Alex Palmer's Natural History Notes and Thoughts

Introduction Do you know anyone who loves to frolic in 45 degree weather in the pouring rain?  I do!  The early spring frogs of Illinois love this weather, and as temperature warms up and as ice and snow melts away, various species of frogs come out of hibernation and begin mating and feeding as warmer, rainier nights set in. In many woodland areas in the spring in Northern Illinois, the ice covering low-lying depressions and shallow ponds melts and forms  ephemeral ponds that eventually dry up as summer arrives.  These "temporary" ponds and wetlands are void of fish and many other large predators, making it an ideal spot for amphibians like frogs and salamanders to breed and lay their eggs (figure 1). Figure 1:  An ephemeral wetland forming from melting ice and snow.   Early spring frogs must have a quick life cycle so that they can mature from their aquatic larval stage to an air-breathing adult before the pond dries up.  Other species of frogs have longer lifecycl

T his post consists of my notes from a lecture on climbing and working in trees as part of my training to become a certified arborist by the International Society of Arborculture.  The speaker was Phillip Prohaska, a natural resources specialist with the Forest Preserves of Cook County and his lecture took place on February 27, 2015 at the Salt Creek Resource Management facility in Willow Springs, Illinois.  Please note that some graphics in this post were used from outside sources.   A tree climber's safety relies on the integrity of the PPE being used, such as climbing saddles, snaps, and carbiners (climbing equipment).  Both carbiners and snaps must have a minimum breaking (tensile) strength of 5,000 pounds (table A).  Caribiners should be auto-locking if used for climbing purposes (figure 1).   Table A Figure 1:  Carabiner Ropes must have a minimum tensile strength of 5,400 pounds and must be identified by the manufacturer as suitable for use in climbing.  A synthe

T his post consists of my notes from a lecture on tree worker safety as part of my training to become a certified arborist by the International Society of Arborculture.  The speaker was Phillip Prohaska, a natural resources specialist with the Forest Preserves of Cook County and his lecture took place on February 27, 2015 at the Salt Creek Resource Management facility in Willow Springs, Illinois.  Please note that some graphics in this post were used from outside sources.   Introduction Working around trees is risky.  Safety is very important.  With respect to safety regulations, a statement that includes the word "shall" is a mandatory safety requirement.  A statement with the word "should" is an advisory recommendation.   ANSI Z133 is an approved equipment label compliant with state, local, and federal laws.  It is the offical set of safety standards for safety equipment in the United States.   Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be snug fitting, inclu