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Bobcat Introduces TL623 Telehandler
Jessica Schwartz
New Study Shows 57% Decline In Western Bumble Bee—And Why
The western bumble bee was once common in western North America, but increasing temperatures, drought, and pesticide use have contributed to a 57% decline in the occurrence of this species in its historical range, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey-led study. Using data from 1998-2020, scientists determined that increasing summer temperatures and drought partly drove declines of the native bee in recent decades, with rising temperatures being particularly important. The decline in pollinators is a cause for concern because most flowering plants depend on pollinators to promote reproduction. Pollinators are also essential to our agriculture industry and economy and provide fruits, seeds and nuts that both humans and wildlife rely on. To further complicate matters for this western bee, climate change continues to make rising temperatures and drought more common in the western states. “There has been an ongoing global decline in pollinators, including in North America,” said Will Janousek, USGS scientist and co-lead author of the study. “The decline in the once common western bumble bee shows that common, widespread species are not excluded from this trend and our study showed that climate change is an important reason for the decline of this native bee species.” The research team found another reason for the reduced distribution of the once common native bee in a pesticide use dataset spanning 2008-2014: a group of insecticides called neonicotinoids, which are commonly used in agriculture. In areas where neonicotinoids were applied, the western bumble bee was less likely to occur and as the ...
March Of The Fall Armyworms
Will we see the same record numbers as 2021? The turf world is a constantly changing environment and being really good at what you do also requires change. Over time, our approach to turf management has evolved and practices have been modified. Changes in weather patterns and climate further complicate matters. I will avoid spending a lot of time on this topic to avoid alienating anyone, but from my perspective, climate change is very real. We can measure it, see it, and it is reflected in our pest problems. When I first started at North Carolina State University, sod webworms on bermudagrass were a problem. Through the late ‘80s, though, I never really saw webworm problems and rarely received any calls. However, in the past few years, sod webworms seem to be returning. (For advice, see content.ces.ncsu.edu/sod-webworm-in-turf.) As drought conditions worsen in some areas, it could impact insects that like it hot and dry—such as southern chinch bugs and bermudagrass mites—which may increase dramatically. Others that require soil moisture for egg laying, such as white grubs, may become less abundant. This can also vary annually depending upon weather. Pest problems we’re seeing throughout the country, in both warm and cool-season turf, are not consistent, but things are ultimately changing. Pest Trends So what transitions in insect pest populations have I observed in the past few years? I could start with an ever expanding range of fire ants, more chinch bug problems, new white grub species, more bill- bugs, annual ...
Landscaping In The Heat? Acclimatization & Cooler PPE Tips
Though it’s the end of August, but heat and temperatures may climb high in some areas for at least a few more weeks. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, 2021 was the warmest summer on record since 1936. This year, the U.S. had heat waves affect the entire country. A new study from First Street Foundation announced that the U.S. will see 125˚ days by 2053. The industrial or outdoor workforce is often at particular risk from summer heat. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that over 4,000 U.S. workers are seriously injured or die from heat stress every year. Many work in direct sunlight, with no air-conditioning, and/or with multiple heat stressors. A 2017 study published in Nature Climate Change determined that while about 30% of the population was exposed to a deadly combination of heat and humidity for at least 20 days annually, that percentage would increase to nearly half by the year 2100. So what can the landscape industry do to help deal with rising temperatures, yet still retain productivity? Yes, hydration and cooling stations are key, but what else? Practice Acclimatization In the landscaping industry, we talk a lot about heat tolerant plants. Well, it turns out some people have more physiological heat tolerance than others. But, heat tolerance is also something that can be improved. Just as scuba divers or hikers in high altitudes know, acclimatization is key. Last week, Time published a fascinating article, “How to Build Up Your Heat Tolerance to ...
