The most delicious vegetables are the ones you grow yourself, as many have come to realize during the pandemic. But some cities and counties have restrictions that prevent people from gardening at home. In one Midwestern town, a temporary greenhouse has ended up on the wrong side of the law, revealing a value system that is distinctly regressive.

Nicole and Dan Virgil, who live in Elmhurst, a suburb of Chicago, are dedicated vegetable gardeners. By the summer of 2015, they had maxed out their 2,000-square-foot backyard with raised beds and were relying on them for much of their familys produce. They had branched out from simply growing the typical salad ingredients to cultivating potatoes, fennel, leeks, and tomatillos. In late August, the plants were still going full-bore, and the Virgils wondered how they could extend the Midwestern growing season. (In this climate zone, seedlings go into the ground on Mothers Day and peter out in October.)

It seemed like such a shame that everything would come to a dead stop once the temperature dropped, says Nicole, who is among an estimated one-third of all Americans who have grown food at home. We really wanted to make a dent in our grocery bill and in our carbon footprintwe didnt turn our whole backyard into a garden just to have a few token vegetables.

After doing some online research, Dan built a high-tunnel hoop house to protect two of the larger garden beds. The temporary greenhouse, made of plastic sheeting over a frame of PVC pipe and plywood, was nine feet tall at its apex. It was big enough to produce sufficient heat to warm the soil and allow the Virgils to stand inside while gardening in frigid conditions. In more temperate climates like Californias, farmers use hoop houses to protect delicate blackberries and raspberries from dew and fog.

A few weeks after their hoop house went up, Nicole found a violation notice from the city taped to it. I thought it had to be some kind of misunderstanding, that it couldnt possibly be serious, recalls Nicole. She had assumed that the hoop house, a lightweight temporary structure akin to a tent, wouldnt be subject to city regulations.

After several discussions with city officials, 16 public meetings over two years, a lawsuit filed by the Virgils, and a subsequent appeal, the city remained unmoved, siding with the neighbor who had filed the original complaint. The Virgils found themselves stuck in a catch-22 of having an unpermitted temporary structure while having no way to get a permit for a temporary structure. Facing a daily fine, they took down their hoop house.

Why would a backyard hoop house be so contentious? The Virgils are among many home gardeners around the country who have triggered a city or county ordinance that restricts edible gardening. Its fairly common for local governments to have a broadly written landscape ordinance, which may not explicitly prohibit vegetable gardening but requires grass or similar vegetation and calls for plants within a certain height.

The neatly manicured yard has long been a status symbol; lawns first appeared in the 1700s on European estates, whose owners could afford to have high-maintenance living carpets. And the suburbs have historically differentiated themselves from ag land. A lot of rural land was developed into suburban municipalities, and the zoning code was changed to prohibit agricultural usespeople didnt want a pig farm to move in, says Laura Calvert, the former executive director of Chicago-based nonprofit Advocates for Urban Agriculture.

Given the context, its easy to see how the neighbors might look down on home gardening as a form of subsistence farming. People think that its beneath them, says Nicole, who documented her struggle in a recent op-ed for the Chicago Tribune.

The goal of these ordinances, whether theyre about landscaping or temporary structures, is to maintain property values. (The racist practice of redlining, which kept African Americans out of the suburbs, was rationalized in the same way.) However, the perception that growing vegetables will drive down home values is not rooted in any evidence, as Calvert points out.

Now the pandemic shutdown is shifting these cultural attitudes. For the first time in a long while, people have seen empty shelves in grocery stores and witnessed hoarding. The past months have been a visceral reminder of how important it is to have access to healthy food, which no doubt prompted many to start planting. Elmhursts neighbor, Chicago, is ahead of the curve; it embraced hoop houses in its 2011 ordinance promoting urban farming while still regulating them with restrictions on their size and height. We have broad mayoral support for urban agriculture, says Calvert. It provides all these benefits, including food access, public health, and public education.

In addition to these imperatives, there are also philosophical and legal principles to defend. On a basic level, the right to garden year-round can be encapsulated as the right to do what you want in your own yard. The Virgils are advocating for a state Right to Garden bill, which would override local ordinances. Theyve joined forces with attorney Ari Bargil at the nonprofit Institute for Justice, which works on constitutional law cases and helped pass the first such gardening bill in Florida.

Bargil sees restrictions on home gardening as a violation of a fundamental right: We have the right to use our own properties to grow our own food, as long as that use doesnt impinge on someone elses freedom to enjoy their property. And he feels that landscape ordinances smack of authoritarianism. If a vegetable garden is attracting pests, it has a bearing on the health and safety of a community, and that should be regulated, he says. But if the government is acting like Disney World and specifying what your front yard should look like, thats not a vision of a free society.

The Right to Garden bill in Illinois has been through three rounds of revisions and should go before the state legislature in its next session, which begins in early 2021. The Virgils are cautiously optimistic that their cause will prevail. Im just trying to do something good, Nicole says. I want to help people live well and help each other and have food in abundance.

This article was originally published by Sierra, and is reprinted with the permission of the author. Photos courtesy of Nicole Virgil.

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Without a Right to Garden Law, It May Be Illegal to Grow Your Own Food - Civil Eats

For now, wildlife, plants and Andrew Padula exist in harmony on Plantation Road, north of Greer.

But nearbyalong NorthState 101 are signs ofa boom in development that could threaten thepeace that Padula and nature now share as part of his nursery and landscaping business.

Padulas nearly two-acre nursery relies on the animals around it to make sure the plants he grows are healthy. They also add to the natural feeling, the rural setting that he enjoys.

A little bit of that goes away when things are cut down on a very large scale, like acres and acres at a time, he said.

Contrast that to the fact that if they were to build homes with nature and land in mind, much of the wildlife and plant life would remain becausethere would be only one house every two acres or one house every 10 acres, Padula said.

Andrew Padula, owner of Padula's Plants and Garden Design in Greer, waters his potted plants, Wednesday, October 7, 2020.(Photo: MATT BURKHARTT/Staff)

Many people in rural parts of the county and beyond share Padulas sentiment.

The divide is Article 22 the proposed amendment to the county's Land Development Regulations. It's been called "back door zoning" by some who oppose it. Some who favor it consider it a way of sustaining rural communities in the midst of growth.

This amendment sets a minimum lot size of two acres for new residential developments in rural areas.

It pulls the minimum lot sizes directly from the countys comprehensive plan, which was approved with input from a variety of stakeholders,said Michael Corley, Upstate director of the South Carolina Environmental Law Project and a supporter of the amendment.

