1. home and garden

The Blue Ridge
Newsletter for The Nature Foundation at Wintergreen | Vol. 22 Issue 1 | Winter/Spring 2015
From the Director:
The History of the Wintergreen Community
Whenever one teams up with Don Faulkner, Frank Louthan, L.F. Payne, George Nicklas,
Pete Farley and the rest of Wintergreen’s innovative visionaries, the stories of Wintergreen’s
beginnings come alive against a backdrop of what often seemed insurmountable obstacles.
In a time of great economic instability in the early 1970s with oil embargos, runaway
inflation, record high interest rates and financial institution flight, one is amazed at the
ingenuity, passion and entrepreneurial agony that lead to the point of “no turning back”.
While the historical facts speak for themselves, it is the personal stories that draw us in
and we realize we are the benefactors of those struggles some 40 odd years later. It is
these stories that intrigued author Mary Buford Hitz’s to take on Wintergreen’s history as
a challenge she could easily rise to. Currently, at the end of chapter seven, it seems fitting
that she, another passionate, ingenious personality, has come forward to put the story to
print. What makes the “fit” more personal is that through Mary Buford Hitz’s Richmond
roots she knew most of the key players that made Wintergreen happen.
Many individuals have contributed to the success of this project and interviews continue
to show up from early property owners as well as employees from those time periods. An
impressive set of archives has been formed; written interviews are still welcome. You may
submit them to The Nature Foundation by calling 434-325-8169 or by sending an e-mail
to director@twnf.org.
The publication date is November 1, 2015. This year’s Winter Lecture Series will be devoted
to this exciting event. Meet the founders and hear the stories for yourself! See our
calendar for January 17th and February 13th, 2015.
Staff
Doug Coleman – Executive Director
Liz Fravel – Membership and Special Events
Josh Palumbo – Forest Management
Peggy Hash – Youth and Adult Education
Lelia Stevens – Bookkeeping
TNFW Board of Directors
Ruth Beck – Science & Education Advisory Co-Chair
Terri Brooks – Membership Chair
Whitfield Broome
Cindy Cobb
Doug Coleman
Brent Douglass – Board President
Irene Garrity
Ed Gilliam
Allen Hale
Lynn Luessen – Plant Propagation Co-Chair
Susan McSwain
Russell Otis
Bill Slaughter – Treasurer & Secretary
Paul Spence
Marti Szczur
Richard Velletri
Dennis Whigham – Science & Education Advisory Co-Chair
Rodney Willett
Where Are They Now
by Sarah Shulte
The summer of 2013 was a memorable summer for me. I
spent it living and working at the Nature Foundation as an
Environmental Educator. Through the WILD programs I was able
to educate participants about the Blue Ridge Mountains. I now
educate my 4th grade students on everything from ecosystems
to lines of latitude. After leaving the Nature Foundation, I
jumped into my last year of college at Southeast Missouri State
University. In May I graduated with a degree in Elementary
Education and an emphasis in Science. My passion for education
continues inside my 4th grade classroom where I teach science
and social studies. I work at a small school in a small town in
Missouri. Everyday my students and I learn and grow together.
I am happy to be where I am today. I owe thanks to the Nature
Foundation for the experiences that helped me become the
educator I am today.
Science & Education Advisory
Ruth Beck – Co-Chair
Dr. Woodward Bousquet – Co-Chair
Dr. Ryan Klopf
Dr. Chip Morgan
Dr. Carole Nash
Ann Regn
Larry Steward
Dr. Janet Steven
Donna Ware
Dr. Dennis Whigham – Co-Chair
The Nature Foundation at Wintergreen
Route 1, Box 770
Roseland, VA 22967
www.twnf.org
TWNF on Facebook
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Azaleas are coming!
by Jean Bertleson
Exciting news! After several years of trial and error, failure and success, the native plant program will be
offering native azaleas for sale in the spring of 2015.
Early azalea or rose azalea (Rhododendron prinophyllum (Small) Millais) is a 6-12 ft. tall and wide, multistemmed shrub, with airy, ascending branching. It has funnel-shaped, light pink or purplish flowers with
protruding stamens in large clusters, appearing before or with the leaves. This azalea is extremely hardy
with tolerance to high pH. You have probably seen it or a very similar species, the pinkster azalea blooming
in the spring in the woods at Wintergreen or in front of the Trillium House, where there are a few.
Our efforts for getting these azaleas
to market provide insight into the
challenges inherent in propagating
native plants by a volunteer group
such as ours. Most basic among
these is understanding the particular
requirements for successfully
propagating each species, whether
from seed or stem cuttings.
