http://www.Forestwonderer.com Articles about wildlife and the environment en-us Forestwonderer.com http://forestwonderer.tripod.com/wolves_and_white_tail_deer_hunting_in_wisconsin_id159.html Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reported that at least 9 wolves were killed during the white tail gun hunting season. During 2005 there was two killed and in 2004 one was killed. http://forestwonderer.tripod.com/ethanol_fuel_and_distillation_id158.html I posted an article aboutethanol distillation on the Forest Wonderer’s energy site. It goes into depth about the process of distillation. What types of products are used for making the alternative energy. Recently an ethanol plant has been built about 30 miles from where I live. I am not sure what corporation owns it. Steam vapors are constantly rising from it when you drive past. Kevin http://forestwonderer.tripod.com/berry_picking_in_the_chequamegon_national_forest_id157.html was reading an article "Toward Berry Good Aging" by Dr. Paul Gross when I was reminded of a friendship of long ago. This article is about different kinds of berries that can be found in the forests where I live. Wild strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries. I had a high school buddy that I would have considered being a brother. We protected each when the times got tough and never sold each other out just to save our own neck. And we got into some deep trouble together. My fried took an old Volkswagen car and cut the body completely off. All there was left remaining was the steering column and the bucket seats sitting on top of the frame. We take our little all-terran pile of aged metal all over the forest. During the summer we would run it through the berry patches. You can sit in the bucket seat and pick without getting scratched up from the blackberry brush. We went our separate ways after high school. Later on he was killed by a logging accident. Friendships like this are very rare. Maybe in the afterlife we can meet up again and pick berries in the forest. As long we can stay out of trouble. I don’t want to go down that road again. Posted by Kevin http://forestwonderer.tripod.com/hiking_foot_pain_common_foot_problems_id155.html Proper foot care is a must for hikers and backpackers. You can be in perfect health in every other way and have a few blisters turn a nice backpacking trip into a survival situation. Here are some suggestions on how to avoid foot problems when hiking, and then some tips on dealing with the problems if they do occur. Foot Care - Preventing Problems - Have extra clean dry socks. Wash a pair in a stream if necessary. Hang them from your pack to dry. - Air out your feet. Stop at least every couple hours and take off your shoes to let your feet cool. - Treat hot spots. Don't let hot areas on your feet develop into blisters - treat them early. - No hiking boots (unless you need ankle support). Running shoes are less likely to cause blisters. - Know your limits. Don't keep hiking once your feet are getting too sore. - Tighten laces near your ankles when going downhill, to prevent your toes from jamming against the front of the shoes. Common Foot Care Blisters should be treated as early as possible. Use moleskin (or duct tape if you have nothing better), and cut a hole for the blister to rest in, to avoid pressure on it. If it must be popped, do so with a sterilized needle at the base of the blister. Black toe is a toenail that has blood trapped underneath. It happens when the nail is continually hitting the front of your hiking boot or rubbing on the top. Try to correct the cause (tighten laces by ankle on downhill stretches). If the nail isn't painful or loose, you can leave it alone. Otherwise trim the nail, and wrap it with a bandage or duct tape. Ingrown toenails happen from a bad nail-cutting job or tight boots. The nail edge grows into the flesh. This can be very painful. Soak the toe in salty warm water for about ten minutes, then work the flesh back so you can cut the corner of the nail. For best results, you can also tuck a bit of cotton or toilet paper covered in antibacterial cream under the inflamed flesh (change daily). Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation and stretching of the tissue that connects your heel to your toes (the plantar fascia). You feel pain in the foot on the first steps after resting, or in the morning. To treat this on the trail, soak your feet in a cold stream for a while. Insoles with arch support and custom orthotics can help prevent this, if it is a recurring problem. Calluses are just thick and hard patches of skin. Corns are just calluses on the bony parts of the toes. They are caused by continual friction. If they become painful, you can use a nail file or knife to carefully file away the thickness and roughness. Try to prevent foot injuries and problems when possible, but be prepared for them anyhow. Carry moleskin and antibiotic cream, for example. You