Research

Possible Cure for Sudden Oak Disease

by | Aug 15, 2012 | ,

Marin County was ground zero for sudden oak death, so it's only fitting that Marin is leading the way in eradicating the pathogen that causes the disease that has devastated oak forests in California and Oregon.  Scientists at the three-year-old National Ornamental...

Tree Density Tells the Story of Inequality

by | Jul 23, 2012 |

In March 2008, a study showed a correlation between tree density and income in urban areas. Now, more than ever before, it's easy to see this phenomenon for yourself. A recent article on mashable.com uses Google maps to document the contrast between low-income and...

Donation Solicitation Reporting

by | May 21, 2012 | , ,

Thousands of nonprofit organizations in the United States misreport how they solicit billions of dollars in donations, making it impossible for Americans to know how their gifts are used, according to a Scripps Howard News Service study of federal tax records.  ...

Mammoth Trees, Champs of the Ecosystem

by | May 16, 2012 |

By DOUGLAS M. MAIN   It’s important to respect your elders, children are reminded. It seems that this goes for trees, too.   Big, old trees dominate many forests worldwide and play crucial ecological services that aren’t immediately obvious, like providing...

Trees Grow Faster in Urban Heat

by | May 14, 2012 |

On an Urban Heat Island, Zippy Red Oaks By DOUGLAS M. MAIN The New York Times, April 25, 2012   Red oak seedlings in Central Park grow up to eight times faster than their cousins cultivated outside the city, probably because of the urban “heat island” effect,...