Number 22

The

Owl-ch!

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Fish-ing Around

Which Wood You Choose?

12

31

46

64

WHAT’S INSIDE

Forest Service

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FOREST

INSPIRED

NATURE 

DISCOVERYTM

edition

LEND A HAND—

CARE FOR THE LAND!
Natural Inquirer

The Woodsy Owl Edition: Lend a Hand, Care for the Land

 Number 22 • Winter 2022

Produced by

Forest Service, an Agency of the 

United States Department of 

Agriculture (USDA)

FIND Outdoors

Production Staff

Jessica Nickelsen, FIND Outdoors

Babs McDonald, Forest Service 

Volunteer

Nissa McKinney, FIND Outdoors

Michelle Andrews, University of 

Georgia

Bradi McDonald, FIND Outdoors

Barbara Keely, FIND Outdoors

Leslie Shaw, Leslie Shaw Designs

Liz Sisk, Illustrator

Stephanie Pfeiffer Rossow, 

Illustrator

USDA Forest Service 

Scientists Highlighted 

in the Journal

Lindsay Campbell, Northern 

Research Station

Joseph Ganey, Rocky Mountain 

Research Station, retired 

Michelle Johnson, Northern 

Research Station

Jeffrey Klein, Pacific Northwest 

Research Station

Kathryn Purcell, Pacific Southwest 

Research Station

Todd Rawlinson, Pacific 

Southwest Region (Region 5) 

Nancy Falxa Sonti, Northern 

Research Station

Craig Thompson, Northern 

Region (Region 1)

Collaborating Scientists

Novem Auyeung, New York 

City Department of Parks and 

Recreation

Eric Gese, USDA National 

Wildlife Research Center

Yukiko Hashida, University of 

Georgia

Ryan Jonnes, ConocoPhillips

Jennifer Kordosky, Utah State 

University

Sean Kyle, Stantec Consulting 

Services

David Lewis, Oregon State 

University

Tara Newman, Evergreen State 

College

James P. Ward, U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service

John Withey, Evergreen State 

College

Forest Service

Randy Moore, Chief

Cynthia West, Acting Deputy 

Chief, Research and 

Development

Jaelith Hall-Rivera, Deputy Chief, 

State and Private Forestry

Tracy Hancock, Staff Director, 

Knowledge Management & 

Communications

Jim Lootens-White, Program 

Specialist, Northern Research 

Station

Heidi McAllister, Acting Director, 

Conservation Education

Iris Velez, National Symbols 

Program Manager

Rachel Bayer, Environmental 

Education Specialist, 

Conservation Education

FIND Outdoors

Eric Caldwell, Chairperson

Natalie Britt, President/CEO

With thanks to

Woodsy Owl and the 

National Symbols Program, 

https://apps.fs.usda.gov/symbols

Project Learning Tree, 

https://www.plt.org/

Natural Inquirer 

is reproduced on recycled 

paper with soy-based inks.

Please pass this journal along 

or recycle it when you have 

finished using it.

All photos are 

USDA Forest Service images 

unless otherwise noted.

Cover photo by 

Cecilio Ricardo.
1

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Contents

Editorial Review Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

About Natural Inquirer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Who Are Scientists? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Welcome to the Woodsy Owl edition of Natural Inquirer! 5

FEATURES:

Owl-ch! How a Changing Climate Might Affect 

Mexican Spotted Owls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Where the Sidewalk Ends: Visitor Use of Natural and 

Landscaped Areas in Urban Parks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Fish-ing Around: Discovering the Habitat Needs 

of the Pacific Fisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Which Wood You Choose? Forest Landowners’ 

Selection of Trees for Planting Forests Can Have 

Different Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Woodsy Owl Crossword Puzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Woodsy Owl eyeChallenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

National Education Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

What Is the Forest Service? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Who Is Woodsy Owl? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

Who Is FIND Outdoors? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

Websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Back Cover

Join us in being green! The following educator resources are now available exclusively on the 

Natural Inquirer website at https://www.naturalinquirer.org.

These resources can be found with the Natural Inquirer 

Woodsy Owl journal and on the “For Educators” pages:

• Note to Educators

• Lesson Plans

• Reflection Section Answer Guide

• National Education Standards (specific to each article), 

including: 

• National Science Education Standards

• National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies

• Common Core State Standards

• Next Generation Science Standards

USDA Forest Service photo.

Photo by Todd Rawlinson.

USDA Forest Service photo.

Adobe Stock photo.

USDA Forest Service photo.

12

31

46

64

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Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Editorial Review Board

Editorial Review Board Comments

Mrs. Waugh's 7th and 8th grade class at Chadron Middle School (Chadron, NE)

"I would like to see a page dedicated to a chart 

of the different types of trees that are good at 

storing carbon."

"The most important things I learned 

was human involvement or changes in the 

environment can affect many things, including 

ecosystems."

"I feel like there needed to be more clarification 

on what is directly affected by the problem in the 

article I read."

"The article I read is perfect for the age group 

and brings many important topics to light and to 

people's attention. Great job!"

"I wish you talked more about why there are 

more female fishers than male fishers."

"I learned that some people choose to plant 

trees for the money and don't keep the wildlife 

in mind."

"I feel like more words should be bolded and have 

definitions."

Natural Inquirer editorial review board hard at work.
3

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

About Natural Inquirer

Scientists report their research in journals, 

which are special booklets that enable 

scientists to share information with 

one another. This journal, Natural Inquirer, was 

created so that scientists can share their research 

with you and with other middle and high school 

students. This journal presents the research of 

scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA), Forest Service, and other cooperating 

organizations. If you want to know more about the 

USDA Forest Service, you can read about it on the 

inside back cover of this journal. Information is also 

available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/. 

All the research in Natural Inquirer concerns 

nature, such as trees, forests, animals, insects, 

outdoor activities, and water. First, you will “meet 

the scientists” who conducted the research. Then, 

you will read something special about science and 

about the natural environment. You will also read 

about a specific research project, which is written 

in the format that scientists use when they publish 

their research in journals. Then, YOU will become 

the scientist when you conduct the FACTivity 

associated with each article. Don’t forget to look 

at the glossary and the special sections highlighted 

in each article. At the end of each section of the 

article, you will find a few questions to help you 

think about what you have read. Your teacher may 

use these questions in a class discussion.

Be sure to try the Woodsy Owl Crossword 

Puzzle and eyeChallenge on pages 80 and 81!

USDA Forest Service photo.
4

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Who Are Scientists?

Scientists are people who collect and evaluate information about a wide range of 

topics. Some scientists study the natural environment. To be a successful scientist, 

you must:

b Be curious—Are you interested in learning?

b Be enthusiastic—Are you excited about a particular topic?

b Be careful—Are you accurate in everything you do?

b Be open-minded—Are you willing to listen to new ideas?

b Question everything—Do you think about what you read and observe?

To learn more about your favorite scientists and their work, 

you can view and order scientist cards and print your own 

posters online at https://www.naturalinquirer.org.

An entomologist 

studies insects and how 

they interact with the 

environment.

Scott Horn

Entomologist

M.S., University of Georgia

USDA Forest Service scientist

http://www.naturalinquirer.org

A construction 

engineer is 

responsible for making 

sure that all of the world’s 

infrastructures (e.g. the roads you 

drive on, the buildings that you 

go to school in, the systems that 

supply the water you drink) 

are built safely and 

correctly. 

http://www.naturalinquirer.org

Leslie J. Boak

Construction Engineer

B.S., Oregon State University

USDA Forest Service engineer

Johnny Boggs

Biological Scientist

M.S., Alabama A&M University

USDA Forest Service scientist

http://www.naturalinquirer.org

As a biologist, I 

study environmental 

processes related to 

how human and forest 

management activities 

will impact water and 

air quality.

