Scatter Info As We Bloom and Grow

Transcription

1 Scatter Info As We Bloom and Grow Horticulture Edition, Gail Berthe, Editor Environmental Edition, Judy Keenan, Editor Landscape Design Edition, Jane Hersey, Editor Volume I, Number 5 Environmental Edition January, 2014 Letter from the Editor I have always found it appropriate that the New Year comes at the very bleakest of seasons. It serves to remind us that even amidst the death of winter, new beginnings emerge. So often, environmental news seems as bleak as a gray January morning. But with the New Year we should find new hope and take it upon ourselves to create change in our world. As gardeners, this is the time of year we start longing for spring, scouring seed catalogs and dreaming about getting our hands back in the dirt. This year, I challenge you to plant some seeds of hope for our planet, by making one or two changes in the coming year to help keep our world as beautiful as our gardens. Happy New Year! Judy Keenan, Environment Editor 1 Good News for the Planet Remember the ozone hole? After scientists confirmed the existence of its expansion in 1985 due to industrial pollutants, such as CFCs, the United Nations established the Montreal Protocol, which phased out those pollutants worldwide. Although the ozone hole continues to shift seasonally, scientists now expect it to return to pre s size by Yes, international cooperation can make a difference! The Gray Wolf, Bald Eagle, Grizzly Bear and Brown Pelican have all come off the Endangered Species list thanks to expanding populations and habitat conservation. Want to go Solar? If you get solar equipment placed in service before January 1, 2017, you may be eligible for a 30% federal income tax credit.

2 Two Courses Planned for Environmental Studies School By Virginia Pennington, Environmental Studies Chair Mark your new 2014 calendars for the Environmental Studies School. On June 2-3, 2014 Course II, Land and Related Issues will be held at the Valdosta Learning Center in Valdosta. Then, on November 3-4, 2014, we will be offering Course III, Air and Related Issues, in Tifton, GA at the Nespal UGA Campus. The mission of the Environmental Studies School is to teach environmental literacy, by outlining the interrelationship between natural and mad- made components of our lives, and how to manage a responsible stewardship of the planet. We hope you will join us and learn to cherish, protect and conserve the living earth. Winter Bird Feeding By Mary Ann Bryant Basic Suet Recipe Combine: Winter can be a stressful time for birds. Much of the natural food supply has either been consumed or hidden by snow and most of the insects are either dead or dormant. Feeding birds in the winter is especially important because of the increased energy needs during the cold, wintery weather to maintain body temperatures. Feeders should be located out of the wind near cover, but in the open, to allow the birds to watch for danger. A location on the east or southeast side of a building or near trees is ideal. Placing your feeder near perching spots, such as a bush or tree, allows the birds safe refuge while surveying the feeding area. The same goes for ground feeders, which should be in an area near cover with a clear view of surroundings. Placing seeds in ground feeders entices birds such as sparrows, juncos, mourning doves, quail, pheasants, towhees and brown thrashers. The Red- Bellied Woodpecker will sometimes forage on the ground as well. Platform and hopper feeders attract Cardinals, Wrens, Chickadees, Titmice, Jays and Grosbeaks. Hanging feeders generally attract species that can hang on while feeding, such as Chickadees, Titmice, Nuthatches and Finches. Oil Sunflower is a great seed to offer in winter because of its high fat, calorie and protein content, as well as its thin shell. Suet is a perfect winter bird food that is especially loved by Nuthatches, Woodpeckers, Wrens, Chickadees, Cardinals and most insect- eating birds. Suet is quick, easy and inexpensive to make from a variety of ingredients likely already found in your kitchen. Almost any seed or grain can be mixed with bacon fat, lard and/or peanut butter. Dried fruits, such as raisins, currants, apricots, cranberries, etc., are a wonderful addition to any 2 1 cup lard, shortening or bacon grease 1 cup crunchy peanut butter 1 cup flour 3 cups cornmeal Dried fruits or nuts, chopped finely and/or birdseed

