Students with Biltmore Sticks in Dry Forest

Large group of students at Santa Cruz, El Rincon (see What I Do), each with his or her Biltmore Stick (see Biltmore Stick), waiting to be divided into field crews so that they can count and measure several important tree species in the surrounding tropical dry forest. I'm the one with the Red Sox cap. [NOTE: Have no idea who took this photo. Maybe Miguel Alexiades (thx, Miguel)]? 

Sandy Damage at Deerpark

Spent a wonderful weekend at Camp Deerpark (see Camp Deerpark Forestry and Cabins at Camp Deerpark) working on some forestry stuff (thx, CDFST). Some of this was directed towards the large blow-downs (shown above) caused in 2012 by Hurricane Sandy. What a mess. The forest was really torn up and we lost a lot of trees. We were able to salvage some of the white pine trees that blew down and saw them up for boards for the cabins [NOTE: These will be finished soon and I will post some pictures].

The residual hardwoods seem to be appreciating the increased light levels. As is shown below in a core from a red oak growing in one of the blow-down areas, the post-Sandy growth rings (indicated by the red line) are considerably larger than those produced before the storm. Every cloud has a silver lining, I guess.

Everest: A Tribute to the Fallen

"Imagine a 1500 ft tidal wave of snow, rock and debris headed straight towards you. This was our reality on April 25th, 2015 at Mt. Everest basecamp when a 7.8 magnitude earthquake triggered a massive avalanche at Mt. Everest Basecamp that claimed 16 lives and critically injured 50+ men and women". A short documentary by award-winning filmaker, Elia Saikalay.  

Eight Years Ago Today

I was in the Selva Maya of Quintana Roo putting dendrometer bands around some of the timber trees to measure growth (see Selva Maya III).  There were monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi yucatanensis) jumping around in the canopy and making a lot of noise and one landed very close to me and was checking me out. I tried to get a picture, but my camera focused on the leaves in the foreground, not the monkey in the background. [NOTE: I hate it when that happens]. 

Schoolkids at MOMA

Was back at the MOMA yesterday with my friend Silvia Purata (see Reading the Bands). Fantastic art, as usual, but this visit I was struck by the people as much as the art. Tuesday is apparently a big day for school groups. Something about the little girl with her audio tour headphones, orange school pass lanyard, blond ponytail, and peach sweatshirt standing in front of The Kitchen by Picasso gave me a real "Art is for Everyone" moment. Thank you MOMA. 

Bodhisattva's Embrace

Hozan Alan Senauke has been in residence at the Empty Hand Zen Center for the past few weeks (deep bow of gratitude, Alan). I have been reading through his book The Bodhisattva's Embrace: Dispatches from Engaged Buddhism's Front Lines as part of his class on Dogen's essay Bodaisatta Shishobo (Four Embracing Dharmas) from Shobogenzo.

As Vice-Abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center, leader of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, founder of the Clear View Project, and advisior to the International Network of Engaged Buddhists, Alan has a unique and global perspective on socially-engaged Buddhism as a force for positive change. And the clarity of this view comes through in his writings. This is a wonderful book. [NOTE: Click here to download a translation of Bodaisatta Shishobo. Read slowly. Repeat. Conscientiously apply in your life and become a Bodhisattva]. 

The Alchemist's Letter

Something for your Friday. Beautiful animated video by Carlos Andre Stevens. Lot of careful details and incredible illustrations here; the rendering of fire and water, in particular. Best at full screen. 

E.B. White

This from E. B. White, renown American writer and author of The Elements of Style (1959), Stuart Little (1945), and Charlotte's Web (1952) [NOTE: I love all three of these books]: 

"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority".

I would, too. 

Lunch Outside

Sitting outside, on a little hill, overlooking Yale campus and the Kline Science buildings, on a beautful spring day. Eating my lunch (Monterey Jack cheese and lettuce on whole wheat sandwich and a few apple slices) while students take the Indigenous Silviculture (F&ES 471b) final exam. First time I've had a picnic all year. [NOTE: The building in the background is the Kline Chemistry Laboratory].

The Importance of Looking Down (From the Archive)

I am a firm believer in the idea that if you want to understand the future of a tropical forest - look in the understory (see Regeneration Surveys). Repeated observations of marked seedlings are the crystal ball (maybe Ouija Board is a better analogy) of forest dynamics.  A species may be represented by a large number of canopy trees at the moment, but if it doesn't have any seedlings or saplings established in the understory, it's days are numbered. Want to assess the sustainability of forest use? Count seedlings. Want to make imperceptible, lasting changes to forest composition? Selectively weed the understory (see Tembawang). 

When you walk through a tropical forest, the natural tendency is to look up.  To scan the crowns for flowers and fruits (if collecting herbarium specimens) or to marvel at the size of the canopy trees (see Size Matters). Nothing wrong with this, but there may be more to be learned by looking down. [NOTE: The sapling with the orange flagging is Grias peruviana (see Grias Predated, Umberto Pacaya, and Varzea Still Life); I still have that machete].