Great Natives of Midwestern Ecotype

January 2012 Edition

© 2012

Cover Photo:

Hoarfrost on Rosa Carolina (pasture rose)

January, 2012– Montgomery, IL

Great Natives Of Mid-western Ecotype

An ounce of prevention is worth a

pound of cure seems to be what

some leading ecologists are sug-

gesting for the likely increase in

heat and drought tolerant plant

imports to the United States due

to climate change concerns.

A recent study, headed by Betha-

ny Bradley– an ecologist at the

University of Massachusetts

Amhurst, looked at current

trends in the nursery trade, pat-

terns of temperature change,

and current landscaping practic-

es and how this may impact na-

tive environments.

There are numerous examples of

foreign plants run amok. Purple

loosestrife, oriental bittersweet,

and kudzu are all popular exam-

ples of ornamental invasive dis-

aster plants. The study cited that

plants used in in the newer

Southwestern US landscaping

model-xeriscaping (landscaping

with plants that use little to no

extra water) are already escaping

cultivation and invading dryland

areas.

“Our study identifies climate

change as a risk, which com-

bined with other factors is likely

to increase demand for import-

ed heat- and drought-tolerant

plants, but this emerging threat

is one that policy can effectively

address," states Bradley.

She goes on to say that the

USDA already has tools poised

for use to reduce import risks.

Australia has already been us-

ing a similar system for a dec-

ade. While it is not foolproof, it

has reduced the number of

environmental threats to that

country.

Earlier studies found a clear link

between increased trade and the

number of invasive species. This

study identified 42 countries poised

for trade in drought and heat toler-

ant plants. South America, equato-

rial Africa and tropical Asia all have

partners hoping to trade in the US.

The rate of introduction is highest at

the beginning of the trade. Bradley

states “stopping invasions before

they start is the most effective way

of preventing widespread ecological

and economic impacts,"

Volume 26, Issue 1

THE B IG P ICTURE : An ounce of prevention...

January 30, 2012

Did you know...

Lemmings don’t com-

mit suicide? Disney

filmmakers drove

lemmings off a cliff for

White Wilderness in

1958, thus adding

credence to this myth.

Snowy owl feathers

have no pigment? This

leaves more room for

insulating air and

helps keep them

warm.

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

Plant Profile 4

Native on the Net 4

Best Books 4

Organization Spotlight 5

Native News 5

Planting with a Purpose 5

Skeptical Science Invasives! Fantastic Fauna Focus on the Future

6

7

7

7

GNOME NEWS

G N O M E ’ S M I S S I O N

Great Natives Of

Mid-western Ecotype

(GNOME) is an organization

focused on the preservation

and expansion of native flo-

ral and faunal species. The

mission is to provide a net-

based forum where mem-

bers can share their pas-

sion, plans, ideas, and ques-

tions with other people hav-

ing a common interest.

You can participate in many

different ways.

1. Join our facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/

group.php?

gid=45643568296

2. Submit articles, pictures, sto-

ries, or plans for publication.

3. Visit or link to the website

4. Pass on the newsletter.

Proactive prevention may avoid other mistakes like these kudzu vines

The pasture rose is one of sever-

al native wild roses found in the

Midwest. These (along with

some exotic varieties) can be

very difficult to tell apart from

one another. Hopefully this pro-

file can help you tell the differ-

ence and also highlight the great

qualities of this beautiful

bloomer!

The original distribution falls

mainly in the eastern US. Rang-

es begin from Nebraska and

Texas continuing all the way to

the Atlantic coast.

This prickly shrub is usually

about three feet tall, though

older plants may sprawl to long-

er lengths. One way to identi-

fy this plant is by its thorns.

Most roses have curved and

stout thorns. This plant, how-

ever, has narrow, straight

spines instead. These also

often occur on opposite sides

of the stem from each other.

Blooms of this plant are usu-

ally pink and vary slightly in

their intensity. Each single

bloom has five petals. After

blooming, fruiting seed pods

called hips form. It blooms in

early summer for about a month.

The main pollinator of this rose

are long-tongued bees such as

the bumblebee. Other bees col-

lect pollen as well. Smaller mam-

mals and many game birds will

eat the rosehips in winter, helping

to spread the plant to other loca-

tions. It is also browsed by deer

and foliage by some insect larva.