We have tried propagating two
species of azalea, early (or rose),
and flame (Rhododendron
calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr.) azalea,
using three methods of propagation.
Stem (woody) cuttings have been
unsuccessful. Taking root cuttings
was limitedly successful, but is not
a preferred alternative as it can be
injurious to the parent plant. Seed
propagation has turned out to be the
best technique for us. Early attempts
were unsuccessful, probably because
we collected seed too early. However,
since 2012 (early azalea) and 2013
(flame azalea) we have enjoyed a high
rate of germination with both species.
Succeeding in germinating seeds or
rooting stem cuttings meets the first
challenge for our group. However,
growing them all to maturity has
required research mixed with trial and
error and a lot of time and effort. In
the case of the azaleas, a hummus
and acid loving species, we have
added bark mulch to potting soils
and maintained the pots on one of
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our greenhouse growing tables outfitted with timed watering cycles. Happily, we now have over 100 early
azalea plants in small pots inside the greenhouse waiting to be transplanted into larger pots for eventual
sale, and more than 50 outside the greenhouse where they will overwinter in three-gallon pots and be
ready for transplanting into a wide variety of landscapes next spring. We hope the flame azaleas will follow
close behind. The azaleas are a great addition to our inventory.
Marketing these wonderful plants presents another challenge for our group, as does marketing most plants
we propagate to a public that is not always aware of their beauty and usefulness. Increased mention in
the media about the importance of native plants in sustaining important bird and insect populations has
helped, as has the Native Plant webpage on www.twnf.org. Each species we grow is pictured there and a
description of the plant’s attributes, appearance and garden uses is included. Check the website for more
information about azaleas.
While we do not claim to be landscape designers, we have developed expertise and an extensive
knowledge-base about our native plants which we are happy to share. The native azaleas, for example, are
most often found naturally in wooded, north-facing slopes and wooded ravines and along streams. Their
flowers are attractive to
butterflies and hummingbirds
and they serve well in
a landscape plan as an
understory tree or shrub
on the edge of the woods
surrounded by various
herbaceous plants and ferns.
Yet another challenge for
our group is maintaining an
ever expanding inventory.
First, successive transplanting
to accommodate and
encourage growth takes
hours and hours of work.
Then, we have to make space
for the additional larger
pots. The space required
just for our fifty or more
three-gallon azalea pots covers several square feet. Adding those to the other 15 or so species in threefive gallon pots has required us to expand our nursery space to accommodate shrubs and small trees.
To meet this challenge, in 2014 we expanded the useable portions of our greenhouse and its grounds.
Volunteers worked hard mulching areas, creating paths, setting up watering systems and generally
improving the appearance around the greenhouse. The resulting space easily accommodates our maturing
and expanding selection of shrubs and small trees. Inside the greenhouse, we have expanded our space to
house more herbaceous plants, grasses and ferns, as well as newly taken cuttings and young plants.
2015 promises to be a year with a large and varied inventory. In addition to the early azaleas, we will have
for the first time young sourwood trees (a large ornamental tree with showy white sprays of flowers in the
summer and brilliant red leaves in fall). Standards such as ninebark, spirea, and mountain laurel will continue
to be available. We are working hard to replenish our supply of the herbaceous plants, some of which we
sold out of this year, and will have ample supplies available for spring 2015.
We thank our loyal volunteers and patrons for making the program a success and look forward to seeing
you in the spring.
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This is Not Supposed to Happen
by Josh Palumbo
The emerald ash borer (EAB), an exotic insect invader introduced to Virginia in 2004, was said to be
dependent on just one tree species, ash (Fraxinus
spp), for its survival. For some states such as Ohio and
Pennsylvania, ash is a dominant tree of the landscape.
Ash is not a major component of the Virginia forest so
this insect has not created quite the frenzy in our area
compared to our northeast neighbors. Oh, how things
change in the blink of an eye.
This past August, EAB was found hosting in our beloved
fringetree (Chionanthus virginics), a relative of ash.
A Wright State biology professor, acting on a hunch,
began inspecting fringetree plantings around his
town and came upon the classic D-shaped exit holes
EAB Adult
characteristic of this borer. After taking the larvae back
to the lab for study it was determined, based on the larvae morphology, to be emerald ash borer.
Wait, this is not supposed to happen. The national EAB information website clearly states, “It only attacks
ash trees”. I can only assume the EAB has not been reading its own press clippings. Every scientific
publication concerning EAB is clear to ensure that it is host specific.
