Field Guide – Land Between the Lakes

23 Jun 2017

Local Students’ Project Helps Osprey Conservation

Birding, Community, Environmental Education, Field Guide, Nature Station, Wildlifecommunity, conservation, Kentucky, land between the lakes, osprey, project based learning, students, tennessee, Trigg County School

Submitted by John Pollpeter, Lead Naturalist at Woodlands Nature Station During the 2016-2017 school year, Trigg County Middle School participated in a teaching method called “Project-based Learning.” Students are given a project or problem, and then incorporate writing, math, science, art, and computer skills attempt to develop a solution. Ms. Brannigan Ethridge’s 8th grade class was given a list of species that need conservation help. Two students, Zach Meador and Hannah Fletcher, were able to take the project even further than they could imagine. The two students, working with the US Forest Service, developed a plan to put up an…

31 Oct 2016

By LBL_Admin

Open lands-Helping Wildlife Survive

Field Guide, Fire, Hunting, Natural Resource Management, Plants, Recreation, Restoration, Stewardship, Wildlifefire, Forest Service, habitat, Kentucky, land between the lakes, openlands, partners, prescribed burning, species, tennessee, wildlife

Dear friends, As part of our Land and Resource Management Plan, we designated approximately 10,600 acres as open lands. This acreage specifically supports insects, game animals, grassland type birds, and mammals through open lands management. Managing open lands involves keeping desired vegetation in an early stage of growth. We do this by cultivating and planting our wildlife plantings and cropland areas. We maintain grassland type habitat primarily by mowing, disking, prescribed fire and herbicide applications. These open land types provide food and shelter for hundreds of species at Land Between the Lakes. Since the turn of the 21st Century, natural…

12 May 2016

By LBL_Admin

Gypsy Moths

Community, Environmental Education, Field Guide, Natural Resource Managementgypsy moth, Kentucky, land between the lakes, tennessee, traps

Updated May 9, 2017 Forest Service staff have begun placing gypsy moth traps across Land Between the Lakes this week. Please leave the traps alone, as they are used to learn about new isolated populations. Thank you. Submitted by Yvonne Helton, Silviculturist The gypsy moth, Latin name Lymantria dispar, is a devastating forest pest in parts of North America. Gypsy moths originated in Europe and Asia. We consider them an invasive species. The first known occurrence of the gypsy moth occurred in 1869 around Boston, MA shortly after Etienne Trouvelot imported egg masses from France. Our forestry staff placed Gypsy…

06 May 2016

By LBL_Admin

Tree Planting at the Elk and Bison Prairie

Elk & Bison Prairie, Field Guide, Natural Resource Management, Plants, Restoration, Stewardshipbison, elk, habitat, Kentucky, land between the lakes, natural resources, planting, prairie, tennessee, trees

Submitted by Yvonne Helton, Silviculturist We recently planted approximately 1500 shortleaf pine and 70 Bur Oak seedlings within the perimeter of the Elk & Bison Prairie. We chose areas where pine mortality occurred and staff burned off debris piles. So why did we plant Shortleaf Pine? We value fire tolerant traits such as its ability to re-sprout and natural resistance to fire scar rot. Shortleaf Pine also produces frequent cone crops. These attributes suit the Elk & Bison Prairie perfectly. Shortleaf Pine may also create a more diverse habitat. We observed declines of Virginia Pine in the Elk & Bison…

15 Mar 2016

By LBL_Admin

Antler Shed Season

Elk & Bison Prairie, Environmental Education, Field Guide, Volunteer, Wildlifeantler, Elk & Bison Prairie, Kentucky, land between the lakes, shed, tennessee, watching wildlife, wildlife-viewing

Submitted by Patricia Skibko, Wildlife Apprentice If you want to see elk with their antlers, come now to the Elk & Bison Prairie. Each year bull elk lose their antlers in the early spring. Antlers typically fall off independently of each other. Usually both shed within about one week. They take a lot of punishment through fights with other bulls during the mating season. When elk lose their antlers, new ones start growing almost immediately. Throughout a bull’s lifetime each new set of antlers grown are larger than the last. Elaborate antlers are an indicator that an elk bull is…

