Tours & Experiences in Richland County, WI

ridgeandvalleytours.com

Mourning Cloak Butterfly watercolor / by Mary Thompson

WOODEN WINDOW

restoration & weatherization

Residential & light commercial construction David J. Wadsworth • 563.419.0390 • wadsworthconstruction.com

BUY OUR BOOK! Go around the world in 372 pages (46 countries, 6 continents) LIVE VICARIOUSLY, BE INSPIRED. Makes a great gift! To order a signed copy, email wardjackybudweg@yahoo.com. Copies can also be purchased from Dragonfly Books in Decorah & Amazon. VibesUP Heartland • 22 S Frederick St • Oelwein, IA • 319-238-9741

Exposure to the elements hastens decay, bleaching trees into multi-limbed skeletons. Woodpeckers that previously visited the deadwood diner take up residence to raise families as softening wood offers the perfect medium for excavating nest holes. In short order, smooth, alabaster trunks become polka-dotted with cavities. The tree cavity is the gift that keeps on giving. First a nursery for little woodpeckers, throughout the life of a snag it may host dozens more critters unable to excavate their own cavities. The list of “secondary cavity nesters” – species that move in after woodpeckers move out – is long and peppered with backyard favorites. Blackcapped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, House Wren, Eastern Bluebird, Tree Swallow, and Screech Owl depend on cavities for survival. Squirrels of every stripe, including the rarely seen flying squirrel, readily occupy vacant cavities. Across the continent, more than one thousand species of wildlife are dependent on snags. Ultimately, time and gravity prevail as dead trees fall to earth. In a last slow-motion hurrah, they become one with the forest floor, providing shelter for salamanders and centipedes, food for fungus, and nutrients to nurture future generations of oaks and elms, beginning the cycle anew. These days the old saying “Look Ma! No cavities!” rings true, but with a different meaning. Snags are in short supply in our woodlands, primarily due to dead tree removal for firewood. As a result, competition for cavities is keen. Nest boxes offer an alternative for some species, but nothing beats woodpecker-hewn housing. Next time you venture afield, keep an eye peeled for leafless woodland elders. Quiet observation may surprise you with sightings of “wild” neighbors. And when you have the opportunity, share the news with family and friends – “Dead wood is good wood!” Mary Thompson has degrees in Fine Arts and Education. She has delighted in the creative arts since her first box of crayons. A dyed in the wool people person, she teaches art lessons to adventurous adults using a variety of media. 

Natural Solutions for Stress, Pain, Allergies, EMF & More

Leader in Earth Energy Therapy Products Check facebook.com/VibesUPHeartland for hours Appointments & group parties available on request

56

Fall 2021 / iloveinspired.com

Owner Theresa Brown LMT

Craig Thompson is a professional biologist with a penchant for birds dating back to a time when gas was $0.86 cents a gallon. He has reverence for trees, both living and dead.