"Itseems to me very logical and very sensical that the minimum lot sizes in the Land Development Regulations would be the same as whats in the comprehensive plan," he said.

More: How Greenville County is striving to balance growth, quality of life, budget issues

Greenville County Council chair Butch Kirven also supports the amendment, saying in an Op-Ed in The Greenville News that it is a natural next step in accomplishing what the Comprehensive Plan calls for in the unzoned areas and will bring clarity for citizens and developers on the minimum sizes of new residential developments.

"Many studies have shown, and our citizens can see for themselves, that sprawling developments reaching farther and farther into rural areas create an incredibly inefficient way to grow," he wrote.

Greer Mayor Rick Danner is opposed to the amendment, stating in a written reply about the issue to The Greenville News that hebelieves it would effectively end development in the county,with the exception of property/land that is contiguous [or could be] to a municipality that could / would annex it."

"While the goal of the restrictions ostensibly appears to be to limit sprawl and control growth which are valuable Smart Growth tools, there is an economic advantage for the county to push growth into the municipalities," he said.

Concerns about the amendment by the Homebuilders Association of Greenville includefear that there won't be enough land to build homes for future anticipated growth.

Nearly 900 of people have signed a petition urging Greenville County Council to act now to control sprawl in rural areas from new suburban-style residential subdivisions.

Article 22 is a move favored by a group of landowners in northern Greenville County, who are seeing a mounting number of dense subdivisions proposed or constructed in that area of the county.

Corley is representing a group oflandowners in their appeal of a subdivisiondeemed incompatible to their rural community. Many of them are hoping the county will approve Article 22.

A reason for that is, Corleysaid, the proposed amendment addresses Article 3.1 of the Land Development Regulations.

Andrew Padula, owner of Padula's Plants and Garden Design in Greer, waters his potted plants, Wednesday, October 7, 2020.(Photo: MATT BURKHARTT/Staff)

Article 3.1 is arule intended to allow planners to reject subdivisions that are not "compatible with the surrounding land use density" or the site's "environmental conditions. Instead, it has been a source of legal challenges.

The Greenville County Planning staff has said, as it relates to density, the county comprehensive plan and Article 3.1 do not apply to unzoned areas.

Opinion: Why county should help municipalities more in bearing costs of growth

"What weve been pushing for and the reason weve been filing appeals is to say you dont think you can apply (Article 3.1), but its still on the books. Its still the only regulation we have to control these rural subdivisions,'" he said. "'You've either got to apply the law thats on the books or youve got to pass a new law.

Some supporters of Article 22 cite "misinformation" as one of its challenges.A pamphlet explaining the petition counters that"misinformation," saying the amendment will not prevent divisions of property among family members, it is extremely unlikely to devalue rural property, and it is not zoning.

The latter is one of the concerns the Greenville HBAhas with the proposed amendment.

Michael Dey, HBA spokesman,said the way the ordinance is structured, theyre essentially trying to zone unzoned areas without zoning it.

Padula's Plants and Garden Design in Greer Wednesday, October 7, 2020.(Photo: MATT BURKHARTT/Staff)

We get the political problem with that, but our issue with it is with zoning there is a means of appeal if you dont agree with the zoning on your property, he said.

With the ordinance they have proposed, the only means of appeal if you dont agree with the zoning of your property is to go to court, he said. Thats a very expensive process and its one that most property owners wont be able to pursue. They just cant afford it.

As for concern about land to accommodate homes for future growth, he said,When youre going to add 100,000 jobs and 200,000 new residents to the county in the next 20 years, our estimate was that were going to need close to 100,000 new houses.

Their (the county's) estimate was around 85,000," he said. "I think were all in the same ballpark.

Andrew Padula, owner of Padula's Plants and Garden Design in Greer, waters his potted plants, Wednesday, October 7, 2020.(Photo: MATT BURKHARTT/Staff)

But, he said weve got to have the land entitled so that those houses can be built.

Already, he said, theyre seeing rezonings being turned down that are consistent with the comprehensive plan as it was presented because they found it to be too dense. So were definitely not going to have enough places to build the houses to accommodate the growth that is coming," Dey said.

The market of homebuyers are, by and large, not looking for really low density development, Dey said. Theyre looking for medium to high density, and though they dont want to care for a lot of yard, they do want a larger house, he said.

An option that builders and developers would have to avoid the proposed ordinance is annexing into a municipality, Dey said, and that'salready happening in Mauldin, Greer, Simpsonville, and Travelers Rest.

Builders and developers and the property owners theyre buying land from are being annexed the cities because cities are, by their very nature, more dense anyway, Dey said. Theyre more aligned with where themarket is and what the market is demanding for housing .

Additionally, he said, Greer is attractive because ithas a complete sewer, gas, and water system. But to connect to it, you have to annex, he said.

Andrew Padula, owner of Padula's Plants and Garden Design in Greer Wednesday, October 7, 2020.(Photo: MATT BURKHARTT/Staff)

When growth occurs in the municipalities, the associated cost of the growth and its impact is assumed by the city, thus relieving the county of the burden of providing services, facilities, maintenance and other related cost while collecting their full share of taxes, Danner said. "This is a potential economic windfall for the county at the expense of the cities."

He thinks the ordinancewould open a Pandoras Box of legal issues "Would the new regulations constitute a taking if you were a large land owner in the county? What if you owned or had invested in a large tract of land in the county as an investment but were now unable to sell it for it highest and best use. Who would reimburse utility providers and other service providers that have invested in infrastructure and capacity for future growth in their assigned territory that will now be unused? Will utility and service providers be willing to provide services to single homes scattered in areas of the County that currently have no service. Would it even be practical?"

The Article 22 proposal is being held as planning and development members get answers to their questions and an in-person public hearing before the entire council can be held, said Councilman Joe Dill, chair of the committee. He said hes hoping the in-person meetings return next month.

Meanwhile, Dill, who represents District 17 ofnorthern Greenville County, said hes got people concerned about growth and wanting to know what the county is going to do about it.

Some are considering zoning their property, he said. Whatever people want, Im willing to help them accomplish.

Padula, who moved to northern Greer 10 years ago from Maine to openPadulas Plants and Garden Design, not only wants homes built on larger lots, he wants them built to control erosion. He also wants more roads built before houses are built.

If you have homes that have land to them and not try to cram 12 of them into two acres then thats going to be a nice mediumbetween allowing wildlife to still flourish here while keeping a nice rural setting, he said. Yet, everybodys got a nice home, they're happy and theyre not complaining about their neighbor as much.

