Science Archives - North American Land Trust

Richland Trust: Protecting Natural Habitat in North Carolina

From hemlocks to hellbenders, Richland Trust’s board and staff are committed to protecting the natural habitats and the diverse animal and plant species of the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina. Twenty-five years ago, North American Land Trust (NALT) founded Richland Trust as a 509(a)(3) supporting charitable organization dedicated to the stewardship of conservation areas in […]

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Whooping Cranes Visit NALT Conservation Areas in Texas

Sightings of rare birds trumpet the conservation success story The majestic whooping crane is the tallest flying bird in North America. It stands five-feet tall and has a wingspan of seven feet. It lives for more than 30 years. And it has a distinctive trumpet “whooping” call to attract mates. By all accounts, it is

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NALT News, Science, Stories From the Land, Uncategorized

Conserving Land with a Focus on Bats

Farmers of the tropics, tequila-makers and pollinators are just some of the names we’ve given to bats. As we learn more about these fascinating creatures, we’ve found that their value in natural ecosystems and their effects on human economies only increase. In the U.S. alone, bats save farmers an estimated $23 billion annually in pesticides

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Limited Development, News You Can Use, Science, Stories From the Land

NALT’s Favorite Field Guide: Using NatureServe to Steward the Land

With more than 480 Conservation Easements spread across 19 states, a common question asked of North American Land Trust (NALT) is, “How do you do it all?” Compared with locally established land trusts that do their work of creating and maintaining parks or preserving cultural sites close to home, NALT travels near and far to

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News You Can Use, Science, Stories From the Land

It Takes a Village to Save the White Fringeless Orchid

We’ve all heard the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child,” but one Georgia neighborhood found that it actually takes a village to raise a small orchid population. Called Big Canoe, this neighborhood is located in Pickens County, and is home to the Meadows Committee, a dedicated group of individuals committed to stewarding

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Science, Stories From the Land

Summer Solstice’s Strawberry Moon

Happy Summer Solstice! Today, June 20, marks the longest day of the year with 17 hours of light, and from here on out our days will grow shorter, though most of us will barely notice. The June solstice occurs when the Earth’s axis is most inclined towards the sun, with the sun reaching its northernmost

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News You Can Use, Science

Saving the Delmarva Fox Squirrel from Extinction: A Conservation Success Story

While exploring the woods of the Chesapeake Bay region, if you’re lucky you may spot a flash of silvery gray scampering across the forest floor. This shy and elusive creature is known as the Delmarva fox squirrel (Sciurus niger cinereus), and today you have a better chance of catching sight of it than if you

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Science, Stories From the Land

Happy World Oceans Day!

Happy World Oceans Day! The earth’s oceans are a significant aspect of this planet, touching everyone’s lives both directly and indirectly. Covering ¾ of the Earth’s surface, they contain 97% of the Earth’s water, and represent 99% of the living space on the planet with at least 200,000 identified marine species. Most of the ocean

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News You Can Use, Science

Yellow-Fringed Orchid (Platanthera ciliaris)

Overview: Listed as threatened or endangered in most states, the Yellow-Fringed Orchid ranges from southern New England west to southern Ontario (historic), southern Michigan, Illinois south along the coastal plain to Florida, and west to Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri. Its flowers are bright yellow to orange in coloring, with distinctive fringed lips, and clustered in

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News You Can Use, Science

Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolate)

Background: Many of you are probably finding an abundance of this aggressive invader in your gardens this time of year. Garlic mustard, or Alliaria petiolate is an herbaceous, biennial forb recognized by the garlic odor it releases when crushed. Originally from Europe, it was introduced in the U.S. in the 1800’s for medicinal and culinary

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News You Can Use, Science