An ecologist 

studies the dynamics 

and interactions between 

the environment and its 

organisms. I conduct 

research on tropical 

forests, watersheds, 

and streams. 

Dr. Tamara Heartsill Scalley

Ecologist

Ph.D., Utah State University

USDA Forest Service scientist

http://www.naturalinquirer.org

As a research general 

engineer, I study things 

such as chemical and 

biochemical engineering, 

wood and fiber science, 

and bioenergy.

http://www.naturalinquirer.org

Dr. JY Zhu

Research General Engineer

Ph.D., University of California, Irvine

USDA Forest Service engineer

Natural Inquirer 

Scientist &

Engineer Cards

AQUATIC ECOLOGIST

SOCIAL SCIENTIST

ELECTRONICS ENGINEER

E

NVIRONMENTAL ECONOMI

S

T

FORESTER

CHEMIST

Top row, left to right: Forest Service scientists Zanethia Barnett, Ken Clark, and Roderquita Moore. 

Bottom row, left to right: Forest Service scientists Kristin Floress, John Frank, and José J. Sánchez.
5

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Welcome

to the Natural Inquirer Woodsy Owl Edition!

More than 50 years ago, the Forest Service introduced Woodsy Owl to teach children 

about protecting the environment, appreciating 

nature, and taking an active role in conserving 

natural resources (figure 1). Since those early 

days, this beloved owl has expanded his message 

from “Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute” to the 

broader message of “Lend a Hand, Care for 

the Land.” His philosophy is that when people 

experience, learn about, and enjoy nature, they 

will also care about protecting it (figure 2).

Figure 1. This is the original Woodsy Owl from 

1971. USDA Forest Service photo.

Figure 2. The new Woodsy Owl visits 

with children at a community garden in 

Washington, DC. Photo by Cecilio Ricardo.

When you think about experiencing nature 

in a forest, what kind of forest do you picture? 

Woodsy wants you to know that there are all 

kinds of forests, large and small, to explore. 

Some forests are national forests; these are 

managed by the U.S. Government to promote 

the health, productivity, diversity, and beauty of 

these forests (figure 3). State and local forests 

are managed by individual States or cities. 

Private forests are forests owned by individuals, 

companies, or nonprofit organizations and 

Glossary words for this section are defined on page 11.

Figure 3. Flathead National 

Forest is located in Montana. 

Photo by Geneva Thompson.
6

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Figure 6. A backyard 

stand of trees is another 

kind of forest. FIND 

Outdoors photo by 

Jessica Nickelsen.

Figure 4. (A) This private forest is in California. (B) This private orchard, also in California, is used to grow 

dragon fruit, avocado, and cherimoya. USDA photos by Lance Cheung.

Figure 5. (A) The High Line in New York City is an abandoned railway line that was converted into a public 

park and greenspace. (B) Central Park is a large urban park in Manhattan in New York City. Figure 5A is a 

USDA photo by Lance Cheung, and figure 5B is a courtesy photo by Babs McDonald.

are used for a variety of purposes (figure 4). 

Forests can be in rural areas, urban areas, and 

everywhere in between. Urban and community 

forests can be small areas of trees surrounded 

by city streets and buildings, or they can be 

larger areas within a community (figure 5). 

Forests can even be the trees in your backyard 

or schoolyard (figure 6)! 

A

A

B

B
7

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Did You Know?

Did you know that the Forest Service takes care of 193 million acres 

of national forests and grasslands on behalf of the American public? 

The Forest Service has many different jobs in these national forests and grasslands. People 

working on national forests help to protect forest health by researching and monitoring 

threats like invasive insects and diseases. Forest Service employees manage plants to help 

conserve and restore national forests and grasslands while also helping these lands reduce 

the effects of climate change. The Forest Service also manages these lands to provide forest 

products, such as timber or food, in a sustainable way. They manage forests to protect water 

quality and wildlife habitat and to manage wildland fires. Additionally, the Forest Service 

manages these lands so that people can enjoy them for recreation now and in the future.

These are just a few of the jobs of the Forest Service! Learn more 

about the work of the Forest Service in national forests and grasslands at 

https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/national-forests-grasslands.

Examine the map of national forests and grasslands. What are some national forests and grasslands that 

are close to where you live? You can also view this map online at https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/

GuideMap-2020.pdf.
8

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

All forests, large or small, public or private, 

are important to our environment. They improve 

water and air quality by filtering out pollutants, 

and they decrease stormwater runoff. Trees 

are an important part of the carbon cycle; they 

absorb and store carbon, helping to reduce 

the effects of climate change (figure 7). Trees 

are also an important part of the water cycle; 

through transpiration, forests can increase 

rainfall, lessen the impact of drought, and cool 

the Earth’s temperature (figure 8). 

Forests also provide important habitats for 

many different species of plants and animals 

(figure 9). Forests provide food and other 

important products for humans, like paper and 

timber. Many of these forest benefits contribute 

to human health by filtering pollutants in our 

environment, cleaning our air, improving our 

water supply, providing important natural 

resources, and providing places for recreation 

and enjoyment. 

In this edition of Natural Inquirer, you will learn 

about some important research conducted in a 

variety of different forests. In “Owl-ch,” you will 

discover how our changing climate might affect an 

owl population living in forests of the Southwest. 

In “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” find out about 

visitors to natural and landscaped areas in urban 

parks and how park managers can make visitors 

feel safer and more welcome in those places. In 

“Fish-ing Around,” you will be able to identify 

characteristics of the core habitat of fishers, a 

weasel-like animal, living in Sierra Nevada forests. 

In “Which Wood You Choose,” you will examine 

the relationship between planting new privately 

owned forests and how these new forests might 

affect wildlife habitat for some species. 

Along with each article, Woodsy Owl will 

share some ways that you can “Lend a Hand” 

and “Care for the Land.” You can be a part of 

conserving our natural resources, protecting our 

environment, and enjoying all that nature has 

to offer.

Figure 7. Trees play an important role in the carbon cycle. FIND Outdoors illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer 

Rossow.
9

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Figure 8. Trees are also a part of the water cycle. FIND Outdoors illustration by Stephanie 

Pfeiffer Rossow.

Figure 9. (A) Forests are important habitats for bald eagles. Bald eagles don’t grow their signature white 

feathers on their heads until they reach adulthood. In this photo, you can see what a juvenile bald eagle 

looks like. (B) Many wildflowers and insects live in forest habitats. (C) The northern Idaho ground squirrel 

is one of the rarest mammals in the United States and was listed as a threatened species in 2000. Payette 

National Forest in Idaho has worked to restore the ground squirrel’s habitat to protect the species from 

extinction. Photos by (A) Joe Serio; (B) Heather McLean; and (C) Bill Rautsaw. 

A B C
10

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Woodsy’s 4Rs

In recent years, Woodsy Owl has begun encouraging everyone to “Open Your Eyes, Be 

Climate Wise.” This statement means being aware of the impacts of a changing climate on 

forests and the planet in general, and doing your part to protect the planet. One of the ways 

you can be climate wise is by practicing the 4Rs:

A rain barrel collects 

the water that runs 

off this house’s roof. 

The stored water 

can be used to water 

plants in the garden.

USDA photo by Bob 

Nichols.

This greenhouse 

was built using 

old windows from 

buildings that were 

being demolished.