Designing a neighborhood with more property would cause the homes to sell faster and just be more scenic.

This is a farming community, a rural community, he said.

Once you get five miles outside of ( U.S.) 25, it gets country pretty fast and that would only take that about three years to change, he said. Pretty soon, what was country five miles away will be a Walmart or a Dollar General, or something that is taking over a nice piece of land that had a function to it.

Kay Mott on her family's property in northern Greenville County(Photo: Submitted/Vintage Farms Photography)

What Kay Mott sees happening in the community is exactly what she and her family moved from Florida to Blue Ridge to escape: Clogged insufficient roads to handle the traffic, cookie-cutter developments that ruin the landscape, the impact to Lake Robinson which runs red likely from runoff due to land clearing when it rains, decimating the trees and stripping away all the natural beauty and along with that the disappearance of nature.

I am so saddened to the point we are already trying to discern where to go next, she said in an email to The Greenville News. Choosing to live in SCis a sacrifice in many ways compared to Florida. We bear the burden of a state income tax, including taxing the pension of a retired first responder.

Mott and her family had been searching for what they hoped would be their forever home when they vacationed in the Upstate in 2011.

They considered a number of states in their quest for a rural area withstrong school and hospital systems.

This area offered everything in terms of the lifestyle we were seeking, the mountains, hiking, biking, water access, the equestrian community, and we fell in love with downtown Greenville, she said.Greer is close to so many amenities, but was not clogged to the point of spending hours in traffic like South Florida where I had lived for over 50 years. We found the perfect home and moved here.

Padula's Plants and Garden Design in Greer Wednesday, October 7, 2020.(Photo: MATT BURKHARTT/Staff)

Now, fast forward to my perception of what I see unfolding as though I am back in SFL all over again.

What Florida did so well that this area seems to grossly ignore entirely is the infrastructure to manage the increased population, Mott said.

Roads are horrible and have not kept up with the rapid development, she said. There are no new schools to handle the influx. I understand the desire to increase the tax basis, and building more homes certainly serves that purpose, and with Covid-19 my presumption is more and more people will seek to escape crowded cities and move to this area.

Read or Share this story: https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/news/local/2020/10/20/rural-greenville-county-residents-petition-action-against-sprawl-sc/3565448001/

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Petitioners urge Greenville County to act against sprawl in rural northern areas - Greenville News

The level of competition among the local HS football landscape has been steep when it comes to Staten Islands gridders, particularly over the past decade.

Now, were asking the readers who you think has been the BEST on the gridiron over the last ten years.

Ten nominees from four different schools - each of which either claimed the Al Fabbri or Fred Fugazzi award as the Islands top player - appear on the ballot.

Check out a brief description of each player with some noteworthy stats below before voting in the poll at the bottom of this story. You can vote as many times as you like.

Roland Dempster (Tottenville) -- The most recent Al Fabbri winner in 2019, Dempster rushed for 1,368 yards as a senior, to go along with 17 TDs.

Roland Dempster in action. (Staten Island Advance/Derek Alvez)

Mike Jones (Tottenville) -- A teammate of Dempster in 2018, Jones was a dual threat as a receiver and out of the backfield -- hauling in 26 receptions for 654 yards, while adding 225 yards on the ground during his senior campaign. He tallied 10 scores.

Amad Anderson (Curtis) -- A co-winner of the 2017 Fabbri Award, Anderson racked up 833 receiving yards on just 27 receptions, while rushing for an additional 283 yards. AA tallied 15 total TDs that season.

Former Curtis star Amad Anderson Jr. now plays for Purdue. (Staten Island Advance/Shira Stoll)

Quincy Barnes (Curtis) -- Andersons QB and Fabbri co-winner threw for more than 2,000 yards and scampered for 395 while racking up 32 total TDs.

Curtis quarterback Quincy Barnes completed a whopping 63.8% (94 for 149) of his passes during his senior year in 2017. (Staten Island Advance)

Stephen Viegas (Monsignor Farrell) -- In 2016, Viegas ran for 1,376 yards and 13 TDs. He posted three 200+ yard efforts that season.

Stephen Viegas on his way to the house.

Jesse Bramble (Tottenville) -- A do-it-all threat, Bramble ran for 926 yards and 13 TDs in 2015, and he hauled in 16 passes for 414 yards and four more scores. He also returned four punts for touchdowns and three interceptions for scores.

Dawa Winn (New Dorp) -- In 2014, he ran for 1,226 yards and nine TDs.

James Munson (Tottenville) -- A hard-hitting safety with a nose for the football, Munson held down the secondary with a pair of interceptions, while he added 465 receiving yards and 11 TDs on offense in 2013.

Kevin Austin (Curtis) -- In 2012, he ran for 1,500 yards and 20 TDs.

Alvin Cornelius (Tottenville) -- A two-time Fabbri Award winner, Cornelius nabbed 26 receptions for 634 yards (21.7 yards per reception). He ran for an addition 272 yards and totaled 14 scores in 2011.

Alvin Cornelius takes one up the sideline.

The poll will remain open until Friday at noon, when the winner will be announced -- feel free to vote as often as youd like and be sure to check back in on the standings throughout the week!

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Poll: Who was Staten Islands best HS football player of the last decade? - SILive.com

Global warming has made forecasting weather a big gamble. Generally speaking, Hawaiis rainy season is usually November through April. The exception is Kona that has a summer rainy season with a dry winter. Other variables include elevation and the effect of moisture-bearing tradewinds. Thus mauka areas of the windward side may receive 200 or more inches of rain while coastal South Kohala may receive very little rain throughout the year. On the leeward side, coastal Kona may receive 30 inches of rain in the summer, but at 2,000 to 4,000 feet elevation, summer rainfall may be 60 to 100 inches. Kona Cloud Forest Sanctuary at 3,000 feet in Kaloko Mauka has recorded no dry season for almost three years while the windward side has experienced unusually dry weather.

Wherever you live, the first plants to show water stress are those with shallow roots like grass and many groundcovers. These are good indicators as to when you need to irrigate. They are also likely to tell you when to fertilize if you are sensitive to your plants needs. You should apply plant nutrients when the soil is moist during rainy periods or when you can supplement water with irrigation.

Whether you have a home with a large yard or an apartment with a small lanai, plants create a more luxurious mood. Attractive trees, shrubs and lawns actually increase the value of a home. In fact, if you cut down that big shade tree in the front yard, you may actually be reducing the value of your property by thousands of dollars. Just think how much it would cost to have a landscape company replace it! When trees are destroyed, it affects the whole community.

