You didn’t think you were going to take a chainsaw safety class and not fell a 15” tree, did you?

Since I had a good time nature journaling at Leon Levy Preserve, I decided to bring my notebook out with me again to the Nature Conservancy’s West Branch Preserve in Hamden, NY.

I took out my journal and began to write. I started by describing my hike and my experiences, making sure to focus on my emotions and sensory observations.

Then we heard the sound of a large animal moving through the brush…

It’s said that Cleopatra herself incorporated rose water potions into her own beauty routine. Unfortunately, we can’t all afford to live like a queen and regularly buying rose water to use as a facial toner or hair and body mist can get quite pricey. So to save a few bucks, I decided to try making rose water with petals from my garden.

Box elder is commonly mistaken for poison ivy.

You might look at a leaf-covered stream and think it looks dirty. But all that leaf litter is good for water quality, both for creatures in the water and those of us who depend on it to drink.

Animals take some truly amazing journeys. Today, I’d like to talk about three animals that take yearly migrations and the reasons behind their treks.

In my 10 years of providing training to help loggers be safer and more profitable, I have met some exceptional guys. Ray Tallman was one of them.

Is that a really weird-looking pinecone? That was my first thought when I came across this bizarre plant the other evening while hiking.

Our guest blog series by students from Columbia University’s Earth Institute concludes with an interview of Diana Hartel. Diana is an artist, author, and former environmental epidemiologist for Columbia University.

In this third guest blog from our friends at Columbia University’s Earth Institute, the students interview Susan Roth. Susan is an urban planner, outdoor painter, and a member of the Wallkill River School of Art.

Our guest blog series from Columbia University students continues. This week they interview Shawn Dell Joyce, a painter, educator, and founder of the Wallkill River School of Art, a nonprofit that offers outdoor painting workshops on open spaces and small farms.

Last fall, we teamed up with Columbia University students to create new outdoor projects we could share. The students came through with information on painting or drawing in nature, called plein air art. They also interviewed four artists to get their perspective on the value of creating art outside.

In his own words, landowner Frank Winkler describes a few of the lessons he’s learned caring for his Catskill Mountains property, including advice on timber harvesting, improving wildlife habitat, dealing with property taxes, and much more. MyWoodlot extends a big “Thank You” to Frank for sharing his story with us.