CA Announces New Water Strategy: 500M Sq. Ft Of Turf To Be Converted By 2030
Late last week, Governor Newsom of California announced a new comprehensive water supply strategy focusing on accelerated infrastructure projects that would better prepare the State for perpetual years of drought and address the ongoing crisis. Part of the plan relating to lawn and landscape work calls for: accelerating the transition of turf to landscapes that use less water; incentivizing such transitions; offering grants to disadvantaged communities to increase irrigation efficiency where needed; and enacting new irrigation efficiency standards. The new plan, California’s Water Supply Strategy: Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future, states, “To this end, the State will partner with local agencies to convert 500 million square feet of ornamental turf by 2030, with corresponding investments in programs and policies that incentivize turf conversion. Removal of 500 million square feet of turf could generate 66,000 acre-feet of water savings each year at an estimated cost of $1 billion.” It goes on to say, “The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) will establish a grant program to support local efforts to replace ornamental turf with drought-tolerant landscaping and—where schools and parks require turf—to make turf irrigation and maintenance more efficient, with a focus on disadvantaged communities….The State Water Board will advance adoption of new long-term water use efficiency standards, per existing statute (2018)…. Once DWR provides its formal recommendations, the Board will begin the process for enacting the regulation to ensure the rule will be in effect by January 1, 2024.” The new plan underscores the significant challenges ahead as a ...
Cali in Crisis: Water Agencies Call for Immediate & Long-Term Action
California water agencies form the group, Solve The Water Crisis. A newly formed statewide education effort, Solve the Water Crisis, was launched this past April in California. It is being spearheaded by local water agencies from across the state with diverse supporters from all regions and across all industries. “As the State repeatedly calls for more conservation to get through the current drought, reactionary solutions to the current drought are not an acceptable or adequate policy response. There is a lack of acknowledgement on the larger and long-term picture – we are in a generational water supply crisis that is far more than just this drought and we need California policymakers to take immediate action,” says Heather Dyer, general manager of San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, and a leader of Solve the Water Crisis. As the State responds to manage this current drought, the perpetual and systemic water crisis continues to grow, with no relief or remedy in sight, for the near term or future, states the group. Water agencies are now calling on the state to take action in response to the years of drought conditions, the repeated imposition of emergency regulations and water restrictions to reduce consumption, and the lack of progress on water infrastructure investment. The groups feels the time is now to imagine and create water infrastructure aligned with the new climate reality of significantly reduced snow-pack and increased precipitation volatility. Worsening climate conditions coupled with a population that has doubled since the development ...
Cali in Crisis: Water Agencies Call for Immediate & Long-Term Action
California water agencies form the group, Solve The Water Crisis. A newly formed statewide education effort, Solve the Water Crisis, was launched this past April in California. It is being spearheaded by local water agencies from across the state with diverse supporters from all regions and across all industries. “As the State repeatedly calls for more conservation to get through the current drought, reactionary solutions to the current drought are not an acceptable or adequate policy response. There is a lack of acknowledgement on the larger and long-term picture – we are in a generational water supply crisis that is far more than just this drought and we need California policymakers to take immediate action,” says Heather Dyer, general manager of San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District, and a leader of Solve the Water Crisis. As the State responds to manage this current drought, the perpetual and systemic water crisis continues to grow, with no relief or remedy in sight, for the near term or future, states the group. Water agencies are now calling on the state to take action in response to the years of drought conditions, the repeated imposition of emergency regulations and water restrictions to reduce consumption, and the lack of progress on water infrastructure investment. The groups feels the time is now to imagine and create water infrastructure aligned with the new climate reality of significantly reduced snow-pack and increased precipitation volatility. Worsening climate conditions coupled with a population that has doubled since the development ...
NYC’s Ghost Forest Speaks To Ecosystem Restoration
There’s just one month left to view a towering grove of spectral cedar trees in New York City’s Madison Square Park, whose bare trunks and spindly branches speak not only to the Halloween season but to the ravaging effects of climate change on woodlands. Ghost Forest, an art installation by Maya Lin derives its name from the eponymous natural phenomenon: vast tracts of forestland that have died off due to extreme weather events as well as sea-level rise and saltwater infiltration. To create the installation, Lin worked with the Madison Square Park Conservancy to source dead trees from a restoration project in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, a vulnerable site that has suffered severe deprivation. Atlantic white cedars, which were once plentiful on the East Coast, have dwindled to a population below 50,000 acres due to past logging practices as well as threats posed from climate change. The 49 cedar trees installed in the park were all slated to be cleared as part of regeneration efforts. In the park, visitors can wander through the trees, which are interspersed in a dense cluster and stand 40′ to 45′ high. The installation brings the dire reality of dead woodlands to an urban audience and encourages a consideration of nature-based practices that can protect and restore the ecosystem. According to the Conservancy, here are two things we can learn from the unique regional ecosystem in the Pine Barrens: Overdevelopment of land negatively impacts forests. Pine Barrens are ecosystems composed of stands of ...