The key to success is to put the right plants in the right place. Hot sunny areas of the islands require shady gardens to create a comfortable environment. Windbreaks are important to reduce excessive winds. Many tropical landscapes do not include grass. Examples may be found in books like Tropical Asia Style, Thai Garden Style, and several books featuring the Hawaiian landscape. The use of palms adds even more luxuriance to the design.

Besides trees, shrubs and bedding plants, one of the main elements of many landscapes is ground covers including grass. It might be Bermuda, buffalo, centipede, zoysia, seashore paspalum, or a mix. Whatever type lawn it is, green and healthy is the key. It is important to remember that lawns generally require more maintenance, fertilizer and water than more deeply rooted ground covers, shrubs and trees. Thus, many communities are minimizing turf except in parks and recreational areas like golf courses.

However, it is pleasing to see a healthy, well-maintained lawn. An expanse of green lawn can serve as the right setting for the homes they surround.

From a practical standpoint in the tropics, a lawn serves a number of ends. First, it reduces heat and glare as the sun beats down on the earth. Green is a soothing color. No doubt that is why there is so much of it in nature. Second, it controls mud and erosion. It definitely beats concrete and asphalt or gravel.

The chief value of a lawn over other kinds of ground covers is that it offers a pleasing place to walk and play, as well as being artistic. In a dry area, a grass such as Bermuda makes a successful path, or can be used for auto parking.

A well maintained grass cover also offers one of the easiest ways to control weeds. Just mow frequently and fertilize occasionally, making sure the grass cover has sufficient water to keep its green color.

Of course, if you want a perfect lawn that is a different proposition. Your idea may be just a green expanse to set off the surrounding landscape. Then it really does not matter of what the expanse consists. It may be a combination of grasses kept in check by frequent mowing.

Lawns are a garden heritage from Europe. They are not typical in Asia except through Western influence. Asian design uses moss, pebbles or sand for its plain element in landscaping. But in England, turf is key to the landscape and has become an essential part of the garden tradition. Mainland Americans have inherited this tradition. They generally consider a lawn a necessary part of the landscape. However, in the wet tropics, turf is generally not a part of the native picture, since meadows are infrequent. Here, it is a good idea to stop and consider whether or not a lawn is an essential part of your garden. In many parts of the mainland where water may be scarce and expensive, grass is fast disappearing as an aesthetic element.

Shady forest effects with paths and patios tend to relate to the tropics more than do extensive lawns. And yet even here, there is much use of the lawn in open expanses around a dwelling.

A perfect lawn in the tropics can be an expensive proposition. To keep it perfect requires constant attention to weeding, rolling, fertilizing, mowing, watering, and control of diseases. Just about the time you think you have everything under control, some new condition arises, and the lawn goes up in smoke.

Today there is a strong inclination to let the lawn be more informal along with the rest of the garden. Such a mixed green cover has its appeal, being more like a meadow than the monoculture lawn. A semi-natural lawn like this has its practical aspect also. It reduces maintenance by eliminating most of the weeding and also the struggle to make one kind of grass grow under the varying conditions of sun and shade which make up the average lawn area.

There is, no doubt, a legitimate reason for cultivating a green expanse around a dwelling even in the tropics. But lets not make such a burden out of it. When a weed pops up here and there, let it be. The secret is not in exterminating the weeds, but in keeping the area mowed so that the weeds cannot dominate and go to seed, keeping them from spreading too much.

Whatever type lawn you have, chances are it will require watering except the extremely rainy locations. Deep watering is preferred. Frequent shallow watering will encourage shallow rooting. It is best to water in the early morning. There is less waste of water through evaporation at that time.

Along with water, green growing things need fertilizer. This is especially true with the lawns. A fast growing grass like Bermuda may need fertilizer every month. On the other hand, Zoysia may be fertilized three to four times per year or less. A slow release fertilizer high in nitrogen is usually the best.

The important thing is to think green. We humans have created too much desert in the past. The old saying, Rain follows the forest, desert follows man does not need to apply to wise Hawaiian gardeners.

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Your lawn may be hungry and thirsty now - West Hawaii Today

Fall webworms are not tent caterpillars although, without fail, everyone thats asked has referred to them as such. Forest tent caterpillars dont construct webs. Eastern tent caterpillars do, but they hatch in the spring and early summer and make their nests, or tents, in the forks or tree-branch crotches of (mostly) apple, crabapple, and pin cherry trees.

Fall webworm caterpillars spin webs that envelop entire branches or groups of branches and feed on many varieties of deciduous trees. They feed inside their webs, completely consuming the foliage; leaving only the mid-veins. Skins cast off by the caterpillars when they molt, fecal pellets, and dead leaf debris accumulate within the web, giving it an even messier appearance.

Even when the caterpillars are present in numbers so great that they enshroud nearly every limb in nests and completely defoliate a host tree or shrub, the damage is, with few exceptions, a lot less-serious than it appears. The one exception to this may be in young trees that have yet to become established.

As summer winds down, plant growth slows. Trees are already preparing for winter dormancy and have stored up enough nutrient reserves to survive. Since the leaves have already performed their service, the loss of them generally has little effect on the health of the host. The empty webbing may persist well-into the winter before falling part however, which although unsightly, wont cause any further damage. Infestations tend to be episodic in nature, with back to back bad-webworm-infestation years rarely occurring.

The fall webworm is a native moth that occurs across almost all of the continental United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico.They were accidently introduced into the former country of Yugoslavia in the 1940s, and since then have expanded their range to include most of Europe, as well as parts of China, North Korea, and Japan.

Given its wide geographical range, its not surprising that there is variability in the appearance of both the adults and the larvae, which are divided into two genotypes; each named for the color of their head capsules; black-headed or red-headed. Pure white adults and black-headed larvae predominate in northern regions, whereas spotted adults and red-headed larvae predominate in southern regions.

Although there may be two broods of fall webworms annually in some areas of New York State, and southern populations may complete as many as four generations in a single year, the insect has only one generation per year in our region.

The life cycle begins when the not-often-noticed white, adult female moths lay as many as 1,500 eggs in a single mass on the underside of a host plants foliage leaf. She will then cover the eggs with bristles from the underside of her abdomen to protect them. The eggs hatch into tiny larvae and immediately start building a web, which protects them from predators. At first, the web encircles only a few leaves at the growing tip of the limb. But as the caterpillars grow, they expand the web down the limb, covering more and more foliage and devouring more and more leaves.