02 Feb 2016

By LBL_Admin

Happy Groundhog Day

Environmental Education, Field Guide, Nature Station, Wildlifegroundhog, groundhog day, hibernation, Kentucky, land between the lakes, Nature Station, tennessee

"Now, Let's See what is going on in Your Neck of the Woods" By John Pollpeter, Lead Naturalist at Woodlands Nature Station Patches of emerald-green blades from spring grasses outline a dusting of white winter snow, as a fuzzy sniffing nose emerges from the security and warmth of his underground burrow. Two bright brown eyes and a set of inquisitive whiskers search the February breeze for potential marauding predators and attractive mates. He is looking for female groundhogs. Each February 2nd, Americans celebrate the potential for spring with a giant rodent, the groundhog. A member of the squirrel family, the…

23 Nov 2015

By LBL_Admin

Part Of The Pack–My First Encounter with Red Wolves

Community, Customer Service, Environmental Education, Field Guide, Nature Station, Wildlifeenvironmental education, Kentucky, land between the lakes, Nature Station, red wolf, red wolves, tennessee, wildlife

Part Of The Pack--My First Encounter with Red Wolves By Anita Spaulding, Naturalist Apprentice for Woodlands Nature Station I am an apprentice at Land Between The Lakes who recently graduated from Murray State University with a degree in Recreation and Leisure Services. Working at the Woodlands Nature Station is my first full-time position post-college. I came to this job with a very strong interest in animals and a little experience volunteering at several different animal shelters and organizations. Red Wolves fascinate me and I get to work with them--What could be better? Red Wolves are incredible creatures to behold. Agile…

05 Nov 2015

By LBL_Admin

Why do Leaves Change Colors?

#FridayEd, Community, Environmental Education, Field Guide, Plantsautumn, color, fall, fall colors, Kentucky, land between the lakes, leaf watching, leaves, scenic driving, tennessee, trees

Submitted by Dennis Wilson, Forester at Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area Colors The easiest way to explain why leaves change colors has to do with the time of year. The longer and cooler nights trigger the changing colors and falling leaves. None of the other environmental influences – such as temperature, rainfall, food supply – are as unvarying as the steadily increasing length of night during autumn. As days grow shorter, and nights grow longer and cooler, biochemical processes in the leaf begin to paint the landscape with Nature's autumn palette. A color palette needs pigments, and there…

06 Oct 2015

By LBL_Admin

Wolf Week Spotlight: The Endangered Red Wolf

Community, Environmental Education, Field Guide, Nature Stationcaptive breeding program, education, endangered species, Kentucky, land between the lakes, Nature Station, red wolf, Red Wolf Recovery Program, tennessee, US Fish & Wildlife Service, wolf

Howl! It’s Wolf Week at the Woodlands Nature Station! Every October, we participate in this nationwide educational campaign to celebrate wolves and spread the word about how people can help them. From Saturday, October 3 through Friday, October 9, Nature Station visitors can enjoy all sorts of special programs and activities featuring our favorite canines! Wolves are near and dear to our hearts at the Nature Station. We have been caring for the Red Wolf, one of the most endangered mammals in the United States, for many years. Since 1991, we have partnered with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service…

10 Sep 2015

By LBL_Admin

Indian Grass at the Elk & Bison Prairie

Elk & Bison Prairie, Environmental Education, Field Guide, PlantsElk & Bison Prairie, grass, Kentucky, land between the lakes, native plants, tennessee

Submitted by Curtis Fowler, Range Technician at Land Between The Lakes If you have driven around the Elk and Bison Prairie in recent days, you may have noticed an abundance of grass seed heads within native grass areas. This year seems to have favored Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) in many fields. You can identify it by its golden hue and large feather-like seed head. It is a widespread native plant that is often a major component in tallgrass prairie habitats. It can grow up to 8 feet tall or more, but we typically see it closer to 5 feet or so. The…

Category: Field Guide