A Northwoods Almanac for April 12 - 25, 2024 by John Bates
New Zealand
By the time you read this, Mary and I will have just returned from three weeks on New Zealand’s South Island, a trip of a lifetime for us.
Why go to New Zealand? Here were 10 reasons for us:
1- Around a third of the country is listed as protected or within national parks.
2- New Zealand is home to six breeding species of penguins, three of which breed on the mainland (the others breed on offshore islands): little blue penguins, yellow-eyed penguins, and Fiordland crested penguins. Thirteen of the world’s 18 species of penguins have been recorded in New Zealand.
3- New Zealand is the albatross capital of the world, with 10 of the 22 species worldwide breeding here. It’s also home to the world’s only mainland breeding colony of albatross, the royal albatross, which is the world’s largest seabird with a wingspan of over 10.5 feet.
4- There are 260 species of trees native to New Zealand (Wisconsin has 142 tree species native to North America), and practically all of them are evergreen – only 12 are deciduous. The forests evolved over thousands of years in the complete absence of browsing mammals – no deer, elk, moose, rabbits, etc. Prior to human settlement, the land mammals of New Zealand consisted entirely of several species of bats. That’s it! Think about what that meant for the plant life on the island.
5- Over 80% of New Zealand’s plants are endemic – they aren’t found anywhere else.
6- NZ has over 200 species of ferns, nearly half of which grow nowhere else in the world.
7- This is a hiker’s paradise with 4,785 well-maintained routes with waterfalls or scenic views. Nine “Great Walks” are centered in some of the country’s most iconic scenery, averaging 3 to 4 days in duration, and are fastidiously managed by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation.
8- 75% of New Zealand’s energy is generated from renewable resources – hydro, geothermal, wind.
9- Aesthetically, it’s a stunningly beautiful country with wildly diverse landscapes.
10- And the people are remarkably open and gracious to visitors – you feel very welcome.
The sad side to New Zealand? New Zealand has the distinction of having lost a higher proportion of its native birds, some 50 species, than anywhere else in the world. When the Maori first arrived in New Zealand sometime around 1250 – less than 800 years ago – they brought with them domestic dogs and the Pacific rat. The result? By around 1400, 13 species had already gone extinct, including the flightless Moa which was the world’s largest land bird, growing as tall as 11.5 feet and weighing over 400 lbs. It browsed on open grasslands much like cattle today.
Captain James Cook, the first European to significantly impact New Zealand’s shores, arrived in 1769, and within a few decades missionaries, whalers, traders, and settlers, along with all their diseases and dreams of development, began transforming/devastating the islands’ wildlife and cultures. Europeans brought the pig, mice, two additional species of rats, weasels, stoats, ferrets, possums and a host of other species that immediately had free rein on bird and plant species that had never seen their like.
Floristically, the country was once 80% forested, but is now about 22% forested. Over 30,000 non-native plants have been introduced. Sheep rule the day.
Cicadas!
Many species of cicadas exist in North America, most of which have life cycles of two to three years. But there are also seven cicada species that have exceptionally long life cycles: three species that emerge once every 17 years and four species that emerge once every 13 years. The last time the 17-year cicadas emerged was in 2007, while the last time the 13-year species emerged was 2011.
Starting in late April, these two major broods of cicadas will appear together, the first time they have emerged from the soil at the same time in 221 years. The last time the broods appeared simultaneously, Thomas Jefferson was president and the Louisiana Purchase was just completed. To put this synchronization further into context says one entomologist, this many cicadas emerging at once is like spotting a rare comet.
“So what,” you may say. But you would only say this if you’ve never heard cicadas. We’re in for one of the loudest extended free concerts we’ve ever attended. The combined cacophony may at times be louder than a jet engine.
The good news is that once they surface, the cicadas only live between four and six weeks, so there will be an end to the concert.
And they’re also completely harmless – they don’t bite – so no reason to kill every one of them you see.
What, you may ask, are the cicada nymphs doing while underground for those 13 or 17 years? They live in the soil and feed on sap from underground tree roots; however, they don’t appear to cause any significant harm to the trees.
The best known site in Wisconsin for maximum cicada emergence this spring could be Lake Geneva. The cicadas can number in the millions in small areas, emerging from 20 to 25 holes per square foot in a lawn.
The cicadas employ an evolutionary survival strategy called “predator satiation,” the notion that if they emerge all at once in such enormous numbers, their predators (birds, spiders, snakes, among others) can’t possible eat them all, and their survival will be ensured.