Larvae stay in the colony until their last molt, after which they are about an inch and a half long. They then crawl down the tree trunk or descend to the ground on a strand of webbing and seek out a protected place to spin a somewhat-fragile cocoon and pupate in the debris at or just below the soil surface, where they will overwinter. They emerge as adult moths in the spring, mate, and the cycle begins again.

As with all pests, its easiest to get rid of fall webworm caterpillars when they first start appearing in your trees. So keep a close eye out starting in late summer. Webs are always on branch ends.

You can easily poke holes in the nests to break them apart using a long stick. Once the webs are broken open, the nests can be easily raided by predators.

Although fall webworm damage is rarely severe, keeping your trees healthy is always important. Water trees in your yard during dry periods, and avoid wounding trees or compacting the soil within the dripline. Maintaining tree health will help your trees recover from defoliation and other stresses and keep them looking good year-round.

Captions and credits are as follows:

1) Fall Webworm Larvae. Photo Credit:Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Bugwood.org

2) Fall Webworm Infestation. Photo Credit:Natural Resources Canada

3) Fall Webworm Adult Female and Pupa. Photo Credit:Gerald J. Lenhard; Louisiana State University; Bugwood.org

Richard Gast is a retired Extension Program Educator and has been contracted by Cornell Cooperative Extension Franklin County to continue his informative and thought provoking articles.

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Webs in the Trees? They're Relatively Harmless - - Adirondack Almanack

Which new players across the AFC South landscape made the biggest impacts for their respective teams in NFL Week 1?

High draft pick? Big-name free agent? Trade acquisition? Under-the-radar guy? Our SI beat writers in the AFC South take a look at the newcomers who made themselves known in Week 1 - whether for positive or negative reasons.

Jacksonville

After the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted a franchise-record 12 rookies but only signed a handful of free agents, it was clear the Jaguars' most important new addition would be a rookie. This became even clearer after a Week 1 performance in which cornerback CJ Henderson, the No. 9 overall pick in April's draft, became the difference between a Jaguars win or loss.

Henderson was unsurprisingly thrust into a starting role early on as a rookie, but more importantly he faced a stiff test in his NFL debut. It's hard for most cornerbacks to stick with T.Y. Hilton for four quarters, let alone a rookie in his first-ever NFL game. But that's just what Henderson did in Sunday's 27-20 upset win, recording three pass breaking a (including the game-clinching one against Hilton on fourth down) and an interception.

Aside from Henderson's smoothness in coverage and several pass breakups, he also came up big on two tackles in space on separate third downs. He made big plays when Jacksonville's defense needed them the most, and frankly nobody really knew which defender would be providing those plays this year. Through one week, it has been Henderson.

Henderson's rookie year is obviously far from complete, but he got off to a fast start in Week 1. Without him, the Jaguars probably end up losing against the Colts. To be the deciding factor in your first NFL game is one thing, but to do it in the manner Henderson did is even more special.

-- John Shipley, JaguarReport

Tennessee

Stephen Gostkowskis debut with the Tennessee Titans certainly was a memorable one. Even if it was a night he would rather forget.

The four-time Pro Bowlers 25-yard field goal with 17 seconds to play was the 10th game-winning kick of his career, his first in 23 months.

It was the difference in the Titans 16-14 victory at Denver. It also came after he missed four times three field goals and an extra-point earlier in the contest. According to Next Gen Stats, the odds that he would miss the kicks he did in a single game were 1 in 1,804.

Gostkowski, who signed with the Titans just before the start of the regular season, was wide right from 47 yards in the first quarter, and Denver took a 7-0 lead on the ensuing possession. His 44-yard try in the final minute of the first half was blocked. His 42-yard kick missed left early in the third quarter. When his PAT early in the fourth quarter missed left, the Broncos scored on their next drive and took a 14-13 lead.

While it was an unprecedented performance for Gostkowski, the issues were nothing new for the Titans. They had four kickers combine to make eight of 18 field goal tries last season.

What is notable is that coach Mike Vrabel gave him the opportunity to attempt the last one with the game on the line. It speaks to the trust he has in his one-time teammate with the New England Patriots and prior to Monday, at least one of the NFLs five most accurate field goal kickers. At a point last year, Vrabel likely would have decided the only way to win that game was with a touchdown.

We'll get this stuff fixed, Vrabel said. We've got a lot of faith in our players.

-- David Boclair, AllTitans

Indianapolis

Rookie running back Jonathan Taylor didnt enter Sundays 27-20 opening loss at Jacksonville until the second quarter after Marlon Mack ruptured his right Achilles tendon, and because the Colts struggled to establish the run and relied on passing, the second-round selections rushing numbers of nine carries for 22 yards didnt impress.

But Taylor caught six passes for 67 yards, including a 35-yard screen in which he showed his speed to run away from two tacklers, then his power by pushing tacklers about 7 yards after contact at the end. It was a glimpse of what the Colts hope to see more of and will need, now that Mack has been placed on injured reserve and Taylor is the Week 2 starter.

Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and quarterback Philip Rivers were the splash offseason additions, and both had mixed results. As expected, Buckner saw a lot of double teams. He had six total tackles, one for a loss, but by his own All-Pro standards, Buckner conceded he needs to have more of an impact. Rivers passed for 363 yards, relying mostly on 17 completions to running backs, but he threw two bad interceptions that were reminiscent of many of his 20 picks with the L.A. Chargers last season.

Expect Buckner to be the No. 1 key addition to this team by seasons end, but after one game, Taylors importance has risen dramatically because of the loss of Mack. The Colts were seventh in rushing last season, but managed just 88 yards on 22 carries in Week 1. Head coach Frank Reich admitted that one of his mistakes was not calling more run plays and getting into a rushing rhythm. That means Taylor should get more carries on Sunday at home against Minnesota.

-- Phillip B. Wilson, AllColts

HOUSTON

Week one was a rough one for the Texans, facing the defending super bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night football. However, there were some bright spots for Houston, most notably in their latest Addition, David Johnson.

Johnson was a controversial addition to the roster, coming over from the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for fan-favorite wide receiver and future Hall of Famer, DeAndre Hopkins, along with a second-round and a fourth pick in 2021.

On paper, Johnson did fill a major hole for the Texans, who have struggled to run the ball for much of Bill OBriens tenure, though his injury issues were also well documented.

Through camp, he was also one of the team's most consistent performers, proving to the coaching staff that he was worth parting ways with a receiver of Hopkinss caliber.