This leaves us with two clear possibilities as to why EAB was found using fringetree in its lifecycle. The first
is that it has a much wider host range than originally thought. The second is that it has adapted to use
different hosts than ash. Both possibilities open up the forests of Virginia to a great deal of uncertainty. Will
EAB continue to find new host species compatible to its lifecycle? Will these species be pivotal parts of our
ecology?
How does this impact the Wintergreen property owner? Truthfully, emerald ash borer hosting in fringetree,
in addition to ash trees, has a minor effect on the forest ecology when compared to “game changers” such
as chestnut blight. It affects us more on a landscape level. Fringetree is a great landscape offering that our
Plant Propagation Team is beginning to grow for
its wonderful landscape qualities such a stature
and gorgeous white spring flowers. If EAB shows
a propensity to fringetree across its current range,
fringetree may be cut out of propagation plans
and nursery sales indefinitely.
Despite this adaptation, there is hope present
in our ecosystem. Gypsy moth was once
defoliating hundreds of thousands of acres
of Virginia forest per year. Now due to the
presence of a control mechanism, Entomophaga
maimaiga, gypsy moth is but a whisper compared
to its once wild fury. My hope is that as emerald
ash borer adapts to our ecosystem a control
mechanism is out there waiting to suppress this
storm spreading through Virginia.
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Tall Tails and Wild
Cats of Virginia
by Peggy Hash
Within many parts of the Blue Ridge,
conversation over the presence or absence
of a particular species—mainly the “panther”
or “mountain lion”—can turn into surprisingly
passionate, albeit confusing, debate. Our part
of rural Appalachia is likely one such area. The
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
lists Nelson County, along with Shenandoah National Park, Bedford County, and Amherst County, as a point
of origin for most of Virginia’s reported, but unconfirmed sightings of America’s biggest cat.
What exactly is this animal? What is its proper name? The animal is Felis concolor, meaning “cat of one
color” but what the animal lacks in coloration, it makes up for in names! It is called mountain lion, cougar,
puma, panther, “painter” and catamount. Which words are used and understood depends on the individual.
Any one of these words can conjure up a menagerie of fuzzy mental images, depicting multiple variations
on the feline theme—a creature with elliptical pupils, pointy ears, pointier teeth, and retractable claws…
with or without a long tail, colors or stripes. Because these animals are so rarely spotted even where
they are known to be present, very few people can lay a definite claim to seeing one in the wild. Thus,
these hazy mental pictures tend to be fusions of several members of the cat family, assembled by the
imagination’s influence on memories garnered from television and computer screens, magazines, books
and conversation.
No wonder these conversations can be confusing.
Let’s take a look at the real wildcats of North America (and one of South America and Central America) so
we can better present the evidence (and lack thereof) regarding their presence in Virginia.
We’ll start at the center of the controversy, with Felis concolor. It is sandy overall, with a pale belly, blacktipped tail and a sooty-looking muzzle. Its tail is very long. Kittens have spots, but adults are plain overall.
Weighing between 100 to 200 pounds, with a three to six foot body and a tail extending another two
feet or more, it is the largest cat in the country. For the first half of our country’s history, it lived here in
Virginia. Livestock owners, by all confirmed accounts, eradicated it in this state before the 20th century was
underway. The last confirmed wild mountain lion documented in this state was likely indeed the last. It was
killed in Washington County in 1882. Since then, the only word of truly wild mountain lions in Virginia is
verified by just that—word, with none being official.
Nonetheless, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries lists 121 unconfirmed reports since 1970
and names Nelson County as a hotspot. That makes one wonder…what did those 121 people see?
When imagination, misinformation, and memory collide, they create what forensic psychologists call “recall
bias”, which is simply an error in how experiences are remembered. Richard Wise, forensic psychologist at
the University of North Dakota explains, “When an eyewitness recalls a crime, he or she must reconstruct
his or her memory of the crime. …To fill in gaps in memory, the eyewitness relies upon his or her
expectation, attitudes, prejudices, bias, and prior knowledge.” Harley Shaw, former mountain lion biologist
for Arizona’s Department of Fish and Wildlife explains it this way, “After years of chasing UFOs (unidentified
furry objects) I now discount out of hand any sightings of lions, even from professional biologists. The
human mind is a strange and wonderful thing, and it’s totally unreliable.” Though no American wildcat has
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ever been spotted committing grand-theft auto (or piloting a spaceship) an unexpected wildlife sighting
can make your heart beat fast. Combine an instant’s experience with the effects of time, distance, darkness,
brightness and paging through a stack of field guides three days later and you can see how even informed
minds can be subject to recall bias.