should also try to remember the basic foot care for the common conditions listed above. About the Author Copyright Steve Gillman. To get the ebook "Ultralight Backpacking Secrets (And Wilderness Survival Tips)" for FREE, as well as photos, gear recommendations, and a new wilderness survival section, visit: The Ultralight Backpacking Site: http://www.The-Ultralight-Site.com http://forestwonderer.tripod.com/teach_children_about_recycling_water_and_energy_conservation_id154.html Are you having a rough time teaching children about recycle and water, energy conservation. Here is an article that may help you. Kevin One of the great challenges I've noticed with trying to live a reasonably environmentally conscious life is teaching my children to do the same. Young children have very little sense of the future; for example, my daughter intends to be Rapunzel when she grows up. However, they do possess a decided desire to please. Things don't always turn out the way they intend, but children generally do mean well. And this means you can teach them. Start out by talking about why you make the decisions you do in terms of helping the environment. Even a preschooler can begin to learn what gets recycled, thrown in the compost or in the trash. A garden is a great way for kids to learn to care for plants, as well as a great way to get them interested in eating their vegetables. Start them out with organic techniques so that they really learn them and because it's much safer for them than using chemicals. Older kids can help you make more environmentally friendly household cleaning supplies if that's one of the things you do. Measuring quantities and mixing them together is a bit of math practice and a way to teach them that harsh chemicals aren't the only way to clean. Teach your kids about energy conservation. You can talk about the amount of power the various kinds of light bulbs use and have them help you make a good selection. You can make any child old enough to reach the light switch be responsible for keeping extra lights off. Have them help you to conserve water too. They can help you replace plants that need a lot of water with ones more suited to your area, for example. Show your kids ways to reuse all that wasteful packaging material found in children's toys and electronics. So much of that doesn't recycle easily in most areas, but you might be able to use some of it at home. Styrofoam packaging in large pieces combined with golf tees and a pounding implement makes for loads of fun for younger kids. Of course you'll have to supervise with smaller kids, but those dratted wires that hold just about every toy in its box these days can be added to the craft supplies. Also talk to them about using only what they need. This is a really tough one for kids these days, as they are likely to want all the stuff their friends have. As a parent it's up to you to help your children control their more acquisitive urges and to enjoy what they have. Children don't always take naturally to the sacrifices required to live a greener lifestyle, but it's a great time for them to learn the skills. Have a little fun with it and let your children explore their options as they help you help the planet. About the Author Stephanie Foster runs http://www.greensahm.com/ as she tries to figure out how to live a more environmentally friendly life. With two kids and a husband she finds plenty of challenge in this. http://forestwonderer.tripod.com/pine_nuts_with_my_king_size_whopper_burger_id153.html And don’t forget to give me a caffeine free diet coke. I found this picture of a triple decked burger that just amazed me. How can someone actually eat one of them? The calorie content must be enough to feed a small nation for a day. http://forestwonderer.tripod.com/steppe_climate_of_guanajuato_mexico_id152.html I found this interesting article on the steppe climate of Guanajuato Mexico. I hope you enjoy if you are interested, Kevin Butt-mountain: Life In A Steppe Climate Author: Douglas Bower If you were to sit in my living room and look out the picture window, you would see an enormous mountain that is about one-half mile from my front door. I have named it "Butt-mountain" for the butt-like rock formation that sits on its top. Butt-mountain, you would no doubt observe, is covered with yellowish, hay-like vegetation with a sparse sprinkling of small green shrubs. It is stark. It makes one wonder what sort of toxic waste disaster took place to make Butt-mountain look so, well, dead. Further observation would reveal that farmers send their cattle up there to graze, which leaves you wondering what they find to eat up there. Butt-mountain is not alone. All of Guanajuato is pretty much like Butt-mountain: dry, shrubs everywhere, cactus, and yellowish hay-like grass. The reason for this is that the town to which my wife and I moved from Kansas City (the land of hideous weather) resides in what is sometimes referred to as a "Steppe