Humans take up a lot of space. While more and more natural ecosystems are transformed into urban landscapes, natural environments are unfortunately displaced in the process.

Found among woodland floors, rocky outcroppings and even clinging to trees, ferns grow all over the world, and are found in the greatest numbers among the moist and perpetually warm tropics. Many of the species that are found in the forests and shady clearings of North America are elegant, w…

In order to help them survive, humans throughout the ages have carefully manipulated plants in order to propagate desirable traits. Ancient cultures in central Mexico transformed small tufted grasses into what we now know as corn, and the Romans worked tirelessly to create the perfect rose.

Honeybees are without a doubt one of the most prevalent insects in modern human culture. We depend on honeybees for honey and for their help in pollinating large fields of crops, which tend to exclude most other pollinators because of their prohibitive shape, size and heavy pesticide exposure.

Part two of two

The sides of highways are an assault on the senses, with hot blasts of wind radiating from the busy roads bringing pungent fumes and loud noises that overwhelm most wildlife that approach. Many times, wildlife stumbling onto a highway are forced to quickly turn back or face a quick death att…

Few things in nature rival the beauty of a fully grown tree.

Habitat loss is one of the main causes of pollinator decline worldwide. While manicured lawns and sculpted hedges often appear pleasant to our eyes, landscapes dominated by human designs offer appallingly few home sites to the other wildlife living in the area.

While bumble bees, carpenter bees and other large bees are readily spotted flying throughout their environments, most of the bees native to the United States are much smaller and can be easy to miss.

Appalachian Women don’t cotton to sharing their favorite recipes.

Ginseng is one of the most commonly consumed herbal supplements in the United States, and while little scientific evidence is currently published to back it up, ginseng is often used to treat colds and flus while reportedly also boosting memory, regulating blood sugar levels and acting as an…

Tomato blight and blossom end rot are perhaps two of the most discouraging ailments that can afflict our gardens. Since planting time is upon us, here are my recommendations to combat trouble before it starts.

As a tree slowly grows, it is constantly changing itself to better withstand local stressors.

Pets perform a variety of functions. A good pet keeps its owner company, attracts (or demands) attention, gives us something to care for, and provides a window into the beauties and quirks of nature in an easy to control package.

If you happen to see a sharp increase in turkey activity in the next few weeks, don’t be alarmed.

Serviceberry winter (Sarvas winter) has passed, leaving us waiting for a green light from Mother Nature signaling the all-clear that it’s safe to plant. Veteran gardeners know Blackberry and Dogwood winters must both pass before we can transplant delicate seedlings and get serious about outs…

The night sky is far more active than we normally take it to be, and moths are a large percentage of the nocturnal fliers. While there are moths who are active in daytime, most prefer the night life and instead tend to shelter during the day hidden among their favorite hiding places due to i…

The N.C. House has taken a long overdue step toward transparency, voting unanimously to add online video streaming of its sessions – so North Carolinians across the state can watch their government in action without driving to Raleigh.

If you own it, you control it. That’s what it means to enjoy a property right, in a nutshell. It is a right safeguarded by North Carolina’s constitution as well as the 14th amendment to the federal Constitution, among other provisions.

It’s a rare occurrence when yours truly promotes the removal of any tree, but in the case of a Bradford pear I make an exception.

Poison ivy is one of the few plants capable of making even the toughest bushwhacker quickly change direction.

Last weekend marked the end of a sports era. Since I was around at the beginning, I want to join others in mourning the loss of over-the-air broadcasts of ACC sports.

Found in fallow fields and cultivated lands, there’s a treasure in the mountains most of us overlook, a nutrient rich plant that sustained families through the winter when the root cellar was getting bare.

Ladybugs are one of the most common and easily recognized members of a landscape. There are thousands of species of these beetles worldwide, with more than 400 that we know of taking up residence in the states.