USDA photo.

Woodsy stands 

next to both a trash 

can and a recycling 

bin. It’s important 

to sort your trash 

into recyclables and 

items for the landfill. 

Photo by Cecilio 

Ricardo.

Kitchen scraps, 

like vegetable peels, 

can be mixed in 

with yard waste to 

create nutrient-rich 

compost for your 

garden. Adobe Stock 

photo.

Reduce: Cut down on the things you 

use that get thrown away, like plastic bags 

and disposable water bottles. You can also 

cut down on your use of natural resources 

like water by taking shorter showers, fixing 

dripping faucets, and using rain barrels to 

collect rainwater.

Reuse: Find ways to use items more 

than once, like cleaning food containers 

and using them for storage or donating 

clothing that’s in good condition once 

you’ve outgrown it. 

Recycle: Take something old and make 

it new again; many cities and counties have 

recycling programs where you can recycle 

glass, paper, and some plastics. Some cities 

even have special recycling centers for 

items that are hard to recycle, like old paint 

and construction materials, old shoes and 

clothes that are too tattered to be reused, 

Styrofoam, and more. 

Rot: In other words, compost; a lot of 

food waste, like vegetable peels, apple 

cores, and eggshells, can be composted 

with yard waste like leaves and grass 

clippings. Allowed to rot, these scraps turn 

into compost that can be used to fertilize 

the garden. Some cities even have largescale composting where you can compost 

items like meat and dairy products that you 

can’t compost in a home compost bin.

What are some ways you already Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot? 

What are some new ways you can start practicing the 4Rs?
11

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Glossary

philosophy (fǝ lä sǝ fē): A set of ideas about how to do something 

or how to live.

rural (rǝr ǝl): Of or relating to the country, country people or life, 

or agriculture.

slogan (slō gǝn): A short, attention-getting phrase used in 

advertising or promotion.

stormwater (stȯrm wȯ tǝr): Rainwater produced by a storm; 

rainwater that runs off surfaces and away from the area it 

originally falls (definition from the Environmental Protection 

Agency).

sustainable (sǝ stā nǝ bǝl): Harvesting or using a resource so that 

the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged.

transpiration (trans pǝ rā shǝn): The passage of watery vapor 

from a living body (as in a plant) through a membrane or pores. 

urban (ǝr bǝn): Of or relating to cities and the people who live in 

them.

Accented syllables are in bold. Marks and definitions are from https://www.merriam-webster.

com/. 

Definitions are limited to the word’s meaning in the article.

USDA Forest Service photo.
Owl-ch!

How a 

Changing Climate 

Might Affect 

Mexican Spotted 

Owls

12

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Photo by Todd Rawlinson.
13

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Meet the Scientists

 Joe Ganey, Wildlife Ecologist: In a long 

career in field ecology, I have had so many 

amazing moments that it is difficult to pick a 

single highlight. I vividly remember the first time 

I found a nesting pair of Mexican spotted owls. 

These owls are a species I ultimately studied 

for close to 40 years. Owls typically don’t build 

nests but instead rely on existing structures. 

This was a nest, however, and it contained two 

downy owlets. The nest was on a ledge on a 

red sandstone cliff. The cliff was in a canyon 

cut into the Coconino (kō kō nē nō) Plateau. 

Lush riparian vegetation filled the canyon 

bottom, and old-growth coniferous forests 

grew in between the rocky cliffs. It was a typical 

southwestern landscape. This experience 

inspired me to spend the next four decades 

as a scientist. I gathered scientific knowledge 

to support conservation of this and similar 

landscapes, along with their plants and animals.

 James P. Ward, Wildlife Ecologist: 

My favorite science experience is difficult 

to choose—there are so many incredible 

moments I’ve enjoyed “in the field” studying 

wildlife and in particular, spotted owls. A 

clear and memorable high-point of my career 

would be working with a team of subjectmatter experts to develop a plan to recover 

the Mexican spotted owl from a threatened 

condition. That experience entailed bringing 

scientific information about wildlife ecology 

and forest management together and applying 

it for conservation purposes. Giving managers 

and other decision makers science-based 

recommendations for conserving natural 

resources has been a guiding theme for 

my career choice and purpose in this everchanging world.

Courtesy photo from Joe Ganey.

Courtesy photo from James Ward.

Glossary words are bold and are defined on page 25.
14

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

 Todd Rawlinson, Wildlife Biologist: While 

studying forest habitats, wildlife species, 

and wildland fires, we now understand that 

the greatest risk to most forest species is 

catastrophic, high-intensity wildfire. During my 

career, I have learned that corridors or pathways 

to wet meadows can play a key role in buffering 

or helping with natural disturbances such as fire. 

These nutrient-rich environments provide vital 

food and habitat for many insects, amphibians, 

reptiles, birds, and mammals. Moderate- to lowintensity fire can displace wildlife species for 

short periods of time, but wet meadows can 

provide a “recovery zone” for many species like 

spotted owls during fire disturbances. 

 Sean Kyle, Wildlife Biologist: I have been 

lucky to work with rodents, birds, bats, reptiles, 

amphibians, and all the way up to big game 

across 12 States. I earned a bachelor’s degree 

in zoology from Southern Illinois University 

and a master’s degree in forest ecology from 

Northern Arizona University. I’ve worked for the 

U.S. Forest Service, two State fish and wildlife 

agencies, nonprofit conservation organizations, 

and environmental consulting firms. My 

favorite science experiences of my career were 

spotted owl surveys, living out of a tent for 

close to a decade in beautiful places across the 

West, and working with great biologists and field 

technicians over the years.

 Ryan Jonnes, Wildlife Biologist: The great 

outdoors has had a lasting impact on my life. 

The outdoors has shaped my hobbies, work, 

and family. I like to fish, hunt, camp, and hike. 

In 2005, I took a biological science technician 

job that changed my life. During this job with 

the Forest Service, I realized that I wanted 

to make New Mexico my home. I have held 

several wildlife jobs, but one thing has remained 

constant. I have focused my career on the 

conflicts between humans and wildlife. I have 

worked to protect wildlife while balancing the 

effects of industries like timber, livestock grazing, 

and oil and gas. Currently, I manage large, 

privately owned ranches for the sustainability of 

wildlife in southeastern New Mexico.

Courtesy photo from Todd Rawlinson.

Courtesy photo from Sean Kyle.

Courtesy photo from Ryan Jonnes.
15

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

What Kind of Scientist Did This Research?

Wildlife Biologist: This scientist studies the biology, behavior, and habitats of a

variety of animal populations in the wild.

Wildlife Ecologist: This scientist studies the relationship of different kinds of wildlife with 

each other and with their living and nonliving environment.

Thinking About Science

wildfire. Climate change may impact the owl 

species in two ways. First, a changing climate 

may further change the forest where the owls 

live. Second, a changing climate may directly 

impact the physical well-being of individual 

owls.

Many of the questions natural resource 

scientists are asking today would not have 

been asked in the past. Changing conditions 

always present new scientific questions. Name 

one changing environmental condition of 

which you are aware and identify a research 

question that will address a possible impact of 

the changing condition.

Climate change offers new 

challenges for natural resource 

scientists. In particular, wildlife 

scientists are curious about how a 

changing climate may affect different 

wildlife species. As environmental conditions 

change, scientists discover new questions to 

answer. In this research, for example, scientists 

realized that the impact of a changing climate 

on a particular owl species is unknown. 