3 What is the Great Backyard Bird Count? Blue Jay, Michele Black, OH The 2014 GBBC will take place Friday, February 14, through Monday, February 17. Please join us for the 17th annual count! The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four- day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real- time snapshot of where the birds are. GBBC checklists can be accepted from anywhere in the world! Everyone is welcome- - from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It s free, fun, and easy and it helps the birds. Participants tally the number of individual birds of each species they see during their count period. They enter these numbers on the GBBC website. New participants must set up a free GBBC account to submit their checklists or use login information from an existing account for any other Cornell Lab citizen- science project. You ll only need to do this once to participate in all future GBBC events. As the count progresses, anyone with Internet access can explore what is being reported. Participants may also send in photographs of the birds they see for the GBBC photo contest. A selection of images is posted in the online photo gallery. Why count birds? Scientists and bird enthusiasts can learn a lot by knowing where the birds are. Bird populations are dynamic; they are constantly in flux. No single scientist or team of scientists could hope to document and understand the complex distribution and movements of so many species in such a short time. Scientists use the GBBC information, along with observations from other citizen- science projects, such as the Christmas Bird Count, Project FeederWatch, and ebird, to get the big picture about 3

4 what is happening to bird populations. The longer these data are collected, the more meaningful they become in helping scientists investigate far- reaching questions, like these: How will the weather influence bird populations? Where are winter finches and other irruptive species that appear in large numbers during some years but not others? How will the timing of birds migrations compare with past years? How are bird diseases, such as West Nile virus, affecting birds in different regions? What kinds of differences in bird diversity are apparent in cities versus suburban, rural, and natural areas? For highlights of past results, visit the Summaries section of the Great Back Yard Bird Count website. Reprinted with permission from the Great Backyard Bird Count. For more information on how you can participate, visit Evening Grosbeak, Rejean Turgeon, QC 2013 GBBC Eco Yoga By Judy Keenan Close your eyes and imagine a world where greenhouse gases get turned into alternative energy, where cars run on solar and all foods are natural and nutritious. It s a bit like the yogi on the mountainside who easily twists into a pretzel. Now think of yourself. Can you bend down and touch the floor? Not there yet? Well, Yoga can help. The goal of yoga is about intentions, not about end results. You start by reaching toward the ground; it doesn t matter if you can touch it or not. In any case, it s a good back stretch. You don t want to push so hard that you injure yourself. If you bring the right intentions, some patience and practice, you may actually be that twisted yogi on a hill after a few years. Now lets look at our environmental intentions. It s not an all or nothing endeavor. You don t need to install solar panels on your roof or ditch your Lexus for a Prius (although it would be nice). Instead, start by making sure you recycle. See how much you can reduce the amount of garbage that goes into the landfill each week. If that s a stretch, then just hold that position for a while. Wait a few weeks and then try pushing it a wee bit further. Take a deep breath and start composting your food scraps. Keep a bucket next to the sink and just toss those onionskins into it rather than the garbage disposal. When it s full, bury it in your compost pile. 4

5 Eco Yoga, cont. If you re already composting and recycling, then let s learn the next pose: energy savings around the home. Switch to florescent or LED lights. Turn the thermostat down a few degrees. These measures actually save you dollars along with energy. Ready to reach further? Insulate your attic with spray foam or replace your old windows with efficient dual panes. These poses take a little more effort, given their upfront costs, but in the long run they actually allow you to stretch your dollars by significantly reducing your energy bills (not to mention your carbon footprint). Practicing an environmentally responsible stance doesn t have to hurt. After a while you ll probably ask yourself why you didn t do all these things before, because you ll just feel so much better about yourself and the world you live in. Who knows, given enough practice, you may even install that solar panel on your roof. Namaste. Scatter Information as We Bloom and Grow is a monthly publication of the Garden Club of Georgia. Each edition focuses on one of three themes: Horticulture, the environment and landscape design. Horticulture Editor: Gail Berthe, gail.berthe@gmail.com Environment Editor: Judy Keenan, thekeenanfamily@comcast.net Landscape Design Editor: Jane Hersey, jhersey@bellsouth.net 5