Nature News

Found in all temperate parts of the world, the oak tree has a history with humankind. Many old oaks, especially in the Old World, grew to impressive size, well-deserving of the term mighty.  It was revered in the ancient British Isles as a sacred tree and was...

As fall segues into winter, we who are fortunate enough to live in the Central Highlands of Arizona will begin to see more of some of our iconic animal neighbors.  This can be positive, negative, or both, depending on our perspective.  If we have chosen to live here,...

Nobody likes gophers, right?  We do everything we can to get rid of them, even KILL (gasp!).  But wait a minute.  Every plant and animal has its proper place and its proper purpose, so maybe we need to learn the proper place and purpose of the gopher.  Not sure what a...

This is the story of an unusual relationship between two very different types of organisms.  In the natural world this is called symbiosis or mutualism.  It is a relationship that benefits both species, but harms neither.  This kind of relationship actually can be...

Snakes are one of nature’s most misunderstood creatures.  Over the centuries they have been alternately revered and feared by many cultures.  Much of this fear is unreasoned and misplaced. It often comes from a place of misinformation. Here in Arizona, we are likely...

  The Bluebird Before you thought of spring,Except as a surmise,You see, God bless his suddenness,A fellow in the skiesOf independent hues,A little weather-wornInspiriting habilimentsOf indigo and brown.With specimens of song,As if for you to choose,Discretion in the...

Spring is often regarded as a wonderful time of year.  Birds are returning from their winter migrations, perennial plants are starting to grow and bud and from these buds, a few hardy flowers start to bloom.  Rain is also associated with spring, filling our creeks and...

Woodpeckers belong to a large and varied family of birds known as Picidae. The family is divided into subfamilies and those subfamilies are divided into tribes. The Melanerpini tribe is a group native to the Mogollon Highlands and includes Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes...

One of the iconic species of our Mogollon Highlands forest home is the Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa). This impressive tree is mostly found at elevations over 5,000 feet and can grow to 150 feet tall and 4 feet in diameter! Young trees, sometimes called “black...

We, and all the other animals and plants that make the Mogollon Highlands their home are dependent upon the presence of water. Water is so integral that without it there would be no life.  It was in the warm salty oceans of our planet that life first came into...

One of the best things about living in the wildland-urban interface of the Central Arizona Highlands is the opportunity for wildlife encounters.  Whether we are hiking the trails or out in the yard, there is always the potential to meet one of our wild neighbors. By...