This owl species is already threatened by 

other environmental conditions. These other 

environmental conditions include the loss of 

forest habitat from timber harvesting and 

Thinking About 

the Environment

All birds and mammals, including you, are 

endothermic (en də thər mik). Endothermic 

animals can, and must, maintain a somewhat 

constant body temperature regardless of the air 

temperature around them. In the summer, you 

perspire to cool off on hot days or when you are 

active in sports, for example. When the weather 

is cold, you may begin to shiver to stay warm. 

Humans also wear coats, hats, and gloves to 

stay warm.

Unfortunately, coats, hats, and gloves are 

not an option for birds when it gets cold. To 

stay warm, birds fluff their feathers (figure 1). 

Fluffing creates air spaces that provide a layer of 

warmth between the bird’s skin and the outside 

air. Birds may also crowd together on a limb to 

stay warm.

When the air 

temperature is high, 

some birds use a type 

of panting behavior to 

cool off. The bird opens 

its beak and flutters 

its neck muscles. This 

behavior also increases 

evaporation, causing 

greater water loss from 

the bird. Birds may also 

seek shaded environments to stay cool in hot 

weather.

In this research, the scientists were interested 

in learning if a species of owl might need to 

adapt its behavior to keep its body temperature 

stable in a changing climate. 

Figure 1. This bird is 

fluffing its feathers to 

stay warm. ©Chuck 

Murphy, http://

boywithcamera.com.
16

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Introduction

The Mexican spotted owl is one of the largest 

owls in North America (figure 2). Its wingspan 

is 45 inches, or just under 4 feet. The Mexican 

spotted owl is a subspecies of spotted owl that 

lives in the canyonlands and old-growth forests of 

Mexico and the southwestern United States. The 

owl lives in old-growth forests of white fir, Douglasfir, and ponderosa pine. These trees have high, 

closed canopies that create cooler air temperatures 

due to deep shade. Mexican spotted owls nest in 

tree cavities, caves, and potholes in cliff ledges 

(figure 3).

Many known Mexican spotted owl territories 

are on USDA Forest Service lands in Arizona and 

New Mexico (figure 4). These owls sometimes 

migrate and may move between 12 and 30 miles or 

to lower elevations. 

A female owl lays between one and four eggs 

during early spring. She stays on the nest to care 

for the owlets while the male brings in food. The 

owls hunt at night. They eat small mammals, such 

as wood rats, mice, voles, rabbits, pocket gophers, 

and bats. They also eat birds, reptiles, and insects. 

About 60 percent of these owls’ water intake 

comes from eating their prey. Owlets stay in the 

nest for about 5 weeks. At 8 weeks, they can hold 

and eat prey on their own. The parents continue to 

feed the owlets until they become fully independent 

hunters at 4 to 5 months (figure 5). The survival 

rate of young Mexican spotted owls is low, and 

the owls’ lifespan is about 17 years. The Mexican 

spotted owl population contains a little more than 

2,000 individuals now living within their United 

States range.

Most of the threats to Mexican spotted owls are 

actually threats to their habitat. A habitat is where 

a plant or animal finds enough food, water, shelter, 

and space to survive. Threats to Mexican spotted 

owl habitats include logging, wildfires, urban 

development (buildings and roads), and livestock 

grazing. Livestock grazing destroys the grass cover 

needed by the owl’s prey. This owl species was 

listed as threatened under the Endangered Species 

Act of 1973. This species was listed as threatened 

because its habitat had been broken into smaller 

parts by wildfires and timber harvesting. 

The Mexican spotted owl is facing another 

possible threat. Climate change may further 

threaten this owl indirectly. A changing climate 

may cause the owl’s habitat to become warmer 

and drier, increasing the number of wildfires. In 

the longer term, a warmer and drier climate will 

Figure 2. This pair of Mexican spotted owls sits on a 

tree branch. USDA Forest Service photo.

Figure 3. The Mexican spotted owl nests in a variety 

of places, including potholes in cliff ledges. U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service photo by Amie Smith.
17

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

COLORADO UTAH

ARIZONA NEW

MEXICO

MEXICO

MEXICAN

SPOTTED OWL

RANGE

Figure 4. The Mexican spotted owls’ 

range includes Colorado, Utah, Arizona, 

and New Mexico as well as Mexico. FIND 

Outdoors map by Leslie Shaw Design.

What Is Meant by “Threatened” under the 

Endangered Species Act of 1973?

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 defines a threatened species as “any species which 

is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all 

or a significant portion of its range.” An endangered species is “any species which is in 

danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” Threatened and 

endangered species are protected under the law.

Figure 5. In this photo, an adult Mexican 

spotted owl sits on the right, and an owlet 

sits on the left. The owlet still has downy 

feathers. Photo by Todd Rawlinson.
18

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

likely change the type of tree species and where 

the trees are growing within the owl’s habitat. 

Currently, the owls use the dense shade of oldgrowth trees to help keep them cool. These 

indirect threats may cause further challenges for 

the Mexican spotted owl.

A changing climate may also directly impact 

Mexican spotted owls. Recall that under a changing 

climate, the owls’ habitat will likely become warmer 

and drier. Mexican spotted owls may have a low 

tolerance for heat. These owls seek shaded, cooler 

environments to roost (rest) and nest. These 

environments are either in canyonland bottoms 

under the shade of cliffs or in the dense shade of 

old-growth forests (figure 6). 

Mexican spotted owls are endothermic, just 

like you. When the air temperature is too hot or 

too cold, these owls take action to maintain a 

steady and safe body temperature. You already 

know that these owls seek cooler, shaded 

environments for roosting and nesting. But what 

might happen as the air temperature continues to 

rise in a changing climate? The scientists in this 

study were interested in exploring this question. 

The scientists wanted to know how warmer air 

temperatures might affect an owl’s individual 

energy use and the amount of water evaporation 

an individual owl might experience. 

Figure 6. Old-growth forests contain trees that are 

hundreds or sometimes thousands of years old. Adobe 

Stock photo.

Reflection 

Section

 In your own words, state what 

questions the scientists in this study 

wanted to answer. 

 When your body gets too hot, 

what does your body do to cool you 

down? Do you lose water in this 

way? Where do you get more water 

to replace what you have lost? If 

you were a Mexican spotted owl, 

would replacing lost water be more 

challenging than it is for you as a 

human? Why?
19

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

ARIZONA

LINCOLN

NATIONAL

FOREST

NEW MEXICO

MEXICO

TEXAS

SACRAMENTO

MOUNTAINS

Figure 7. The Sacramento Mountains are located in the Lincoln National Forest in southcentral New Mexico. FIND Outdoors map by Leslie Shaw Design.

Figure 8. The Sacramento Mountains are a montane forest ecosystem surrounded by desert.

Photo by Ryan Jonnes.

Methods

The scientists studied Mexican spotted owl 

habitat in the Sacramento Mountains of New 

Mexico (figure 7). The Sacramento Mountains are 

comprised of a large montane ecosystem. These 

mountains are like a forested island surrounded by 

a desert “sea” (figure 8). Montane ecosystems are 

found on mountain slopes. They are moist, cool 

environments and have large, often coniferous, 

trees. The montane ecosystem studied by the 

scientists contained a mix of conifers, including 

white fir and Douglas-fir. 
20

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

The scientists established 14 mobile weather 

stations within the forest (figure 9). These 

weather stations recorded weather data every 

hour, 24 hours a day, for 5 years (including only 

part of 2 years, equaling about 4 total years). The 

weather data used by the scientists included the 

outdoor air temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) and 

relative humidity, or how much moisture is in the 

air. Relative humidity is measured from 0 percent 

(no moisture) to 100 percent. A rainy day may have 

between 90 and 99 percent relative humidity. 