This plant spreads aggressively.

For this reason, I have used it

effectively in bio-hedges. It is not

well suited for small gardens be-

cause it spreads underground. It

is tolerant of a variety of soils, but

prefers it drier and needs full sun.

This book, which relies on solid

research and not just anecdo-

tal observations,

brings animal

behavior and

intelligence to a

whole new level.

It challenges the

traditional no-

tion that hu-

mans are the

only ones that

experience emo-

tions and dis-

play higher level

thinking skills.

Second Nature: The Inner Lives

of Animals by Jonathan Bal-

combe will get you to see the

world differently.

I have spent a lot of time won-

dering if the interactions I ob-

served in nature were over

anthropomorphized in my mind

because I wanted to believe

that there was a deeper mean-

ing or connection between

living things. I’m glad I found

this book!

What I like best about the book is

that it calls for us to see other life

forms as sentient beings.

Even the most mundane

animals are brought into

a new light in this book

(carp and music recogni-

tion to name one).

You won’t regret the time

the time spent reading. It

will even change how you

see your pets!

It is also available in digi-

tal format for Kindle.

Page 4

N A T I V E O N T H E N E T

Rosa carolina– Pasture Rose

B E S T B O O K S– S E C O N D N A T U R E : T H E I N N E R

L I V E S O F A N I M A L S

of information and an oppor-

tunity to be a citizen scientist.

Project FeederWatch is a win-

ter-long survey of birds found

feeding at North American

birdfeeders. It begins in No-

vember and documents

through April (yes there is still

time to sign up!). It provides

trends in population and dis-

tribution of many species.

This site is a nice resource for

educational material, data, and

identification. Make sure that

you check out the “Explore

Data” section!

There is a minimal cost to par-

ticipate and enter your data.

The cost for non-lab members

is $15. This membership does

come with some nice materials.

This month’s featured site is :

Project FeederWatch

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/

The Cornell Lab or Ornithology is a

well known entity for anyone familiar

with birding. A silver anniversary

should be enough to attract your to

their news feed, but the Project

FeederWatch site provides a wealth

“Never look for

birds of this

year in the

nests of the

last.” ~Cervantes

This rose is hardy and resistant to foliar diseases common with other roses.

Volume 26, Issue 1

GNOME News

“Devoted to preserving Iowa’s

birds of prey and their natural

habitat.”

http://recserv.uiowa.edu/Apps/Pr

ograms/MacbrideRaptorProject.as

px

The MacBride Raptor Project

(MRP) was founded in 1985 as a

nonprofit organization. It is the

joint venture of two eastern Iowa

colleges– The University of Iowa

and Kirkwood Community College.

There are several services that

this dedicated organization pro-

vide for the state of Iowa. Reha-

bilitation and education of native

raptor species is their main

focus.

Every year between 150

and 200 birds of prey are

treated by the MRP. In-

jured raptors are first treat-

ed at the medical clinic at

Kirkwood campus. Here

students get a first hand

chance to assist. The birds

then move to the MacBride

site where flight condition-

ing occurs prior to their

release.

In addition to caring for wild

birds, both locations are home to

several permanently unreleasa-

ble raptors. These are used for

educational presentations,

school and private tours, and are

usually publically available for

viewing. Organizations can also

“adopt” or sponsor these birds.

This project is largely staffed

by volunteers. Many people

quietly make this operation

function, often without much

recognition. Learn more

about this great organization

at their website, or better yet,

take a visit or donate!

ter and food for many small mam-

mals and birds. Many plants like

ironweed, coneflowers, milkweed,

and grasses wear snow well and

provide for wildlife.

For me, some of the most beauti-

ful winter natives come in the

form of understory plants. These

bushes and small trees not only

provide great focal points when

blooming, but really stand out in

winter.

The rose family are obvious choic-

es (see cover). Pasture, Illinois,

There are many facets of garden

planning. One that I find is often

overlooked is thinking about winter

color or interest in your garden.

It is natural to think of bloom time,

color, height, etc. for active plants,

but planning for the dormant gar-

den is just as important in my opin-

ion.