Climate". A Steppe Climate is one in which evaporation exceeds precipitation. Note that this is a generalization because technically the entire state of Guanajuato has three types of climates: semi-dry, temperate, and semi-warm. The city of Guanajuato is located right along the dividing line between the "temperate semi-humid" and the "semi-warm, sub-humid" regions. So we get a little of both of the two sub-climates. Thus, we get dry, shrubs, cactus, and yellowish, hay-like grass in our little neck of the Mexican woods. This is essentially a mountain-like desert without the blowing sand. In addition, we do have the rainy season that transforms the topography into a luscious carpet of greenery so that those poor cattle on my Butt-mountain can have something real to eat. The state does have some regions of temperate climate. "In general this climate is intermediate in terms of temperature (mesothermal). The plant types which commonly grow in it are oak forests, oak-pine forests, pine forests, chaparral and grazing land. It appears in six variants, covering 20% of the total area and unevenly distributed. The least humid climate is found chiefly in the southeast, in the municipalities of Apaseo, Jerécuaro and Yuriria." What all of this meant to me at the time of our move was that at last I had found an environment in which the symptoms of my chronic illness would stabilize. And, indeed, they have. If you are afflicted with any sort of illness that reacts to constantly shifting weather patterns, then this type of climate is just what the doctor ordered. I suffer from Fibromyalgia Syndrome. This pain and fatigue disorder lays me low when the weather constantly changes. When we lived in Kansas City, the land of weather torture, I was always in pain--it was unrelenting. I spent untold days in bed from being too tired to get out of it. This Land of Eternal Springtime (as it is sometimes called) is perfect for people who are "weather-vanes". I have two friends are afflicted with illnesses that are also reactive to sudden and frequent weather changes. They report that they cannot get out of bed, suffer from unrelenting pain, and are miserable in the United States. One moved to our little community while one stayed in America. The one here has seen marked improvement. She is more active and can get around better. The other one is just as miserable as we all were when we lived in the United States. "Mexico has some of the best climate in the world! It's located just far enough north in latitude to avoid the extreme heat and humidity that most countries have that are located closer to the equator. Yet it is far enough south to avoid the harsh winters that can hit much of the United States and Canada." That was good enough for me! About The Author: Learn how you can live in Guanajuato, The Land of Frogs. Learn why living in this central Mexican town is so different from the rest of Mexico. http://www.zyworld.com/theolog/Page5.htm http://forestwonderer.tripod.com/wisconsin_bluebird_organization_and_eastern_bluebird_house_plans_id151.html 12/9/2006 A Wisconsin Bluebird organization and Eastern Bluebird house plans. I just received my Wisconsin bluebird newsletter from the Bluebird Restoration Association of Wisconsin (BRAW). The newsletter comes out quarterly. It is loaded with articles on the obvious, bluebirds. Also a lot of color photos. This winter 2006 issue has a great article on how bluebirds sometimes adapt other bird’s young. Bluebird House Plans In this winter 2006 issue there is plans to build a bluebird nest box. This winter after the holidays I am going to build a couple of the nest boxes and see if I can put them up where I work. The area our office building is located is next to a golf course and woods. It would be nice to watch the bluebirds use the nest boxes when we are on break outside during the warm weather times. We are also fortunate to have large windows in our offices that we can also watch them. One of the main things to make sure you do is to face the opening of the bluebird house facing the east. It will produce more bluebird inhabitants. The winter issue is the final one for the year. It is also the notice to have your membership renewed for the next year. This organization will be definitely seeing my check coming in the mail. You can check out this bluebird restoration association of WI at www.braw.org Kevin http://forestwonderer.tripod.com/hiking_in_the_winter_id149.html I found this article on wintertime hiking. I personally like to hike a lot in the winter because of the solitude that it brings. There are some that think I am crazy to be out in the woods when temperatures are hovering around 0 degrees. The key thing is to be prepared out in the cold with the proper clothing. Kevin Hiking In The Pristine Paradise of Winter by John Grimes When the year turns to the winter months, many people pack up their outdoors gear and wait for the warmer weather of spring. If this