepare a Stewardship Plan for a private landowner.  It felt like I had entered the kingdom of deer.  With new food sources ripening every day and the excitement of mating season, the white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, are on the move.  Many people are familiar with the sight of buck rubs on small trees... Read More