Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Look Ma! No trees!!

While working in the Allegheny National Forest, we ran across a big rock which had some very cool lichens growing on its surface. They definitely remind me of raindrop splashes and I figured this would be a great subject for the macro function on my government camera. Pretty cool stuff.


This pic includes some mossy stuff and that provides a nice contrast to the rock and the nearly psychiatric blobs of lichens. Again, nature provides many interesting and beautiful things to find out in our forests.


Thursday, April 13, 2006

Burney Falls and then off to Pennsylvania

Well, I posted a message responding to waterfalls in the newsgroups stating that there was a picture of Burney Falls in here. Turns out there wasn't sooooooo, here's a few pics of this amazing amount of mostly spring water. Often times, in the summer, the creekbed above the falls is completely dry, while the falls remains a gushing oasis of mist, ferns and shade from the summer heat. While the falls is in McArthur-Burney Falls State Park, in NE California, the falls can be accessed for free on the west side, along Clear Creek Road. Just a tip for you economy conscious visitors .


On Monday, I'm headed back east off to Pennsylvania to again harvest high-value blowndown hardwood trees on the Allegheny National Forest. Of course, wherever I go, there always seems to be a controversial project I'll be working on. This project is no different but, the wood is now several years old and getting pretty decayed. It'll take 2-3 weeks to complete and we hope to get it done before the trees "leaf out", making it tough to see and navigate through those woods. Of course, I'll be taking my cameras and will still be chatting online, as well as causing a general commotion amongst the "preservationist" public.
Below is a picture from the last time and we're expected to measure these trees for length and diameter plus, estimating the amount of rot and "unmerchantable" wood in the kinks and branches of these black cherries, maples, ash and other hardwood trees.
See ya on the road!