CLEAR October 2014

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Wild Ginseng, Wood Thrushes, and Climate Change: A Survival Story | West Virginia Public Broadcasting
by Duane 22 Oct '14

22 Oct '14

http://wvpublic.org/post/wild-ginseng-wood-thrushes-and-climate-change-surv… Wild Ginseng, Wood Thrushes, and Climate Change: A Survival Story By Glynis Board, WV Public Broadcasting, October 21, 2014 Some researchers at West Virginia University have discovered that wild ginseng—a native and valuable medicinal plant—could be using specific birds to catch a ride into climates for which it’s better suited. Eberly Professor of Biology at WVU, Jim McGraw, has been studying ginseng from every angle for 18 years. A simple question lead McGraw and researchers Amy Hruska and Sara Souther to ask other questions, which is lead them to discover an ecological survival story. STUDY 1: Fruit Why does ginseng bear bright red berries? “When a plant evolves fleshy fruit like that, it usually means there’s some kind of animal interaction going on, but we had no idea what that was,” said McGraw. So all around wild fruiting ginseng cameras were set, and for three years tripped by the occasional raccoon, opossum, mouse, or turkey. But there was one pretty regular visitor: the Wood Thrush, (a cousin of the Robin, actually, but with superior vocal abilities on account of a double-set of vocal chords!). McGraw says after analyzing some 900 photos, they discovered the thrushes were in fact seduced by the bright red ginseng berries. STUDY 2: A Seed Study How do seeds survive the thrushes, or do they? McGraw and researcher Amy Hruska found out there were captive thrushes living at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, and convinced the good folks there to let them feed ginseng berries to the birds. Video actually shows regurgitation of seed. The researchers observed that the birds would eat the whole berry but 5 to 30 minutes later… “They would actually sit on a branch and start flipping their bills together and a seed would pop out,” McGraw said, “And they were completely viable seeds.” So the research team found ginseng’s wild seed dispensers! STUDY 3: Thrush Tracking Where and how far do the thrushes wander? …This study is underway… Understanding thrush activity is the latest query commanding attention in the larger effort to study a threatened and valuable plant. Wild populations are increasingly rare. We know overharvesting, deer browsing, and loss of habitat are major reasons for declines. But McGraw thinks this thrush research might shed light on another threat to wild ginseng populations. “Wood thrushes, as common as they are, have actually declined by 50 percent over the last fifty years,” McGraw said. “They’re one of the poster children for major songbird decline in the Eastern deciduous forest.” Losing so many birds is very troubling because ginseng populations may well rely on thrushes not only to help disperse their seeds, but also to help them adapt to a changing climate. Wild ginseng’s range stretches from eastern Canada south through the eastern United States. But genetically, those ginseng populations vary and over ages have adapted to their specific regions. McGaw suspect thrushes will play an important role in helping ginseng survive by helping it migrate from their warming regions into cooler climates. If the birds themselves can survive. Duane Nichols, Cell- 304-216-5535, www.FrackCheckWV.net

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West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Acquire 2 New Wildli - WBOY.com: Clarksburg, Morgantown: News, Sports, Weather
by Duane 09 Oct '14

09 Oct '14

http://www.wboy.com/story/26745321/west-virginia-division-of-natural-resour… West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Acquire 2 New Wildlife Management Areas >Thursday, October 9, 2014 The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources has acquired two new wildlife management areas in Preston County. “These new public lands will provide outdoor enthusiasts with additional opportunities for hunting, trapping, fishing and other wildlife-related activities. In addition, these WMAs contain important habitat types and unique wildlife species which, under the management of the Wildlife Resources Section, can be responsibly conserved into the future,” said Curtis Taylor, chief of the DNR Wildlife Resource Section in a news release. Cheat Canyon Wildlife Management Area and Fairfax Pond - Rehe Wildlife Management Area are the two areas. The Cheat Canyon Wildlife Management area can be accessed by Beech Run Road from the south and by County Route 14/4 from the north. The Fairfax Pond - Rehe near Reedsville can be accessed by State Route 92 on Arthur Road (County Route 92/1) and Dogtown Road (County Route 56/2). Duane Nichols, Cell- 304-216-5535, www.FrackCheckWV.net

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Firefighters Fight Blaze at Bio Diesel Refinery on Old Stewartst - WBOY.com: Clarksburg, Morgantown: News, Sports, Weather
by Duane 09 Oct '14

09 Oct '14

http://www.wboy.com/story/26683600/firefighters-fight-blaze-at-bio-diesel-r… Firefighters Fight Blaze at Bio Diesel Refinery on Old Stewartstown Road >Thursday, October 2, 2014 Fire crews responded to a fire at a bio diesel refinery Wednesday in Monongalia County. According to Mecca 911 dispatchers, it happened around 8:30 p.m. on Old Stewartstown Road. The fire closed down the road for a little more than three hours as crews battled the blaze. The owner was processing a batch of bio diesel when the fire ignited. The owner said he saw a fire ball, ran out and began turning off propane tanks. There was approximately 800 to 900 gallons of cooking oils and bio diesel in the fire, said the Cheat Lake Volunteer Fire Department. Firefighters were able to control the fire from approaching an adjacent building which contained approximately 4,000 to 5,000 gallons of unprocessed oil. The refinery generates approximately 300 gallons of bio diesel every 12 hours, said the Cheat Lake VFD. The DEP was notified about the fire. The Cheat Lake Volunteer Fire Department is investigating. Duane Nichols, Cell- 304-216-5535. www.FrackCheckWV.net

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CLEAR October 2014