Fast forward to the season opener, and Johnson was arguably the Texans best offensive performer, carrying the ball 11 times for 77 yards and one of the Texans two touchdowns in the loss. Johnson also had three catches for 32 yards in the game.

Was it the most explosive or eye-popping performance? Certainly not. But Johnson did provide one of the more consistent rushing attacks the Texans have seen in some time, which bodes well for the team heading into a brutal second week matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

-- Matthew Galatzan, Texans Daily

The rest is here:
Texans & AFC South: Who Are The Impact Newcomers? - State of The Texans

When the Big Ten announced in August that it would postpone the start of the 2020 college football season, the fear was that the NCAA would not be able to crown a true champion. One of the top conferences around the nation perhaps unable to take part in bowl season and the College Football Playoff would muddy the title scene.

That fear is now a thing of the past following the decision on Wednesday to start the season Oct. 24.

The Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) adopted significant medical protocols including daily antigen testing, enhanced cardiac screening and an enhanced data-driven approach when making decisions about practice/competition, the conference announced, via its official website. The COP/C voted unanimously to resume the football season starting the weekend of October 23-24, 2020. The decision was based on information presented by the Big Ten Return to Competition Task Force, a working group that was established by the COP/C and Commissioner Kevin Warren to ensure a collaborative and transparent process.

The plan is for each Big Ten team to play eight games in eight weeks, leaving no real wriggle room in case theres an outbreak of the COVID-19 virus within a program. Weve already seen some programs within the conference deal with outbreaks over the past few months.

Setting aside the rightful debate about whether it makes sense to resume a season at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic is projected to hit the United States hard, this does indeed change the landscape of the college football season.

After the first two weeks of the college football season, the AP decided to remove teams playing in the Big Ten and Pac-12, among others, from its top 25. This made sense. There was no real reason to keep said programs in the rankings if they werent actually playing college football. The following teams were removed from the outlets preseason rankings:

Thats 40% of the preseason top 25 removed from the rankings in one fell swoop, including three legit title contenders. The assumption now is that six of those teams will be added to the ranking following this coming weekends action.

This does indeed change the landscape of the 2020 season early in the process. Once the Big Tens schedule is released later this week, well have a better understanding of how things might look. Once the initial College Football Playoff rankings are released, likely right after the Big Ten starts its season, that will be magnified even further.

We have no idea how the eight-game schedule for each team will look. Its highly likely that divisions will be thrown out the window. The Big Ten will want to see Wisconsin and Minnesota go up against the top dogs in the Eastern Division, Penn State and Ohio State included.

Its in this that a jam-packed two-month schedule within the conference will give us some top-flight games. In turn, that promises to shake up the college football season in a big way.

Even without the Pac-12 making a firm decision on its season, another Power Five conference playing a truncated slate adds to the intrigue of the 2020 college football season.

We will play eight games, plus one very unique champions week where the teams from the East and West will match up and play one another, two versus two, three versus three, four versus four, etc., with the championship game being played at the end of that week, Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez said Wednesday.

That final week of action could very well help decide the College Football Playoffs four teams once bowl season comes calling. It will also make for an incredibly fun time around the college football world.

See the article here:
Big Ten's decision changes landscape of the 2020 college football season - Yardbarker

There are slew of games to pick from when making a list of the greatest Super Bowls of all-time. Will Brinson, a senior writer for CBS Sports, ultimately picked Super Bowl XLIX as the greatest Super Bowl ever in his annual list released prior to Super Bowl LIV.

While there have been several great ones over the years, it's hard argue with Brinson's pick. Simply put, Super Bowl XLIX had it all. On one side, you had the Seahawks trying to become the first team since the 2003-04 Patriots to win back-to-back Super Bowls. On the other side, you had the Patriots, led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, looking to reclaim their spot atop pro football's landscape after a decade-long hiatus. The result was a back-and-forth, roller-coaster affair that was not settled until Malcolm Butler's game-saving interception at the goal line with 20 seconds remaining.

The Patriots prevailed 28-24, and would go onto win two of the next four Super Bowls while cementing their place in NFL lore. Seattle, on the other hand, is still waiting for a return trip to the Super Bowl, a wait that could possibly come to an end this season. The Seahawks, fresh off of their impressive Week 1 win over Atlanta, will look to defeat Cam Newton and the Patriots at home this Sunday night.

Before the two teams meet on Sunday, here's a look at some of the heroes from their epic Super Bowl showdown, and where their careers have taken them in the years after that game.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 3 tackles, 3 passes defensed, 1 interception

Butler was only on the field for 34% of the Patriots' defensive snaps, but he made the biggest play of the game when he stepped in front of Russell Wilson's pass to seal the Patriots' fourth Super Bowl win. An undrafted rookie in 2014, Butler earned his lone Pro Bowl selection in 2015 while becoming a full-time starter on the Patriots' defense. His career in New England ended unceremoniously, however, when Butler was benched for unexplained reasons during the Patriots' loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl LII. That offseason, Butler signed a five-year, $61 million contract with the Titans. Butler, who turned 30 years old this past offseason, recorded five interceptions and 21 passes defensed during his first two seasons in Nashville. He made three tackles in the team's season-opening win over the Broncos.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 3 receptions, 59 yards

A backup receiver and special teams contributor on Seattle's 2013 championship team, Lockette caught 11 of 15 targets for a career-high 195 yards and two touchdowns during the 2014 season. Lockette was Wilson's intended receiver on the pass that Butler intercepted to seal the win for the Patriots.

Midway through the 2015 season, Lockette suffered a concussion while on special teams during a game against the Cowboys. Lockette sustained neck ligament damage that would require surgery and never played football again, as he announced his retirement in May of 2016. The 34-year-old is currently an advocate for spinal cord injury research with the Seattle Science Foundation.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 12-of-21, 247 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception

Despite the Super Bowl setback, Wilson's career continued to ascend in the years following that game. He threw 34 touchdown passes in 2015 while helping Seattle advance to the divisional round of the playoffs. Two years later, he led the league in touchdown passes for the first time while helping the Seahawks return to the postseason after a one-year absence. During the previous two seasons, Wilson threw a combined 66 touchdown passes while leading the Seahawks to 22 wins despite playing in arguably the league's toughest division.