The first thing to remember is that

you don’t need to remove seed

heads, stems, and stalks in the

fall. Even the brown isn’t pretty,

your standing plants provide shel-

and other roses leave colorful hips

that are useful late winter food as

well as standing out in snow.

Others like hawthorns are hardy,

have nice blooms, and their or-

ange or red berries are beautiful

winter accents. Of course red

osier dogwoods are a given.

Plants in the Ilex family

(deciduous hollies) are also great.

But one of my favorites is Euony-

mous atropurpureus-the wahoo.

This plant is great in all seasons.

And its common name might even

help you make it through the

winter!

Page 5

ORG A N I ZAT I O N SPO T L I G H T : M A C B R I D E R A P T O R P R O J E C T

P L A N T I N G W I T H A P U R P O S E :

C O L D S E A S O N C O M B I N A T I O N S

D1 left the area near Palisades

Park in August. She had been

fitted with a satellite transmitter

July 12th to help researchers fig-

ure out what young northern ea-

gles do after leaving their nest.

In December D1 completed a

round trip of over 900 miles by

returning to the area of her par-

ents’ nest. Her trip included a tour

of Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Initially she flew over 300 miles to

the Boundary Waters in northeast

Minnesota. From there she me-

andered back following rivers and

smaller waterways.

“Who would have ever guessed?

Not me.” said researcher Bob

Anderson– the expert that fitted

her with the transmitter. “When

she left, she was a food-begging

baby. Now she is a real eagle mak-

ing her own way in the world.”

Last year I put up a link to the

Decorah Eagle Live Webcam

stream. Many of you likely

checked in on these birds– the

site was visited over 213 million

times last year.

As part of this program, some of

the young eaglets were tagged

with a satellite transmitter. The

female called “D1” has recently

completed an interesting trip.

“Of winter’s lifeless

world each tree

Now seems a

perfect part;

Yet each one holds

summer’s secret

Deep down within

its heart.”

~Charles G. Stater

Helping injured raptors stay wild.

N A T I V E N E W S : D E C O R A H E A G L E R E T U R N S H O M E

Common Ninebark is another plant whose flaky bark provides

interest in winter.

A recent poll of Americans showed that people are less likely to be-

lieve in global warming today than they were five years ago. At first

I had a difficult time believing that this could be the case. After all,

information from hundreds of sources all point to

the logical conclusion that we are contributing to

the warming of our planet. But that conclusion is

where I think we have a disconnect in America. To

come to that conclusion, one would have to be

looking at that information and making a judgment.

I believe that many Americans are like a baby being

spoon fed– they simply are consuming what they

are being given– and when it comes to climate

change, that is often misinformation. (For more

details on the recent poll, follow this link- http://

environment.yale.edu/climate/files/

ClimateBeliefsMay2011.pdf)

So where are these myths and the misinformation

coming from? What are the motives for confusing

this important issue?

Climate change has been on the radar since the 1970s. The huge

oil crisis in 1973 sent a petroleum-based scare rippling into future

decades, some of which, we are still feeling. Fossil fuels continue to

be both a focal point as well as a funding base for much of the

“behind the scenes” work that muddy the waters of global warming.

The EPA, established late in 1970, began advocating climate

change policies shortly after its establishment. To combat this, com-

panies like ExxonMobil and industry associations like the American

Petroleum Institute and Edison Electric Institute began channeling

monetary support to contrarian scientists and conservative think

tanks that were already involved in fighting these new regulations.

The result was the creation of a misinformation, or better yet– disin-

formation machine that continues to churn

out confusing and misleading data meant

to generate doubt about the issue.

To many, talking about climate ethics is like

talking about religion or politics. The likeli-

hood that you will be able to change minds

or opinions about global warming is not very

good. But you can be armed with accurate

information and good resources to guide

them to discover their own conclusions.

Acknowledging that being skeptical is part

of the scientific process is a good thing. The

ability to replicate data through the scien-

tific method is essential to valid results. But

analyzing and interpreting existing information is something that

scientists are effectively doing. Looking at the consensus about

climate change in the scientific community is a fair place to start.

Current data shows that 97% of the scientific community in America

agrees that climate change is happening. While skeptics can fairly

question predictive models on the basis that we don’t know what

the future holds, that ignores all of the other evidence of what IS

occurring. All of that data points solidly to a human accelerated

warming planet. This begs the question- why would the petroleum-

funded “independent” scientists want to be contrarian?

