ENTS- Today my oldest son and I returned to the Cuyahoga Valley to investigate some sites for potential reports. We didn't spend much time measuring, rather just hiked to explore unfamiliar areas(did measure a white ash to 132', and a sycamore to 13' 10'' cbh and 113'). The neatest thing we observed was a snowy owl, perched in a tree in an area of larger trees. It's very unusual for one to be in Ohio, but my trusty Peterson's guide says it can happen---which brings me to the primary question of this post: Why are more people, generally, interested in birding than observing and measuring trees? I think we all can attest that on a trail we would more likely encounter a birder with a $800-$1200 Zeiss binocular around the neck than a tree measurer with a $200 Nikon rangefinder and $100 inclinometer. I'm in no way anti-birding, but knowing the woods seems so much more basic--the types of trees determine the species of birds and mammals present. The avian-centric position seems to be expressed in the promotional literature of park systems also, where rare or unusual species of birds present are stressed, without mention of the forest community that attracted them. And Jenny, this in no way is meant to disparage your rescue efforts in NYC.
Steve -- Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected]