Wilson's success in 2019 kept him in the MVP conversation throughout the year before the award ultimately went toRavensquarterbackLamar Jackson. Wilson is again considered a top contender to win the award in 2020, along with Jackson andChiefsquarterbackPatrick Mahomes.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 3 catches, 45 yards

With 1:14 remaining in Super Bowl XLIX, Kearse appeared to make the play that would go down in Super Bowl lore. After the pass was initially tipped by Butler, Kearse, who was falling to the ground, was able to re-locate Wilson's pass before corralling it into his body. The result was a 33-yard gain that gave Seattle the ball on New England's 5-yard-line. Two plays after Kearse's catch, however, Butler abruptly ended the Seahawk's hopes of back-to-back titles.

An undrafted rookie in 2012, Kearse would remain with Seattle for the next two seasons, setting then-career highs in catches (49), yards (685) and touchdowns (five) during the 2015 season. Kearse had a career day in Seattle's divisional round playoff loss to the Panthers, catching 11 passes for 110 yards in touchdowns.

In September of 2017, Kearse was traded to the Jets (along with a second-round pick) in exchange for defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson. He had a successful first season with the Jets, catching 65 passes for 810 yards and five touchdowns. But after a less than successful 2018, Kearse signed with the Lions during the 2019 offseason. He never played a regular season game with the Lions, however, as he was placed on injured reserve after breaking his leg in a preseason game against the Patriots. Kearse, who turned 30 earlier this year, is currently a free agent.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 24 carries, 102 yards, 1 touchdown; 1 reception, 31 yards

Lynch, whose second-quarter touchdown got the Seahawks on the board, was in line to be named Super Bowl MVP if Seattle would have chosen to call his number instead of having Wilson try a slant to Lockette from the 1-yard-line. Instead of joining an esteemed list of running backs to win the Super Bowl MVP award, Lynch is instead one of just three running backs to lose in the Big Game despite rushing for over 100 yards.

A Pro Bowler each season from 2011-14, Lynch endured an injury-plagued 2015 season in Seattle before announcing his retirement via Twitter during the Broncos' win over the Panthers in Super Bowl 50. He made a comeback in 2017, joining his hometown Raiders for the next two seasons. Lynch rejoined the Seahawks after Seattle's backfield was decimated by injuries late in the 2019 season. He scored three touchdowns during the postseason while helping the Seahawks upset the Eagles in the wild card round. The 34-year-old Lynch is currently unsigned. He is currently 29th on the NFL's career rushing list and 16th in touchdown runs.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 5 tackles, 3 solo stops

On the play following Kearse's catch, the Seahawks handed the ball to Lynch, who was stopped a yard short of the end zone by Hightower, setting the stage for Butler's pick on the ensuing play. If not for Hightower's tackle, the Patriots would likely have one less Lombardi Trophy to display at their team facility.

A 2012 first-round pick, Hightower's forced fumble of Matt Ryan helped spearhead the Patriots' historic comeback in Super Bowl LI. A Pro Bowler for the first time in 2016, Hightowerbriefly tested the open market in the spring of 2017 before re-signing with the Patriots. After an injury limited him to just five games in 2017, Hightower regained his starting status in 2018 while winning his third Super Bowl with the Patriots. The 30-year-old veteran earned his second Pro Bowl selection in 2019 before opting out of the 2020 season.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 12 tackles, 10 solo stops, 1 interception, 1 pass defensed

Along with Lynch, Wagner also likely would have received MVP consideration had the Seahawks prevailed in Super Bowl XLIX. A Pro Bowler for the first time that season, Wagner led both teams in tackles. His third quarter interception set up Wilson's touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin that gave Seattle a 24-14 lead.

Wagner, who turned 30 in June, has earned five more Pro Bowl selections and four more All-Pro nods since Super Bowl XLIX. In 2019, Wagner led the NFL with 159 tackles while helping Seattle make the playoffs for the seventh time over the past eight years.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 4 receptions, 109 yards, 1 touchdown

Matthews and Julian Edelman were the only receivers who eclipsed the 100-yard receiving barrier in Super Bowl XLIX. Matthews, a former undrafted rookie who toiled in the Arena Football League and the Canadian Football League before joining the Seahawks, spent most of the 2014 season on the practice squad before being added to the 53-man roster in December. He recovery of an onside kick late helped the Seahawks come from behind to defeat the Packers in the NFC title game.

Matthews' first NFL catch, a 45-yard pass from Wilson, set up the Seahawks' first touchdown. His first touchdown catch, an 11-yard reception, tied the game at intermission. Mathews, like Lynch and Wagner, would have received MVP consideration had the Seahawks prevailed.

Matthews was unable to parlay his Super Bowl success into a stable NFL career. After being released by Seattle midway through the 2015 season, Matthews spent two years with the Ravens before the team released him midway through the 2017 season. Matthews signed with the Canadian Football League's Calgary Stampeders in 2018, helping the team capture the Grey Cup that season. He started the 2019 season on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before ending the year with the Montreal Alouettes.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 9 receptions, 109 yards, 1 touchdown

Trailing 24-14 in the fourth quarter, Edelman's 21-yard catch on third and 14 set up Tom Brady's touchdown pass to Danny Amendola. On New England's ensuing possession, Edelman's 3-yard touchdown reception gave the Patriots the lead for good.

While he has never made the Pro Bowl, the former college quarterback and seventh round pick has become one of the most prolific playoff receivers of all-time. The MVP of Super Bowl LIII, Edelman's 1,442 career receiving yards is the second highest total in NFL postseason history. His fingertip catch late in Super Bowl LI -- a catch that helped force the first overtime in Super Bowl history -- is regarded as one of the greatest catches in NFL history.

Super Bowl XLIX stats: 37-of-50, 324 yards, 4 touchdowns, 2 interceptions

Brady joined Joe Montana as the only player to earn three Super Bowl MVP awards following his performance in Super Bowl XLIX. Brady, who endured the "Deflategate" controversy in the weeks leading up to the game, has continued to add to his laundry list of achievements in the years following that game. From 2016-18, Brady led the Patriots to three more trips to the Big Game that included wins in Super Bowls LI and LIII. Brady, who won his fourth Super Bowl MVP after helping lead the Patriots' improbable comeback win over the Falcons, won his third league MVP award in 2017. He threw for a Super Bowl record 505 yards in New England's loss to Philadelphia in Super Bowl LII.

After 20 years in New England, Brady signed a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason. The 43-year-old quarterback has been reunited in Tampa Bay with former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who caught the second of Brady's four touchdown passes in Super Bowl XLIX.