Why the emergent cycles specifically only occur 13 and 17 years? No one knows. Some cicadas, however, misread the calendars and emerge in off-years, so many Wisconsinites hear a few cicadas every year.
Some areas will be spared this year. But unless you are so fortunate, you may need to invest in some noise-reducing headphones.
Planting Trees
Spring is a great time to plant trees! Know this however: It’s a myth that when planting a new tree or shrub, you should dig the hole and add an amendment to the soil before you backfill the hole.
The truth is that although amending soil with organic matter is often a good idea, it should be done on an area-wide basis, not just in a planting hole for an individual plant. In fact, adding an organic amendment to the soil only in the planting hole will tend to reduce growth of the plant (I’m guilty of this!). This happens because roots may stay within the amended soil and not grow into the native soil, creating a root-bound plant within the amended soil.
Plus, if the organic amendment – your compost or manure – is not completely decomposed, it may require nitrogen for further decomposition, which will compete with plant roots for minerals, thereby resulting in reduced growth. And in the case of large shrubs or trees, decomposition of the amendment will cause the plant to gradually settle lower into the hole, and the root collar will then sink below the soil.
What’s the best time to plant trees? Spring and fall are ideal when the soil temperatures are mild, allowing the plant to develop a healthy root system. However, if planted too late in the fall and the ground freezes early, the tree won't be able to establish its roots. Conversely, if it goes in the ground too late in the spring, when hot temperatures have set in before the roots have established, trees can get scorched by the sun and potentially die if they can't uptake water properly. So, there’s always risks involved that can’t be anticipated.
Perspective – The Cost of Ticks vs Wolves
From Pat Durkin’s column comparing the costs of Lyme disease in Wisconsin to wildlife damage claims (https://www.patrickdurkinoutdoors.com/post/tiffany-should-trust-science-ticks-more-costly-than-wolves):
“During 2022, the state recorded 91 babesiosis cases, as well as 17 cases of ehrlichiosis, 53 cases of Powassan virus, 511 cases of anaplasmosis, and 5,327 cases of Lyme disease. A 2016 study by the National Library of Medicine estimated each Lyme disease case costs society about $2,000 and each patient $1,200. That’s 6,044 diagnosed tick-borne diseases at $2K each for Wisconsin, totaling an estimated $12.1 million in medical costs for 2022.
“According to the DNR’s 2022 report on wildlife damage claims and abatements . . . agricultural damage in [the] 26 counties in 2022 was:
“$40,372 from turkeys, 98% of the statewide $40,990 total.
“$65,131 from elk, 100% of the statewide total.
“$137,535 from black bears, 92% of the statewide $148,744 total.
“$270,951 from white-tailed deer, 25% of the statewide $1.06 million total.
“For comparison, wolves caused $171,386 in damage in 2023 . . . and $177,000 on average from 2019 through 2023 across their range in Wisconsin's northern and central forests.”
To put this into further perspective, it’s hard these days to buy a decent two-bedroom home in the Northwoods for under $200,000. Thus, wolf damage isn’t even equal to the cost of a single house.
And keep in mind, deer cause far more damage than all other wildlife species combined.
Celestial Events
Today, April 12, Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space. It was 1961, 63 years ago.
We’re up to 13 hours and 31 minutes of sun on 4/14.
The peak Lyrid meteor shower occurs in the predawn of 4/22. Look for an average of 10 to 20 per hour.
April’s full moon takes place on 4/23. It’s called by the Ojibwe the “Maple Sugar” moon, and in an ordinary winter, that would fit. But maple sugaring began in late February this year and the season has been over for many weeks.
Thought for the Week
“We don’t make a photograph just with a camera, we bring to the act of photography all the books we have read, the movies we have seen, the music we have heard, the people we have loved.” – Ansel Adams
If it’s not too much hubris, I’d expand this wonderful quote. We bring to all of our experiences all the books we have read, the movies we have seen, the music we have heard, the people we have loved, and everything else that we have experienced up to this moment. It’s a giant suitcase of life experience. Which is why each of us experiences the Northwoods uniquely, and why each of us can live in the same place, but have very different opinions about how we should live in this place.
Please share your outdoor sightings and thoughts: e-mail me at manitowish@centurytel.net, call 715-476-2828, snail-mail at 4245N State Highway 47, Mercer, WI, or see my blog at www.manitowishriver.blogspot.com
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