Blog

Grasslands are gone, too.

Some scientists estimate that native grasslands have declined by as much as 99 percent. By some estimates, this resulted in three billion fewer birds on the landscape than 50 years ago. This has harmed both the eastern meadowlark and the bobwhite which are

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purple orchid

August 14, 2018 Environment

A VISIT TO THE NORTH BRANCH RESTORATION PROJECT’S SOMME PRAIRIE GROVE

Somme Prairie Grove Photo Credit: Peter Gorman Creative Commons I recently decided to spend a few summer days in Chicago. The Windy City is a great place to take a summer vacation. The weather is usually excellent on Lake Michigan, and Chicago has an amazing array of cultural institutions and fine dining. When I mentioned […]

July 27, 2018 Environment

Wild American Ginseng and the Chinese Doctor

Dr. Iris Gao has moved from mainland China to Middle State Tennessee University in order to study Wild American ginseng. It just so happens that we have a lot of the root at Coal Creek farm in Eastern Tennessee. Dr. Gao visited recently with her colleague Dr. Elliot Altman (aka the hemp doctor) and Andrea Bishop, who […]

July 19, 2018 Environment

Grateful for Little Things

Last week I had the privilege of seeing AND filming a Northern Bobwhite (aka quail) at Coal Creek Farm in Eastern Tennessee. Sightings of these once ubiquitous little birds are rare. Having one slow down enough to film it is even rarer. The Northern Bobwhite (quail) has declined 85% in population over the last fifty […]

July 16, 2018 Art

Miami Mountain Rocks

Left: Ugo Rondinone, Miami Mountain, 2016. Stone, paint, steel. Collection of The Bass, purchased with the John and Johanna Bass Acquisition Fund. Photo © Zachary Balber. Courtesy of The Bass, Miami Beach. Right: Bouquet of Tulips by Jeff Koons is to stand in front of the Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris and […]

July 3, 2018 Environment

Catching a Wild Elephant: Tennessee’s Piney River

There are several "Piney" River/Creeks on the Cumberland Plateau. The Piney River near Spring City, Tenn., is on the Walden's Ridge portion of the Plateau. Its headwaters join with Moccasin Creek, Bumbee and Duskin creeks, before finding the confluence with Soak Creek and flowing through Spring City into the Tennessee River. In 1970 the Bowater Southern Paper Corporation donated the land to the State of Tennessee.

June 26, 2018 Environment

With 50th anniversary of Scenic Rivers Act, let's double number of protected waterways

Fifty years ago this year, our political leaders codified the idea that our wild and scenic rivers should be conserved for themselves and for the future. Their efforts were modest; Congress asked each state to nominate two rivers. To accomplish this, these leaders had to be forward-thinking.