The weather stations were located in eight 

Mexican spotted owl territories, and the average 

percentage of canopy cover over the weather 

Figure 9. Fourteen mobile weather stations similar to this one were placed throughout the study area. Adobe Stock 

photo.

 Number Crunch

 Approximately how many weather observations did the weather stations collect?

Hint: Calculate the number of hours in a day × the number of days in a year × the 

number of total years × the number of weather stations. Remember that observations 

were collected for only about 6 months in each of 2 years.
21

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

stations was 90.4 percent (figure 10). The 

scientists used precipitation data for the study 

area that were collected by the National Weather 

Service. These data included rainfall and snowfall.

The scientists used existing information about 

how much energy similar species of spotted owls 

use when they are at rest. They began with 

a measurement called resting metabolic rate. 

Resting metabolic rate is the amount of energy 

required by an animal’s body (including yours!) to 

perform the most basic functions when at rest, 

such as breathing, circulating blood, or basic brain 

functions. Resting metabolic rate may be different 

at different air temperatures. 

The scientists used equations to estimate 

the resting metabolic rate of these owls at each 

recorded air temperature value. These equations 

were different depending on whether the air 

temperature was within, above, or below a 

special range of air temperatures. This special 

range is called the thermoneutral (thür mō nū

trəl) zone, or TNZ (see page 22). 

The scientists now had a resting metabolic 

rate for each of the approximately 500,000 hours 

of data collection. Each resting metabolic rate 

was connected to an air temperature value. The 

scientists used another equation to estimate 

how much energy an owl would need to use to 

maintain its healthy body temperature at every 

temperature value.

The scientists then used another equation to 

estimate how much water an owl would lose from 

evaporation at each of the approximately 500,000 

air temperature values. This estimate is called 

evaporative water loss, or EWL. Recall that more 

water is lost at higher air temperatures.

The scientists now had estimates for: 

(1) How many observations were within, above, 

and below the owl’s TNZ. 

(2) How much energy an owl would use at rest 

at every observed temperature above, within, 

and below the TNZ. 

(3) How much water an owl would lose to 

evaporation in air temperatures above, 

within, and below the TNZ.

They then predicted the owl’s energy use and 

water loss in 2070 and 2099. 

Figure 10. (A) The scientists used a piece of equipment called a densiometer to measure the amount of canopy 

cover in the forest. (B) Canopy cover is the amount of tree cover in a particular area. Figure 10B is an Adobe Stock 

photo.

A B
22

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

What Is the Thermoneutral Zone?

All endothermic animals, including you, have a range of air temperatures within which 

they prefer to stay. This range of air temperatures is called the thermoneutral zone, or 

TNZ. Within this range, a healthy adult animal can maintain its normal body temperature 

while at rest. If the air temperature is above the TNZ range of temperatures, an animal 

must spend energy to lower its body temperature. In the case of humans, for example, 

a person perspires. A dog pants. An owl flutters its neck muscles. In all cases, the 

animal will lose water as they cool off. If the air temperature is below the TNZ range of 

temperatures, an animal must spend energy to raise its body temperature.

Reflection Section

 Based on what you know about climate change predictions, do you think the 

scientists expected to find more future changes in resting energy use and water loss for 

temperatures above or below the Mexican spotted owls’ TNZ? Why? 

 Do you think animals spend more or less energy when they are not at rest compared to 

when they are at rest? Why?

 Explain why you think it would be difficult for the scientists to estimate the owls’ 

energy use when not at rest.

FIND Outdoors illustration by Liz Sisk.
23

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Findings

Recall that the 14 weather stations recorded 

the air temperature every hour. The median

temperature was higher than the 30-year average 

(or normal) air temperature across all years (figure 

11). Despite the warmer temperatures, the air 

temperature never went higher than the upper 

range of the owl’s TNZ (35.2 °C). In contrast, 

over 90 percent of the temperatures were below 

the owl’s lower limit of the TNZ (18.2 °C). The 

lowest air temperature values were recorded in 

the winter, and the highest air temperature values 

were recorded in June and July. Median maximum 

daily air temperatures were less than 18.2 °C for 

all months except June and August. The median 

minimum daily air temperatures were less than 18.2 

°C for all months.

The National Weather Service reported 

precipitation that was equally higher and lower than 

the normal precipitation values. Most precipitation 

occurred from May through October. Relative 

humidity under the forest trees was highest from 

July through October and lowest during the nesting 

season, which is April through June.

The scientists estimated the owls’ resting 

metabolic rate and evaporative water loss (figure 

12). The owls’ resting metabolic rate was highest 

in winter. The resting metabolic rate declined 

in the spring, was lowest in summer, and then 

increased in the fall. Evaporative water loss (EWL) 

followed a pattern somewhat opposite from resting 

metabolic rate. EWL was lowest during the winter 

months and highest during the warmer and wetter 

summer months. 

Figure 11. Average and median air temperature per 

year in degrees Celsius (°C). The long horizontal 

line represents the average air temperature over 

30 years. Within each box, the horizontal line 

represents the median air temperature for the year.

The box represents the 25th to the 75th percentile 

(the interquartile range). The small lines above 

and below the boxes represent the lowest and 

highest recorded air temperatures. FIND Outdoors 

illustration by Liz Sisk, taken from this study (see 

citation on page 25).

Number Crunch

 What is 18.2 °C in Fahrenheit? 

Hint: Use this formula to find out: 

°F = (°C × 9/5) + 32

Figure 12. (A) This graph shows the yearly trend in resting metabolic rate for Mexican spotted owls. (B) This 

graph shows the yearly trend in evaporative water loss (EWL) for Mexican spotted owls. FIND Outdoors 

illustrations by Liz Sisk, taken from this study (see citation on page 25).

A B
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Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Recall that the scientists added 3 °C and 6 °C to 

each of the recorded temperatures to evaluate the 

impact of climate change on the Mexican spotted 

owl. The impact of increasing temperatures 

reduced the proportion of air temperature values 

that were below the TNZ and increased the 

proportion of air temperature values that were 

within the TNZ. Even when 6 °C was added 

to each recorded air temperature value, the air 

temperature rarely went above 35.2 °C. In these 

climate change scenarios, the overall effect was 

to reduce the amount of energy required by an owl 

to keep its body temperature within the TNZ, as 

compared with current energy use. 

Increases of 3 °C and 6 °C resulted in greater 

EWL, however. Adding 3 °C resulted in an 

increase in estimated water loss of 14 percent and 

adding 6 °C resulted in an increase in estimated 

water loss of 29 percent.

Reflection Section

 The recorded air temperatures never went higher than the owl’s upper TNZ 

level. In contrast, over 90 percent of the recorded air temperatures were below the 

owl’s lower TNZ level. In your own words, describe what this finding means for an 

owl’s attempts to keep its body temperature within the TNZ. 

 The scientists expected to find that higher future temperatures would directly impact 

the owls by making it harder for them to stay cool. What did they find instead? 

 The findings indicate that in the future, owls will experience greater water loss because 

of higher temperatures. Is increasing water loss a good or bad thing for the owls? Why?

Discussion

The scientists discovered that owls living below 

the cool forest canopy rarely experienced air 

temperatures that were too high. Rather, most of 

the air temperatures were low enough to cause the 

owls to use energy staying warm. The owls needed 

and used more water during the summer months. 

However, this time coincided with the greatest 

availability of water and high relative humidity. 

Thus, it appears that Mexican spotted owls are 

currently well adapted to their habitat.