Multiply that bias when misinformation comes into play, which may explain why up to one in four people
who report big cats to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries describe large black cats, often
referred to as “panthers”.
Panthers do live in North America, however, and on the east coast for that matter! The Florida Panther is a
subspecies of Felis concolor. It is critically endangered and less than 100 survive in that state. But none of
these so-called “panthers” are black. They look like western mountain lions, as pictured above. Regardless,
the word “panther” prompts the mental image of a black cat and may apply itself to any dark creature…or
one seen in bad lighting. The closest real black
panthers, by the way, exist in South and Central
America and are better known as jaguars, or,
scientifically, Panthera onca. The dark fur is simply
a genetic variation and one litter may contain
kittens with spots and black kittens.
The two other wild cats that come into question
are much harder to distinguish from each other
than from the mountain lion. These are Lynx rufus
and Lynx canadensis, or simply the North American
bobcat and Canadian lynx. They’re so alike they
can interbreed but the bobcat is more widespread
in the United States and is the only confirmed
wildcat in Virginia. The bobcat and Canadian lynx
are about the same size and weight, 2 to 3.5 feet
long and only 10-25 pounds. Both have blacktufted ears, although the bobcat’s are shorter. A
This bobcat was photographed at Wintergreen via one bobcat’s back legs are only slightly longer than
its front legs, a difference that is more extreme in
of our trail cameras!
the Canadian lynx. Bobcats also have a slightly
longer (but still short!) tail than the Canadian lynx. If you’ve managed to obtain a good enough look to
discern these differences on either cat, chances are you won’t be
confusing it for the long-tailed mountain lion that weighs up to
200 pounds!
Misidentifications of bears, coyotes, German shepherds and even
house cats are common as well. Although, seeing a mountain
lion in Virginia isn’t impossible. Michael Fies, of the Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, found an escaped
captive under his porch about twenty years ago, in Augusta
County. A second mountain lion, which had escaped from the
same private owner, infiltrated a turkey farm the next day. Legally
or otherwise, people do keep mountain lions and other creatures
throughout the country so escaped captives present the most
likely scenario for an actual sighting.
This Canadian Lynx was photographed
in the Rocky Mountains. See how long
its back legs are?
Whether the mountain lion will return to its historical range remains to be seen, but should you be there to
take the photo, please submit it to The Nature Foundation at Wintergreen first!
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Woolly Bear Winters and Other Weather Myths
by Peggy Hash
For over 2,000 years, humans have tried just about everything in an attempt to predict the weather. Ancient
Babylonian cloud-watchers, Chinese astrologers, Ptolemy, Aristotle, his Middle-Eastern counterpart Al-Kindi, the
Renaissance men and current experts have applied observation, hypothesis, alchemy, magic and technology to
this pursuit. Yet, ancient alchemists and modern meteorologists agree on one point—predicting the weather is
not an exact science!
Current advancements would have astonished the old world: balloons that enter the stratosphere, chance of rain
narrowed down to a percent on a clear day, satellites next to the stars once aligned with gods and of course—
Twitter! Yet even now, lining up the sunny/rainy/partly cloudy icons on your forecast platform of choice can feel
less like planning a hike or a road trip and more like playing the lottery.
No wonder some folks consult nature, a source older than civilization, which seems to know what it is doing
most of the time. This approach may create folklore, which can carry a “grain-of truth” or be better taken with a
“grain of salt”. Thus, folklore persists if not for scientific merit, then for entertainment value. Or a blend of both!
The Woolly Bear Caterpillar: Mostly Fun
“Woolly bear caterpillars forecast winter weather.” The 13 rows
of fur on the woolly bear caterpillar’s back represent 13 weeks
of winter, with the black rows predicting cold periods and the
brown rows corresponding to milder weeks. Likewise, extra
furry caterpillars preview blizzards while straggly worms indicate
less reason to invest in snow tires. Furthermore, a north-heading
woolly worm is said to suggest a milder winter than a southheading one.
This predictor is more fun than fact, but it is one of the few Old
Farmer’s Almanac sayings that garnered some research, although
that too may have been for sport. In 1948, Curator of Insects
at the Museum of Natural History in New York City, Dr. C. H. Curran recruited his wife, a reporter from The New
York Herald Tribune and a number of other friends to look into this idea. They dubbed themselves “The Original
Society of the Friends of the Woolly Bear” and gathered as many caterpillars as they could in one day for the
next eight years then compared their markings to real weather data. Curran’s brownish woolly bears correlate to
milder winters during that period, but even Curran was skeptical of his small sample sizes.