Page 6

S K E P T I C A L S C I E N C E - D E B U N K I N G C L I M A T E C H A N G E M I S I N F O R M A T I O N

Volume 26, Issue 1

There are several logical reasons for these contradictory views so

prevalent in mainstream media and political agendas. The first,

and most obvious, is that science refuting the relationship between

human activity and fossil fuel use protects the busi-

ness interests of companies relying on petroleum.

This industry has the financial resources to impact

media industries and politicians alike. One cannot

hear about global warming without it being noted

that there are those skeptical about its cause.

When one considers that only 3% of American sci-

entists are still out on the conclusion that humans

have induced climate change, it is amazing that the

issue is covered in such a balanced way in the

news.

Another main reason for scientific disinformation is

that our culture rewards people for going against

the flow of the populous. It would be uncommon to

hear about a scientist in the media stating that he

agrees that we are causing climate change. But take a scientist

that disagrees and instantly that scientist is streaming into cars,

computers, televisions, and mobile phones.

While there are other contributing components to the misinfor-

mation machine, there are numerous resources that can help to

increase awareness of the real science behind they study of cli-

mate change. Anthony Leiserowitz is the author of the poll men-

tioned in the beginning of this article. He states that “Most Ameri-

cans have overwhelming trust in the science and trust in scien-

tists.” The problem lies it not knowing that there is such a large

scientific consensus. “So far the evidence shows that the more

people understand that there is this consensus, the more they tend

to believe that climate change is happening.” So how do we raise

this awareness?

I found a great website that provides a quick

reference for debunking the myths of climate

change. www.skepticalscience.com lists the

top 100 arguments rampant in the counter

climate change movement. It lists both suc-

cinct “layman” facts that show the scientific

conclusions, but also provides links to more

extensive research, publications, and in

depth explanations of the arguments in

question.

Another valuable and reliable source for

information can be found at

www.nasonline.org. This is the site for the National Academy of

Sciences. Climate change is just one of the topics here.

Raising awareness about this important issue is just as important

to being able to counter the misinformation being circulated. I be-

lieve that providing sources for people to draw their own conclu-

sions will greatly enhance this awareness. Please pass it on!

GNOME News

Cygnus olor—known commonly as

the mute swan is becoming an

increasingly invasive species in the

great lakes region of the Midwest.

These birds were introduced to

North America in the late 1800s or

early 1900s as an ornamental

species for private ponds and wa-

terways. They are native to Europe

and Asia.

This is a very large (25lbs)

snow white bird. It is easily

distinguished from native

swans because of its bill.

Adult mute swans have bright

orange bills with a black knob

in front of the eyes. All native

swans have black bills.

Wild populations can trace

their origin to two different

sources. The first are birds

that have escaped captivity. The

second source would be birds

that were intentionally released

into the wild for ornamental rea-

sons (left to fend for themselves)

or as an ineffective and illegal

method to run off other water-

fowl– especially Canadian geese.

These birds are extremely ag-

gressive to both people and oth-

er waterfowl. They use lakes and

wetlands much like native

birds. The male (cob) will

defend up to 6 acres

around the nest, which

impact native birds abil-

ity to nest and find sus-

tenance,

Another impact of these

invasive birds are their

appetite. An adult can

eat up to 20 lbs of food

a day. This can cause a

large amount of damage

to native aquatic vegeta-

tion.

This might soon be known as “The Year of the

Snowy Owl” among birders and nature enthusi-

asts. Records are being set across the Midwest

for both numbers of identified individual birds

and sightings. Let’s take a closer look at this

amazing, if regionally uncommon owl.

This owl typically lives on the tundra in the north-

ern hemisphere. It is largely white with some

brown/black barring and bright yellow eyes.

Males turn whiter with age and the females keep

their barring pattern throughout their lives.

It is the heaviest owl in North America, weighing

between 3.5 and 6.5 pounds. The main food

source for this large owl is the lemming. Adults

consume between 3-5 lemmings per day and can

eat more than 1,600 in a year. It will eat other

smaller mammals, but snowy owl numbers are

directly related to their main food source num-

bers (see Did You Know for a lemming fact).