As the climate changes, however, the situation 

for Mexican spotted owls may change. Evaporative 

water loss (EWL) is expected to increase as air 

temperature increases. Rising temperatures may 

also change the habitat of small mammals. If this 

occurs, the owls’ food may be harder to find. 

About 60 percent of an owl’s water comes from 

its food. The owls may need to depend more on 

surface water, such as streams, rivers, and ponds. 

Unfortunately, obtaining water from streams, 

rivers, and ponds is not an option for baby owls still 

in the nest, where they spend the first 5 weeks of 

their lives. Lowered amounts of precipitation in the 

future, therefore, may result in an overall decrease 

in the population of Mexican spotted owls.

Currently, forest managers are working to keep 

and develop patches of old-growth forests that 

have thick canopies. This strategy of protecting 

patches of older and cooler forests may provide 

protective habitat for Mexican spotted owls. Such 

protection may provide a refuge for these owls as 

the climate continues to warm.
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Reflection Section

 Mexican spotted owls are well adapted to cool air temperatures. Unlike many 

birds, these owls have feathers on their legs which help to keep them warm in cool 

temperatures. Explain why this adaptation is a benefit to Mexican spotted owls. 

 Explain why lowered amounts of precipitation in the future may result in an overall 

decrease in the population of Mexican spotted owls.

Adapted from Ganey, J.L.; Ward, J.P.; Rawlinson, T.A.; Kyle, S.C.; Jonnes, R.S. 2020. Annual climate in Mexican 

Spotted Owl habitat in the Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico: Implications for responding to climate change. 

Journal of Field Ornithology. 91(3): 225–240. https://doi.org/10.1111/jofo.12337.

Accented syllables are in bold. Marks and definitions are from https://www.merriam-webster.com/. 

Definitions are limited to the word’s meaning in the article.

Glossary

canopy cover (ka nə pē kə vər): The layer of tree leaves, branches, and 

stems that provide tree coverage of the ground when viewed from above.

cavity (ka və tē): A hollowed-out space.

coincide (kō ən sīd): To occupy the same place in space or time.

coniferous (kä nə fər us): A type of tree having (pine) cones.

downy (daů nē): Covered with down, a covering of soft fluffy feathers.

elevation (e lə vā shən): The height of a place or thing above sea level.

lush (ləsh): Having full and healthy growth.

median (mē dē ən): The number that is halfway between in a list of numbers 

arranged smallest to largest. 

prey (prā): An animal hunted for food by another animal.

refuge (re fyüj): A place that provides shelter or protection. 

riparian (rə per ē ən): Areas along streams and rivers.

scenario (sə ner ē ō): A description of what could possibly happen.

subspecies (səb spē shēz): A category in biological classification that ranks 

immediately below a species; designates a population of a particular geographic 

region that is genetically distinguishable from other such populations of the 

same species. A subspecies is capable of interbreeding successfully with other 

populations of the same species where its range overlaps theirs.
26

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

FACTivity

Methods

Your 24-hour period will begin now. In the 

graphic organizer that follows this FACTivity, you 

will first write today’s date and the current time. 

Over the next 24 hours, you will observe and 

write the behaviors you use to keep your internal 

temperature relatively constant. For example, 

if you go outside in the winter, you may put on 

a hat, coat, and gloves to stay warm. If you go 

outside in the summer, you may seek shade, you 

may perspire, and you may drink additional water 

to keep you cool. At night, you might use an extra 

blanket if the air temperature is cool. If it is warm, 

you may use only a sheet to cover yourself. You 

will need to be observant to note the various 

behaviors you use to stay comfortable. Also note 

the conditions that prompted your behaviors. For 

example, were you playing outside in the sun and 

became so hot that you perspired? Were you in 

an air-conditioned building and became so cool 

that you needed a jacket?

Next, imagine yourself either in the middle of 

summer or the middle of winter. Choose a season 

that is different from the season you are in now.

Using your imagination, identify ways that you 

would keep your internal temperature at a safe 

level during the 24 hours of a normal weekend 

day. Begin at the same time of day that you 

recorded your previous observations and imagine 

yourself over a 24-hour period. Record the season 

and time on the graphic organizer that follows.

The question you will answer in this 

FACTivity is:

In what ways do humans maintain a safe 

and healthy internal temperature?

Time Needed

24 hours in independent activity; 

30 minutes in a class activity

Materials

• Graphic organizer 

• Writing utensil

As you have learned in this article, humans 

are endotherms who, like other mammals 

and birds, must maintain a constant internal 

temperature in changing air temperatures. In this 

FACTivity, you will observe and record the ways 

you maintain a safe internal temperature over a 

24-hour period. Humans can vary widely in their 

TNZ, but most humans will remain comfortable 

between 64.4 °F and 71.6 °F (18–22 °C). As 

a class, you will discuss the various ways that 

humans maintain a safe internal temperature.

Because humans are not covered in feathers 

or a thick coat of hair, some behaviors are 

uniquely human, while other behaviors are 

shared with other mammals and birds.

This juvenile 

Mexican spotted owl is 

practicing gular fluttering. Gular fluttering 

is when it is hot out and a bird opens its mouth and 

moves or "flutters" its neck muscles to help with 

heat loss. Photo by Todd Rawlinson.
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Today’s 

date 

Observation 1: Time of 

day and what happened

Observation 2: Time of 

day and what happened

Observation 3: Time of 

day and what happened

Observation 4: Time of 

day and what happened

Observation 5: Time of 

day and what happened

New date 

and

season

Observation 1: Time of 

day and what happened

Observation 2: Time of 

day and what happened

Observation 3: Time of 

day and what happened

Observation 4: Time of 

day and what happened

Observation 5: Time of 

day and what happened

Graphic Organizer
28

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

FACTivity continued

As a class, discuss your behaviors, including what prompted your behavior and what the behavior 

was. Compare and contrast your human behaviors with that of other mammals and birds.

Discussion questions:

• What are some of the uniquely human behaviors you and others did to maintain a constant and 

safe temperature?

• What are some of the behaviors you and others did to maintain a constant and safe 

temperature that you share with other mammals and birds?

• What made you engage in each behavior? For example, did you get chilly, get thirsty, or begin 

perspiring?

• As the climate changes, how do you think human behaviors will change to maintain a safe 

internal temperature?

• As the climate changes, how do you think other mammals and birds might behave differently to 

maintain a safe internal temperature?

Lend a Hand—

Care for the Land! 

Here are some ideas for how you can lend a hand to help owls.

Discuss these ideas with your parents or caregivers. You can tell 

them about owls and what you learned in this article.

1. If you have a chimney, ask your parents or caregivers to install 

a chimney cap. A chimney cap will prevent owls, other birds, 

and other wildlife from getting trapped in your chimney.

2. Take down soccer nets when you are not using them. Owls 

get caught in nets, and in soccer nets especially. Make sure that soccer nets are not 

out at night, when owls are most active. 

3. Do not use poisons around your home. Owls may eat poisoned animals and get 

poisoned themselves.

4. Keep your cats indoors. Cats hunt birds and other wildlife, including owls.
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

❖ Many owl species have asymmetrical ears. When located 

at different heights on the owl’s head, their ears can pinpoint 

the origin of a sound. 

❖ The eyes of an owl are not true “eyeballs.” Their tube-shaped eyes are 

completely immobile, providing binocular vision which fully focuses on their prey and 

boosts depth perception.

❖ Owls can rotate their necks 270 degrees. A blood-pooling system collects blood to 

power their brains and eyes when neck movement cuts off circulation.

