Author Archives: jltnatural-admin

Nov/Dec 2015 Book Selection

beyond words photoIn order to accommodate holiday activities, the Natural History Society book club will have one meeting, rather than two, for the months of November and December.  We will meet on Monday, December 7, from 3:30 – 5:00, at Oma Landstra’s house. Contact Jean at jltnatural@saveland.org for directions, if needed.

We will discuss Carl Safina’s book, Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel. Amazon describes this book as weaving decades of field observations with new discoveries about the brain.  Safina writes about animal behaviors that challenge the fixed boundary between humans and nonhuman animals.  We will read stories of animal joy, grief, jealousy, anger, and love in various locations–in Africa, in Yellowstone National Park, in the Pacific Northwest. The similarity between human and nonhuman consciousness, self-awareness, and empathy prompts us to re-evaluate how we interact with animals.  It is a “graceful examination of humanity’s place in the world.”

 

An Outing to the Duckabush River

IMG_4692On October 24, 2015, the Natural History Society members Dave Rugh and Pat Rothman led an outing to explore two Jefferson Land Trust properties: the  Duckabush Oxbow Preserve and the Duckabush Wetlands Preserve.

It was an easy walk over uneven terrain. The Duckabush River provides spawning and rearing habitat for trout and salmon, and many animals and birds inhabit the area. This is an excellent place to look for signs of elk, bear, beaver, owls, woodpeckers, and ducks.

We brought cameras, binoculars, our favorite field guides, lunch, and water. Pat at jltnatural@saveland.org was the contact for details.

October 2015 Book Selection

wild treesThe JLT Natural History Society book club selection for October 2015 is The Wild Trees by Richard Preston.

The club will meet on Monday, October 26, from 3:30-5:00. Please RSVP to Jean at jltnatural@saveland.org  for information on the location of the meeting.

Richard Preston’s nonfiction story of exploration of the canopy of tall trees (mostly Sequoia sempervirens in Northern California) is both an adventure story and a description of a new field of botanical research.  The explorers are young, college-age students who share a passion for the trees. These amateur botanists ignore the common wisdom that “there is nothing left to discover in North America.”  They master tree-climbing skills, and enter a world where humans have not been before.

Preston’s tale of some of the world’s tallest trees includes chapters on tall trees in Washington State and in Australia.

A Walk in the Quimper Wildlife Corridor

On September 15, 2015, the Natural History Society joined for a walk in the Quimper Wildlife Corridor. We met at the small parking area at the end of North Jacob Miller Road, and visited the Quimper West property protected by Jefferson Land Trust. We enjoyed the ambiance of a 100-year-old lowland second-growth forest and discussed forest ecology with Dave Rugh and Chris Jones who have lived and worked in the forests of the northern Olympic Peninsula for decades.

344What trees are growing here? Which species will eventually dominate if the forest remains undisturbed by wildfire or clearcuts? What constitutes an old-growth forest? How can you evaluate the health of a forest? Participants were encouraged to bring their  ideas and questions, and together we explored the makeup of this forest.

Chris at jltnatural@saveland.org was the contact for more information.

Sept 2015 book selection

Northwest Coast coverThe JLT Natural History Society book club selection for September 2015 is The Northwest Coast by James G. Swan.  The book club will meet on Monday, September 28, 3:30-5:00, at the Ilahee Preserve shelter.  If you need directions, contact Jean at jltnatural@saveland.org.

James Swan emigrated to Shoalwater Bay (now Willapa Bay) north of the Columbia River in Washington Territory after leaving the gold fields in California.  He enjoyed the company of both white settlers and friendly Indians in the area.  First published in 1857, this book about “Three Years’ Residence in Washington Territory” (the subtitle of the book) is Swan’s account as both an observer and a participant in the white settlers’ invasion of the Indians’ lands. He presents a detailed view of the ecology of the area, as well as the people in the early days of Washington Territory.