However, a woolly bear-to-weather link may still have some relevance. Though some species are naturally
darker woolly bears do tend to turn brown as they age, providing a clue as to how early they broke from
hibernation. This, of course, would indicate the severity of the previous year’s winter.
Tailspin: Grain of Truth
This one takes the form of a limerick:
Tail’s pointing west,
Weather’s at its best
Tail’s point east,
Weather’s at its least
The rhyme refers to horses and cattle, claiming that the orientation of the animal’s tail indicates the quality of
oncoming weather. The idea may not be quite as ludicrous as it sounds at first, since these grazers prefer not to
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stand with the wind in their faces, and easterly winds are more likely to bring storms.
Storms: 50% Chance of Truth
These sayings are more of a reach, but they’re hard to argue with since the animals may demonstrate these
behaviors at any time.
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Pigs carry sticks before a storm
Dogs eat grass before a storm
Cows follow bulls to pasture (instead of vice-versa) before a storm
Crows, well, crow before a storm
Roosters call before a storm
Note: The Yellow-billed Cuckoo lives up to its nickname “Rain Crow”. Although not a crow, this normally
secretive bird will call in response to loud noises, including thunder.
Lighting Never Strikes the Same Place Twice?: Don’t Count On It!
Ironically, the most oft-repeated myths can have the least basis in fact. Lightening can definitely strike the same
place twice and some locations and structures are especially prone. The Empire State Building, for example, is
struck about 25 times per year!
Froggy Weather: False
“Frogs singing in the evening indicate fair weather for the next day.” To be “fair”, this one might ring true for frogs.
As amphibians who breathe partially through their skin, frogs are more active in wet, humid weather…which
humans don’t generally find as favorable!
Of Lions and Lambs: True
“March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb” is the unofficial slogan of March. Of obvious significance is the
fact that March starts out cold and fierce (like a lion), then shifts to milder temperatures (like a lamb) later in the
month. Also, in the northern hemisphere, the constellation Leo is more visible in early March. Leo represents the
lion, who was slain by Hercules in Greek mythology. Later in the month the constellation of Aries is easier to see.
In Greek mythology, Aries was a ram whose fleece was sought by another hero, Jason of the Argonauts.
So, “weather” (again, pun intended) these predictions are foreshadowing or just for fun, test them out or invent
your own! But either way, pack a raincoat, in case you find yourself relating to the following poem:
Ode To the Weatherman
“And in the dying embers
These are my main regrets:
When I’m right no one remembers;
When I’m wrong no one forgets.”
- Anonymous
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KID’S NOOK
Our Resident Feathered Friends
With winter upon us, most birds have migrated to Central and South America while most amphibians,
reptiles, and mammals are deep asleep in their burrows. But winter wildlife watching is still underway! In
fact, now that bears are spending most of their time in semi-hibernation, December 1st through April 1st is
the time to hang birdfeeders (which, unfortunately, may accidentally become “bear-feeders” during the rest
of the year). So now is the time to get to know your feathered feeder favorites, from the warmth of your
house or on a nature walk. Whether you stay in or bundle up for an outside adventure, be on the lookout
for these year-round residents!
American Goldfinch
Maybe you recognized these beauties in the summer by their
black caps and bright lemon yellow color. Their colors fade in
the winter but they still have an appetite for sunflower seeds
and thistle.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Somebody should probably think of a better name for the Redbellied Woodpecker. Even up-close, you can barely see the red on
their bellies. Females don’t have as much red on their heads, but
these birds still provide a welcome splash of color on winter days!
Downy Woodpecker
These are the smallest woodpeckers, and the ones you’re most
likely to see…but pay close attention to its beak. If it seems a lot
longer than this one’s, it’s probably a Hairy Woodpecker!
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KID’S NOOK
Carolina Chickadee
Admire these birds in practically all kinds of weather! Whether it’s
rainy, snowy, or freezing they’ll forage for food all day long.
Northern Cardinal
Don’t forget Virginia’s state bird! Males stay bright red all year;
this cardinal is female. Though she is not as brightly colored,
female cardinals are among the few female birds that sing.
Dark-eyed Junco
These birds gather by the dozens to feed off the ground. Some
have red eyes. When they fly, watch for the quick flashes of
white you’ll see on the sides of their tail.
Also, look at your field guide and out your window for Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, Purple Finches, House
Finches, Pileated Woodpeckers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Northern Flickers, and more!
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