Its about time!

My angst from the prior quarters is finally over! This week I was able to get the program I need running on my home computer and also had the map files I needed transfered over into a format I can use- Weeeee! I was soooo bummed out by the prospect of having to remake these very intensive maps. Worry no more!

I also hear that there will be a good group of people on board to get our project done this summer as well as a few that will be working with me and Dan this quarter to reestablish the plots and finish up the forest inventory. With field work, the more the merrier! Especially when you know the work involves wandering around in the woods hoping to find some trace of where you were last year!

Video Up!

wrap up so soon

In spite of myself this had been a very full quarter and it amazes me that it is over already. I have been able to spend a fair amount of time in the woods, and get to look forward to ever-increasing amounts as the days get longer.

Technical difficulties and compatibility issues are still keeping a map linger over my head that totally needs to get made, that aside I am proud of the video I made about the project. When I get it up on the Tube tomorrow I'll embed it here so you all can see my multimedia madness and get the nitty-gritty on my project.

Thanks for tuning in this quarter- sorry for not keeping more frequent posts, but frankly, there hasn't been that much new and exciting going on!

Oh, one thing I thought to put in but did on another blog: I was interviewed in the Spring catalog! Check it out, its near the beginning where there in the scoop on Dan's summer research classes!

On the Forestry side of things...

Its official: Record Height Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii)

We went back out to the Rainy Creek woods yesterday to find the dogwood and document its height, diameter and to try to figure out its age.

here goes:
87 feet high with a diameter of 10 inches
Core rot prevented us from determining its age. Still, it is most likely the same age as the rest of the stand (63 years).
The spread of the crown is about 10-12 feet.

There is very little crown left on this tree, this and the core rot lets us know that even if measures are taken to try to save it, there is little chance it will live much longer. Go visit is while you can!

Three miles uphill, in the snow, eating sticks

The trail winds through forest, patchy at times with the sun gleaming through breaks in the canopy. Here and there an enormous (relatively) yew tree with its shaggy bark leans over the trail, a green cocoon embracing the path.
Cougar prints alight the section of trail- clearly embossed in the untarnished snow.
We turn a corner and step out up on Deer Ridge.
The clear blue sky stretched out overhead, pure and bright. The only cloud hung close to the not-so distant mountain peaks, seeming to find safety nestling near the snow and rocks, far from the never ending open pierced only by the bright glowing orb overhead.
We stop to freshen up, eat some, drink some- put the snowshoes on and continue along the ridge to find a good spot to sample.
A little trickier than you'd think.
Need to find a place with out too much slope (good luck) or too much canopy cover (yeah right). In the end we decided on Compensation Point to get it started, and began our descent. Stopping at a few points back down off the trail to set our new sampling locations.

Beautiful day.
Wonderful crew.
Deep snow.
Quality snow chains are important.
very important.

Hurrah for modern snowshoes! Some have a bracket that flips up in back to assist in steep uphill climbs- very handy when climbing up a ridiculous ascent!

So I got to the college thinking it would be a regular field day of driving up to the hills, stopping at the different sampling areas, trotting off road a bit to get to the plots, nothing too exciting... and lo! I get to PC to discover that there has been a change of plans- instead of same ole same ole, we get to go up Deer Ridge!

Man, I love field work.
What a glorious place to live.

Right On!

Ron Paul placed second in Nevada!!!!!

Yay!

update: and Louisiana! A very close second!
update II: Main?

Tallest Pacific Dogwood Ever!

This just in:

It has been confirmed that right here in the Olympic Peninsula is the world record for the tallest Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii). Last summer on our research expedition in the Sol Duc area by Rainy Creek we found this lone soldier in a mixed Douglas-Fir stand.

It came in at 83 feet- head and shoulders above the prior record holder, though now chopped down, was 60 feet (in 1986, at the last verified measurement).

(In case anyone is concerned, in the experimental forest we are working in all, all unique species (any deciduous such as this and ceders) are untouched as this wood is being managed to increase habitat and structural diversity.)

Keep on growing baby!