What Good is Boxelder?
December 8, 2016 7:00 pm 7 CommentsBy Lon Drake Our native boxelder doesn’t get much respect, even from conservationists. But it’s a fast-growing, sun-loving pioneer, and... Read More →
Author Archives for Lon Drake
About Lon Drake
This old guy's favorite large-scale conservation projects include integrating soils, water, plants, and animals, especially native species. I still bike through my South Sycamore stormwater management system from 2001.
The Strange Tale of Sassafras
December 1, 2016 7:00 pm Leave your thoughtsBy Lon Drake In 1586 Sir Francis Drake returned to England from Roanoke Colony with a load of sassafras roots,... Read More →
A Designer Frog Pond
November 17, 2016 7:00 pm Leave your thoughtsBy Lon Drake In my part of western Johnson County, we usually encounter seven frog species. Four are little guys... Read More →
Wetland’s Keystone Species: Our Resilient Beaver
November 10, 2016 7:00 pm Leave your thoughtsby Lon Drake The beaver has always been a homebody and very territorial, thus easy to trap. By the time... Read More →
Lon’s Folly, AKA the Wildlife Observation Tower
October 31, 2016 6:00 pm Leave your thoughtsBy Lon Drake In 1972, I converted an old hay wagon into a firewood wagon, and used it until about... Read More →
How to Build a Better Backpack Sprayer
October 6, 2016 6:00 pm Leave your thoughtsBy Lon Drake Last week I met friend Reed on his way out the door to spend the day... Read More →
Pond Pelicans: Imagine That!
September 29, 2016 6:00 pm Leave your thoughtsby Lon Drake On the last evening of August we were eating dinner and enjoying the breeze coming through the... Read More →
A House Bat and a Bat House
September 15, 2016 6:00 pm Leave your thoughtsBy Lon Drake More than a week ago, in late twilight, I stepped out into the yard to make sure... Read More →
Looking to Save Pawpaw Seed?
September 8, 2016 6:00 pm 3 CommentsBy Lon Drake Last fall and earlier this year, I shared information with you about my pawpaw tree projects, which... Read More →
In Habitat Conservation, Size Matters
September 1, 2016 6:00 pm 1 CommentBy Lon Drake Iowa has been named one of the most disturbed states in the country because almost all of... Read More →