Read more here:
Patriots vs. Seahawks: Where Malcolm Butler and the rest the Super Bowl XLIX stars are six years later - CBS Sports

Phew, we are almost at a point where we dont have to mow the lawn anymore. A study conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center in 2008 found that 58 percent of those polled do not enjoy mowing their lawns. On top of that you have to use harmful fertilizers to keep your lawn looking pristine, and consider the watering we had to do during this summers drought.

As you think about this over the winter, consider this: a 2005 NASA study found that in terms of surface area, residential and commercial lawns are the single largest irrigated crop in America. Christina Milesi, one of the studys researchers, told NASAs Earth Observatory that she estimated that there are three times more acres of irrigated lawn in the US than irrigated cornabout 54 million Americans mow their lawns every weekend.

How to get ready to green your yard the green way:

First, reduce your lawn as much as possible.

Stop using chemical fertilizers.

Adopt the use of battery-run equipment that can be powered by renewable energy.

Landscaping your home can have a positive impact on the value of your home. This does not require a large lawn, however. It does mean having a well-thought-out and well-executed plan for your yard. A recent article on landscaping and property values said, A landscape full of large, mature plants is obviously one that has been carefully tended to over the years, and that sends a signal to buyers. Thats a good indication that theyve taken care of the inside of the house as well, which is appealing to home buyers. Cutting fresh edges around planting beds and tending to gardens with deadheading perennial plants can positively impact your property. Crisp edges, no dead material and well-tended plants make for a lovely yard. Reducing your lawn area reduces the amount of fertilizer needed, which will have an enormous impact on carbon dioxide output.

Also, using battery-run tools in your yard versus gas-fired tools can save a great deal of carbon dioxide output. Gas-run mowers, leaf blowers and trimmers spew a great deal of carbon dioxide in their use. The estimate is that every gallon of gasoline burned by lawnmowers emits 20 pounds of CO2. According to the EPA, one gas lawn mower emits 89 pounds of CO2 and 34 pounds of other pollutants per year. It is estimated that fertilizer production consumes approximately 1.2 percent of the worlds energy and is responsible for 1.2 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions.

There are new, powerful battery-run tools available that match or improve on gas run tools performance. In the lawnmower category, E-Go, Stihl and Ryobi have highly regarded machines. E-Go equipment is referred to as the Tesla of electric yard tools. Consumer Reports regards E-Go tools highly. Mass Audubon has replaced its gas-powered tools with all-electric tools, and it is pleased with the results. These tools are quiet, effective, and work well.

Battery-run tools can run on renewable electricity. Whether you have solar panels on your home or buy renewable energy, your home and the tools you use can run on the power of renewables. The Cape Light Compact offers additional renewable content as part of standard supply options, and you can opt up with CLC Local Green (with no contract). Its current standard power supply product matches customers annual usage with 100 percent Renewable Energy Certificates. CLC Local Green goes a step beyond, matching customers usage with either 50 or 100 percent MA Class 1 RECs, depending on which program you select. This can be done regardless of if you have solar on your roof or are participating in a community solar project.

You can have a beautiful, functional yard and do it in an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way. Here is an example of a home that cut down the lawn by 70 percent to create a pathway of lovely plantings. Now, everyone in the neighborhood wants to visit the yard.

Ms. Holt is a builidng, energy management and solar expert with more than three decades of experience. She lives in Sandwich.

Ms. Holt is a building, energy management and solar expert with more than three decades of experience. She lives in Sandwich.

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Green Your Yard The Green Way | Columns - CapeNews.net

Karen Austin| Register-Guard

More than 100 fires are burning in the western U.S. and over 4,350,558 acres have burned so far. More than 500,000 people in Oregon were under evacuation orders, as unprecedented acres of wildfires race across forests, as of Sept. 10.

Climate change has been a key factor in increasing the risk and extent of wildfires in the western United States. The risk of wildfire depends on factors such as temperature, soil moisture and the presence of trees, shrubs and other fuels. These factors have strong ties to climate change.

I live with my family on a ridge in south Eugene, surrounded by acres of forests. We are privileged to live here. We love the trees and wildlife, but it comes with an emotional cost for me. I dread the potential for wildfires every summer, until the rains begin in earnest.

A year and a half ago I confronted my fear and contacted a fire suppression coordinator with the Oregon Department of Forestry and asked him to speak to a group of neighbors. He accepted and did an excellent job of explaining fire behavior and the benefits of maintaining vegetation around homes to reduce the risk of fire to a group of neighbors. He recommended the Firewise USA program as a good educational program. The good news is that management of ones home and yard can really reduce the risk of ones house burning down.

This program suggests to start with making ones house less flammable (remove flammable material from roof, gutters and more) and managing vegetation in the zone within five feet of your home, then working outward. Both the house and the landscape adjacent to it play a critical role in homes surviving a wildfire.

To maintain a defensible space (the area between a house and an oncoming wildfire, where the vegetation has been modified to reduce the wildfire threat), it starts with fuel ladders. The term fuel ladder refers to live and dead vegetation that can allow fire to climb from ground-level vegetation into the tree canopy. Most wildfires will not reach the crown of a tree if the vertical fuel is not continuous. When fire climbs a fuel ladder and reaches the crown of a tree it gains heat intensity and can more easily ignite surrounding vegetation and structures. Removing ladder fuel involves pruning the lower branches on trees, and trimming or removing vegetation growing under trees.

Removing trees to increase spacing between remaining trees can also reduce the intensity of a fire and can reduce plant competition for soil moisture and nutrients, leaving a healthier forest. Other important management actions that can decrease fire risk include trimming weeds and grass next to roads before vegetation dries out and avoiding the use of power tools with metal blades on dry vegetation during the fire season.

Since learning about lowering fire risk, my husband and I hired an arborist to remove and prune trees and spent hours removing fuel ladders, reducing the density of trees and shrubs and mowing grass and weeds. We still have work to do before we feel that weve managed our forested lot and yard to a comfortable level. Several other attendees of the talk last spring have managed their yards in ways that could significantly reduce the fire risk on their property.

If you live in or near forests check out the Firewise USA website. Please consider reducing the risk of fire on your property. Let your neighbors know about this program. Contact a fire reduction specialist at OSU Extension with questions (https://extension.oregonstate.edu; 541-344-5859).

Consider reducing your carbon emissions and encouraging politicians to take actions that stop funding fossil fuel companies to reduce the effects of climate change on our planet. Reducing wildfire risk and moving into a future without fossil fuels require strong community efforts. Were all in this together.

Karen Austin lives in south Eugene.

Read more here:
Guest View: Stopping the fires on our doorsteps - The Register-Guard