is your tack, you are missing out on the joys of winter hiking. Hiking In The Pristine Paradise of Winter The winter presents some excellent opportunities to get outside and discover a second side to places you commonly frequent. Most people, however, never take advantage of the opportunity. When the mercury drops in the thermometer, they hole up for the winter. If you do so, you will be missing out on a winter wonderland that is often stunning. It is amazing how much a place can change with the seasons. I can guarantee you that a favorite hike is much different in winter than it is in summer. The air is crisper. The surroundings are blanketed in an almost dream like quietness. In many places, it may be blanketed in snow. Alas, this presents you with the opportunity to experience a serene, beautiful winter paradise. Without the hubbub of summer, it will seem like an entirely new scene. Going hiking in the winter is obviously different than in the warmer months. First off, you need to use a bit of common sense. If you are going to head out on a trail, make sure you check the weather first so you know if anything is coming. There are plenty of places on the internet now where you can get accurate forecasts and actually see a radar image of your area. Check them! You do not want to be a couple of hours into your hike and face a snow or rain storm. The second tip also involves common sense. Dress warmly! It is true that you will start to generate lots of body heat while hiking, but you should still over dress. Remember, you can always take clothing off if you get hot. Unless you are carrying your closet with you, however, it is hard to add clothing in the middle of your hike. There are a couple of other things you should do differently for winter hikes. First, make sure to tell someone where you are going in case something happens. Second, take water with you because you will still need hydration. Third, wear sun protection and lip balm because the sun doesn't care if it is hot or cold when it is beating down on your exposed face, neck and lips. Fourth, take a camera so you can take pictures of the stunning scenes around you. Hiking in winter is definitely something you should consider doing if at all possible. It presents you with an opportunity to see your favorite haunts in an entirely new light. About the Author John Grimes is with AllTerrainco.com - makers of natural products for the outdoors. http://forestwonderer.tripod.com/poisoned_wolves_wildlife_id147.html An Idaho man that it would be a good idea to lace some meatballs with the poison Aldicarb. What he was going to do is feed the meatballs to some wolves in the Salmon National Forest. What happened was domestic dogs plus other wildlife ate the poisoned meat. Several died or got very sick. No wolves were found sick or dead from the stupid tactic. The only good thing that happened from this was that the fool admitted that he done it. Prosecutors are expected to ask at sentencing would be 30 days in jail, be banned from public lands for two years and pay veterinary bills of $128.90 for treatment of the dogs. In my opinion that sentence is way to minimal for the crime. http://forestwonderer.tripod.com/id145.html Bush is at it again. He is pondering opening up energy drilling in the Alaska wilderness. A big surprise is that 14 energy companies think it is a good idea. What would be a better idea is that Bush forces auto manufactures produce more efficient vehicles. There has been widespread speculation among environmental groups and fishing industry representatives that President Bush would end the moratorium during the lame-duck session of Congress, allowing the Interior Department to proceed with its plans to market oil and gas leases in the southern section of the bay, along the north coast of the Aleutian Islands http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/news/DNRNews_Lookup.asp?id=43#art1 According to a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource survey, the state is 46% forest. That is about 16 million acres of mostly hardwoods. It hasn’t been this high since a survey done in 1936. The more forest area Wisconsin has the more area wolves, black bears, elk, and other wildlife have to roam. http://www.wolfmountain.com I recently added the Wolf Mountain Sanctuary to the Forest Wonderer website site as a link. The sanctuary is located in southern California on the Mojave high desert. They rescue wolves and raise the endangered species. It is amazing what they are trying to accomplish using creative methods to finance the costly operations. http://forestwonderer.tripod.com/global_warming_id144.html It is not difficult to become a believer in global warming. According to the U.S. National Climatic Data Center 2001 was the second warmest year on record and it was the 23rd consecutive year of above normal temperatures. Perhaps most troubling is the fact that the rate of temperature increase is accelerating