Q: What is your favorite native plant?
A: My current favorite native plant is the American chestnut tree. I hadn't known much about this species until recently when I came across a patch of them at a farm in Georgia and researched them more afterwards. Before the chestnut blight in the early 1900's killed an estimated 4 billion of the trees, the American chestnut once made up as many as one in four trees in eastern U.S. forests. The trees were an important source of food for native wildlife, and their leaves provided key nutrients for aquatic macroinvertebrates in rivers. Efforts are now being made to develop genetically diverse American chestnut hybrids that are blight resistant in order to restore the trees back to the landscape. I'm currently storing some of the chestnuts I found on the farm so I can try some "chestnuts roasting on an open fire" at Christmas, and I am planning on germinating a few to plant as saplings next year!
Q: Do you have a vacation coming up that you are really looking forward to?
A: I have an upcoming trip to Iceland planned for February 2024. While this is one of the coldest months to visit Iceland, it does have an increased chance that I'll get to see the Northern Lights during my week there. My itinerary for this week-long trip includes seeing many other natural wonders, including glaciers, geysers, lava fields, sea stacks, hot springs, and volcanoes. Iceland is also a world leader in sustainability practices; I'm hoping to learn more about the hydropower and geothermal energy that enables the country to meet 90% of its energy needs with renewable energy.
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