As with most owls, snowies are reverse sexually

dimorphic. This means that the female is larger

than the male. It is believed that this aids in the

incubation of eggs and also in defending the

nest. Snowy owls will even attack wolves that

venture too close!

Page 7

F A N TA S T I C F A U N A : T H E S N O W Y O W L

IN VAS I VE S - M U T E S W A N S

These birds are most often observed sitting si-

lently on a high point that offers a good vantage

point for viewing potential prey. Once prey is

caught, these birds will often make caches with

large numbers of animals, utilizing the cold tem-

peratures where they live as a natural refrigera-

tor/freezer. Males most often make these cach-

es to demonstrate their ability as a provider to

potential mates. This has also been observed

while the female is on the nest, presumably to

feed her and young owlets.

Snowy owls are rare visitors to the Midwest, but

occasionally sporadic irruptions occur. This year

there are an unusually high number visiting the

region. Food short-

ages, extreme

weather, and large

populations of young

birds can all be rea-

sons for an irruption.

This year saw a lem-

ming boom and-

many young sur-

vived. These appear

to be young birds

pushed out of adult

territory.

“I rejoice that there are owls…. They represent the stark twilight and unsatisfied thoughts which

all have.”

~Henry David Thoreau

Cygnus olor -wild bird populations

This female juvenile was released near Bartlett,

Illinois on January 23 after being hit by a SUV.

Primary Business Address

1753 Wick Way

Montgomery, IL 60538

Great Nat ives Of Mid-western Ecotype

Have you ever sat around a fire in

the snow, only to identify the

small popping around you as the

expulsion of exploding seed pods

of wild petunia? Well, I have.

Have you ever observed a queen

bumblebee emerge from your

long grass and unraked leaf litter

in the spring? Well, I have.

Have you ever observed many

small songbirds feeding on last

season’s dead heads instead of

the seed in the birdfeeder? Well,

I have.

To an outside observer I’m sure

that I look like a lazy gardener.

Every season is rife with signs of

what would appear to others as

inattention to yard and flowerbed.

Currently, my long lawn grass is

poking up through the snow. I

have still standing plants with

dead seed heads in every corner.

Prairie grasses cause small drifts

of snow around them wherever the

wind chooses to blow it.

It is safe to say that by traditional

subdivision standards, I would not

make the grade.

But there is a method to my

madness– or laziness as the

case might be.

Have you ever sat down for your

morning coffee and watched the

methodical junco jump on the

base of a little bluestem culm

waving with seed and hop to-

ward the top pinning it to the

ground to eat? Well, I have.

Have you ever witnessed season-

al migrants like a cerulean war-

bler (uncommonly found in your

vicinity) utilize the food and cover

your yard provides? Yes– I have.

I don’t mention these things to

brag, though I am happy to have

experienced them. I mention

them to illustrate that even

though the property I own can be

called mine, I have an obligation

to share it with the other living

things in my world.

My yard will never make the

cover of Better Homes and

Gardens (though it did make it

into the Wild Ones Journal). I

can honestly say that I don’t

mind having to spend less time

mowing, trimming, weeding,

fertilizing, watering, and gener-

ally maintaining a “typical”

lawn. I figure it gives me more

time to enjoy it. Who knows,

maybe I am a lazy gardener

after all...

FOCUS ON THE FUTURE THE LAZY GARDENER

E-mail: GNOME.Native@gmail.com

There’s no place like GNOME!

GNOME

Great Natives of Mid-western Ecotype (GNOME) is an organization focused on the

preservation and expansion of native floral and faunal species. The mission is to provide a net-

based forum where members can share their passion, plans, ideas, and questions with other people

having a common interest in native species.

Check out our site!!!

Join our facebook group!

(http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=45643568296)

This is our primary forum location. The newsletter as well as open discussions are there and

also other links to people and groups that focus on natives.

Got an article? Now accepting member submitted news and photos! Once you have something to

share, send it to the email listed at left. Monthly news articles will, of course, give credit to the

contributor. Everyone welcome!

We’re on the Web!

http://gnomenative.webs.com/

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“The gardener in him sold out to the

nature– conservationist…”