❖ A group of owls is called a parliament. This originates from C.S. Lewis’ description of a 

meeting of owls in “The Chronicles of Narnia.”

❖ Owls hunt other owls. Great horned owls are the top predator of the smaller barred owl. 

❖ The tiniest owl in the world is the elf owl, which is 5–6 inches tall and weighs about 11⁄2 

ounces. The largest North American owl, in appearance, is the great gray owl, which is 

up to 32 inches tall.

❖ The northern hawk owl can detect a vole to eat—primarily by sight—up to a half a 

mile away.

❖ Barn owls swallow their prey whole—skin, bones, and all—and they eat up to 1,000 

mice each year.

❖ Northern saw-whet owls can travel long distances over large bodies of water. One 

showed up 70 miles from shore near Montauk, New York.

❖ Not all owls hoot! Barn owls make hissing sounds, the eastern screech-owl whinnies like 

a horse, and saw-whet owls sound like an old whetstone sharpening a saw.

❖ Owls are zygodactyl (zī gō dak təl), which means their feet have two forward-facing toes 

and two backward-facing toes. Unlike most other zygodactyl birds, however, owls can 

pivot one of their back toes forward to help them grip and walk.

From the Audubon Society 

https://www.audubon.org/news/13-fun-facts-about-owls

Fun Facts 

About Owls
Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Natural Inquirer Connections

You may want to reference these Natural Inquirer resources for additional information 

and FACTivities: 

XFor more about valuing owl habitat, read “Who Gives 

a Hoot? Determining the Value of Owl Habitat” in 

the Wildland Fire edition of Natural Inquirer.

XFor more about tracking owls, read “Turn that Radio 

Down! Tracking the Busy Life of Flammulated Owl 

Dads” in the Olympic Winter Games edition of 

Natural Inquirer.

XFor more about another species of owl, read “The 

Great Horned Owl in the Oxbow” in the Student 

Scientist edition of Natural Inquirer.

XFor more about climate change and wildlife, read 

“Wild Ways: Assessing How Climate Change May 

Affect Certain Wildlife” in Investi-gator: Animals 

and Ecosystems of the Southwestern United States.

XFor more about the impacts of climate change, read 

the Climate Change edition of Natural Inquirer and 

“Natural IQ” Climate Change edition.

These resources, along with others, can be found at

https://www.naturalinquirer.org/all-issues.html.

Web Resources

National Park Service info page on Mexican spotted owls

https://www.nps.gov/articles/mexican-spotted-owl.htm

USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station: Ecology of 

the Mexican Spotted Owl

https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/projects/ecology-mexican-spotted-owl

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service info page on Mexican spotted owls

https://www.fws.gov/species/mexican-spotted-owl-strix-occidentalis-lucida

USDA Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “Living Map” of Mexican 

Spotted Owl Habitat

https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/projects/living-map-mexican-spotted-owl-habitat

Cornell Ornithology Lab—All About Birds: Spotted Owl (including video and audio 

recordings)

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Spotted_Owl/overview

30
31

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Visitor Use 

of Natural and 

Landscaped Areas 

in Urban Parks

USDA Forest Service photo.
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Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Meet the Scientists

 Nancy Sonti, Ecologist: My favorite science 

experience was learning about the history of 

urban forests and the growth of urban trees 

through tree rings and then getting to share 

that information with community members. I’ve 

learned that one Baltimore forest patch is 100 

years old, and another has trees that are almost 

300 years old. I also like to learn about how local 

residents feel when they interact with trees and 

forests near where they live.

 Novem Auyeung, Ecologist: My favorite 

science experience is working with natural 

resources managers, community members, 

and other researchers to use our combined 

knowledge to protect, manage, and restore 

natural areas in New York City.

Courtesy photo from Nancy Sonti. Courtesy photo from Novem Auyeung.

Courtesy photo from Lindsay Campbell.

 Lindsay Campbell, Social Scientist: My 

favorite science experience is being in the field, 

interviewing and observing people. I love to 

learn more about the ways people connect to 

nature, create meaning, and build a sense of 

place and community.

Courtesy photo from Michelle Johnson.

 Michelle Johnson, Ecologist: My favorite 

science experience is sitting down with data 

in hand to explore what you have found. Does 

your data support your hypothesis, or is 

something else going on you didn’t realize at 

the beginning of the project? It is like getting to 

where “x” marks the spot on an adventure map 

and seeing what is there.
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

What Kind of Scientist Did This Research?

Ecologist: This scientist studies the relationship of living things with their living and 

nonliving environment.

Social Scientist: This scientist studies the values, opinions, beliefs, attitudes, and actions 

of individuals and groups of people.

Thinking About Science

basketball thought. This situation 

is called selection bias. 

To find out what all visitors 

to a park thought about the park 

areas, scientists needed to randomize their 

interviews. In other words, every adult visitor 

to the park had to have an equal chance of 

being selected for an interview. To ensure 

this, scientists who conducted the interviews 

stopped every third adult park visitor they 

saw. Some of those visitors did not want to 

be interviewed, so the scientists recorded 

that information as well. Other visitors did 

answer the questions, and the scientists were 

able to interview all kinds of different visitors 

to the park.

The scientists in this study wanted to 

interview visitors to urban parks in New York 

City. They wanted to get a clear picture of all 

the park visitors and their different reasons for 

using or not using areas of the park. This desire 

meant that the scientists had to interview 

visitors in-person about visiting the park 

(figure 1). Walking up to strangers and asking 

them questions can be hard to do. What if 

a nervous interviewer only felt comfortable 

talking to parents with children or only to 

people carrying a basketball and heading for 

the basketball courts? Would their interviews 

let the scientists know what all park visitors 

thought? No, the scientists would only know 

what people with children or people who play 

Figure 1. A researcher interviews a fisherman at Broad Channel American Park, in Queens, 

New York City. Researchers in this study had to interview many different kinds of visitors to 

urban parks. USDA Forest Service and New York City Parks photo by the research team.

Glossary words are bold and are defined on page 42.
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Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

 Number Crunch

 Scientists asked 1,286 people to participate in their study. Of those people, 331 chose not 

to be interviewed. What was the overall response rate (people who agreed to participate) 

for the interviews? 

Hint: This should be expressed as a percentage—the number of people who agreed to 

participate divided by the number of people asked to participate.

Thinking About the Environment

When you think of wilderness, what do you 

picture? You might picture a famous American 

park like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon 

(figure 2), or you might see a forest with no 

roads, cars, or houses. Wilderness areas are 

areas designated to minimize human impacts. 

Some natural areas within urban parks—such 

as forests, wetlands, and meadows—remind 

people of wilderness areas. These areas, when 

compared with landscaped areas in urban 

parks—such as lawns and planted gardens—

feel more wild than landscaped areas of a 

park, but they are also less remote than rural 

wilderness areas. 

The scientists in this study were 

specifically interested in urban parks. 

The area in these parks was divided 

into two separate categories: natural areas and 

landscaped areas. The natural areas are the 

forests, wetlands, and grasslands in the parks 

(figure 3). These areas may have trails, but they 

are left mostly wild without buildings or planned 

landscaping. Landscaped areas are the areas of a 

park that have a lot of human interventions, like 

athletic fields, playgrounds, amphitheaters, or 

lawns (figure 4). These areas have buildings and 

other structures, like bathrooms or concession 

stands, and may have flower beds or planted 

shrubs or a neatly mown lawn. 

