Category: Science Writing
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U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station Science Findings November 2015 Douglas-fir is an iconic tree in the Pacific Northwest. Although individual trees may appear to be identical, genetic differences within each tree have resulted from adaptation to the local environment. These genetic differences over time have resulted in differences among populations that are important…
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U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station Science Findings August 2015 Herbicides are primarily used for protecting agricultural crops from weeds and controlling vegetation competition in newly planted forest stands. Yet for over 40 years, they have also proven useful in controlling invasive plant species in natural areas. Nonnative invasive plant species, if not controlled,…
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U.S. Pacific Northwest Research Station Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-912 2015 Sustaining the health, diversity, and productivity of national forests and grasslands is the mission of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. Yet managing these lands is challenging because people hold different expectations for them. Public uses can include: • Recreation (scenery, trails, bicycle…
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U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station Science Findings November 2014 Swiss needle cast is caused by a fungus native to the Pacific Northwest. Its host is Douglas-fir, an iconic evergreen tree in the region. The fungus does not kill its host, but it adversely affects the tree’s growth. Scientists with the Pacific Northwest Research…
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EARTH magazine August 2014 Delve into the latest Cascadia Subduction Zone research happening in the Pacific Northwest. Read more…
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Acres U.S.A. June 2014 Delve into the research and field trials on the benefits of compost tea for plant health and growth. Read more…
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The University of Washington may have a Lamborghini lab, and not one but two ocean-going research vessels, but Dr. Evan Sugden, instructor at the University of Washington for fifteen years and long-time beekeeper, noticed that there was one educational opportunity for students missing: the study of bees and learning bee husbandry. Read more…
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From shore at low tide in Skagit County’s Padilla Bay, the limp piles of eelgrass might appear the same but there are two species of eelgrass growing in the mud, the native Zostera marina and the introduced dwarf Zostera japonica. Though you wouldn’t think that the eelgrass is on the move, they are and researchers…
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The Vidette November 29, 2012 Grays Harbor is on the forefront of timber science. A long-term study is looking at the effects modern silviculture techniques and tree selection have on growth and future timber harvests. Read more…
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Pacific Horticulture October 2012 My first encounter with English holly (Ilex aquifolium) was making holiday decorations in elementary school. Nearly 20 years later, I encountered the plant again as a restoration volunteer with the City of Seattle working to remove invasive plants from parks and greenbelts. Himalayan and evergreen blackberry (Rubus sp.), English ivy (Hedera…
Writings by Andrea Watts 