by Luisa BlackFebruary 1, 2021 In the late winter, when the beauty of the land tends towards subtle, sparing gestures, the cling and spackle of lichens sing out to me as vivid as bells in the biting wind. I am always drawn to ancient and obscure organisms, but lichens, perhaps the most cryptic of the […]
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Above: Metallic bee species, Agapostemon sp., by Emily Luebke by Rachel FloydJanuary 26, 2021 Bees have been media darlings for years now making hobby beekeeping, “bee-friendly” flower gardens, and decorative bee houses trendy additions to thousands of backyard landscapes. It seems simple enough and we all like supporting a good cause, but the truth is, […]
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Question: What are the top 5 things you would like to see changed in Charlottesville/Albemarle that would make our community better? (Part 4 of 5)
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Above: Unplanted, high-quality Piedmont prairie view, Fluvanna County. Image by D. Floyd, at one of CUH’s 2021 grassland research sites. Protect what is left of Indigenous Grassland Habitats By Devin FloydJanuary 25, 2021 Despite the indoctrination most of us received, towering dark forests are not natural in much of the Piedmont. Ecologists now understand that […]
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January 14th, 2021 By Rachel Floyd, CUH Design+Restoration Project Manager I am less than fond of cold weather and would prefer to migrate or hibernate through the winter, but my partner finds chill air and snow invigorating and occasionally brings home interesting souvenirs from his wintertime forays. My current favorite is a small fallen branch […]
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January 3rd, 2021 By Rachel Floyd One of the most interesting mushrooms that pops up in fall and early winter in the Piedmont is the shaggy mane (Coprinus comatus). It is in a group of mushrooms commonly called inky caps, owing to their habit of dissolving into black piles of goo shortly after pushing their […]
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Above: Part of the CUH landscape restoration crew at Brumfield Elementary School in Northern Virginia. From left to right, field techs Julia, Ashley, Maren, Lance, and Jessie. Image by Rachel Floyd. The 2020 Roundup What a year! 2020 was a year of cultural upheaval, and this presented many challenges. We have emerged the stronger for […]
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Above: Part of the CUH survey crew at a survey site near Montebello, Virginia. Crew members, left to right, Devin, Jessie, Olivia, Emily, Ashley, and Ezra. Image by the client, Anna Lane. What have we been up to in 2020? It’s been a challenging year for all of us, but we are happy to report […]
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Above: A male Evening Grosbeak feeds on boxelder seeds along the James River in southern Albemarle County, VA. Drew Chaney December 4th, 2020 This fall/winter has been bountiful for birders so far, as the east has seen a major irruption of boreal birds, with large numbers of Red-breasted Nuthatches, Purple Finches and Pine Siskins reaching […]
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By Devin Floyd 12/3/2020 We are so excited to be featured on the nationally syndicated show, “Untamed”, featuring the wonders of salamanders, and the threats they face. The focal point will be the spotted salamander, and a conservation success story at a salamander migration site in Central Virginia. Here’s the story that will frame the […]
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By Devin Floyd 12/1/2020 The video relays a simple glimpse of the beauty of a Piedmont grassland in the dormant season. The footage was captured recently by one of our volunteers and supporters (Bill Sykes). The view is dominated by the characteristic indicator species of high quality grasslands, including little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and early […]