Figure 2. (A) Yellowstone National Park covers 2.2 million 

acres across Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. (B) Grand 

Canyon National Park is in Arizona and centers around the 

Grand Canyon, a huge canyon that is a mile deep and up 

to 18 miles wide. Figure 2A is a courtesy photo by Nissa 

McKinney. Figure 2B is a National Park Service photo by 

W. Tyson Joye.

A

B
35

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Figure 3. (A) A nature trail winds through a forest 

in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. (B) A tidal marsh 

is located at Pugsley Creek in the Bronx. (C) These 

grasslands are at Freshkills Park in Staten Island. The 

park is being built in phases on one of the largest 

landfills in the world. Figure 3A is a USDA Forest 

Service and New York City Parks photo. Figures 3B 

and 3C are New York City Parks photos.

Figure 4. (A) A small city park contains both 

basketball courts (front) and a baseball field (back). 

(B) Benches surround a playground in Inwood Hill 

Park in Manhattan. (C) Some parks have carefully 

tended lawns, like this one in Canarsie Park, 

Brooklyn. Figure 4A is a FIND Outdoors photo by 

Nissa McKinney. Figures 4B and 4C are USDA 

Forest Service and New York City Parks photos by 

the research team.

A A

B B

C C

Natural Areas Landscaped Areas
36

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Introduction

Most Americans now live in urban areas and 

may not have easy access to rural wilderness 

areas. Instead, many people in cities experience 

nature by visiting local parks. These parks can be 

large, with many landscaped spaces like athletic 

fields and playgrounds as well as more natural 

areas like forested nature trails. These parks can 

also be small spaces, like an area of trees with 

benches and a trail or maybe just a playground 

(figure 5). 

Any kind of park can provide a connection 

to nature that has been shown to be beneficial 

to people. Experiencing nature can help people 

feel less stressed and more peaceful. Nature 

can provide inspiration or spark the imagination. 

Nature can also help people feel more connected 

to their environment and their community. For 

these reasons, many communities want to make 

their parklands more welcoming and inclusive for 

everyone in their community. 

New York City is one of these communities. 

They set a goal of helping people feel more 

comfortable and safer in their parks. To meet their 

goal, park managers in New York City needed to 

learn more about their park visitors. Scientists and 

staff from the USDA Forest Service, the New York 

City Department of Parks and Recreation, and the 

Natural Areas Conservancy worked together to 

find out more about park visitors in their city.

The scientists in this study wanted to know 

three things: 

(1) Do visitors’ activities and reasons for using 

the park vary between landscaped and 

natural areas of New York City parks? 

(2) Why do park visitors choose to visit or not 

visit urban natural areas? 

(3) Are there differences between men and 

women in how they use landscaped and 

natural areas in parks and in their reasons for 

visiting these places?

Figure 5. This small park is known as a “pocket park.” City residents turned an unused island of land between roads 

into a park by planting shrubs and flowers, installing seating and bike racks, and providing recreation opportunities 

like the chess boards. FIND Outdoors photos by Nissa McKinney.

Reflection Section

 Why are urban parks important for people who live in cities? Are urban parks 

important to you? Why or why not? 

 What do scientists need to know about park visitors to help more people feel welcome 

in urban parks?
37

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Methods

Scientists chose 21 parks in all 5 boroughs

of New York City that had both landscaped and 

natural areas for visitors to use (figure 6). They 

trained groups of researchers to interview park 

visitors with open-ended questions, including: 

• Why were they visiting the park? 

• What do they like to do at the park? 

• Do they visit natural areas? 

• Why they do or do not visit natural areas? 

• Are they involved in any environmental 

stewardship groups? 

Open-ended questions require people to answer 

with more than a simple yes or no. These 

researchers walked around all areas of the parks, 

both landscaped and natural, on trails and desire 

lines (see sidebar on page 38). They interviewed 

every third visitor they met to randomize the 

selection of participants and reduce selection bias 

(see “Thinking About Science” on page 33). 

Researchers interviewed 955 visitors from June 

to August 2014 during the weekday, weekday 

evening, and weekend. Then two researchers read 

each interview response and worked together to 

categorize the answers. The researchers were then 

able to create tables of the responses to each of 

their questions. 

Figure 6. New York City (NYC) is divided into five 

boroughs: Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and 

Staten Island. Map by Dr. Michelle Johnson.

Reflection Section

 The scientists in this study interviewed park visitors on weekdays, weekday 

evenings, and during the weekend. Why would scientists want to study park visitors at 

different times during the week? 

 Why do you think scientists chose to ask open-ended questions in this study rather 

than questions that could be answered with just a yes or no?
38

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

What Are Desire Lines?

Desire lines, or desire paths, are routes that pedestrians use that have not been 

planned by landscape architects or developers. Instead, they are paths that have been 

made from the erosion caused by frequent foot traffic from pedestrians. These routes 

are usually the shortest or easiest way to reach one point from another.

USDA Forest Service and New York City Parks photos by the research team.

Land managers, landscape architects, and other designers may study desire lines to 

understand how people are using a space. The width of the desire line and how worn 

down it is can give managers and designers clues about how many people use the 

space and where they might be going. Sometimes designers will even leave a space 

with no paths so they can see where pedestrians will make desire lines. They can then 

pave the paths that receive the most traffic.

Desire lines can also have a negative effect on the landscape. Sometimes desire 

lines will cross into sensitive habitats or places that land managers don’t want 

pedestrians to walk. These paths can trample vegetation, increase erosion, or threaten 

the habitats of plants and animals. Land managers must then find ways to block these 

desire lines from pedestrians. This need to protect the environment is one reason you 

should always stay on the marked trail when hiking, even if the trail is muddy, steep, or 

otherwise difficult.

Adobe Stock photo.
39

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Findings

Visitors in landscaped areas reported using 

the park for different reasons than the visitors in 

natural areas. In general, landscaped areas were 

used more for activities with children, sports, and 

socializing. Natural areas were used more for 

walking and nature recreation.

Most people said that they visited the park 

because it was close and convenient to where they 

lived or worked. The next most important reason 

for visiting the park was to be close to nature and 

to enjoy the outdoors. This response was twice as 

likely to be mentioned by visitors to natural areas 

than by visitors to the landscaped areas of the park. 

People visiting natural areas were more likely to 

talk about finding refuge in nature, and they were 

also more likely to talk about how attached they 

were to the park. Often the park reminded them of 

home or they had visited the park often as children 

(table 1). 

Table 1. This table shows the reasons visitors gave for visiting the park, separated by visitors to natural areas and 

visitors to landscaped areas.

Reasons for not visiting natural areas Women Men Total

Number of

people

Percent 

of people

Number of

people

Percent 

of people

Number of

people

Percent 

of people

Preference: Visitors who prefer 

landscaped areas 88 48.4% 121 58.7% 209 53.9%

Potential: Visitors who can or say they 

would visit natural areas but don’t know 

they exist or haven’t thought about 

visiting them

63 34.6% 79 38.3% 142 36.6%

Barriers: Visitors who mentioned a 

specific barrier to visiting natural areas 

(see table 3)

78 42.9% 49 23.7% 127 32.7%

No answer 5 2.7% 11 5.3% 16 4.1%

Table 2. This table shows the reasons people gave for not visiting natural areas of urban parks. The results are 

divided by gender, and visitors could give more than one reason for not visiting natural areas. 

Reason for visiting Natural areas Landscaped areas

Number of

people

Percent of 

people

Number of

people

Percent of 

people

Proximity/access 100 43.1% 332 45.9%

Nature/outdoors 51 22.0% 71 9.8%

Refuge 38 16.4% 94 13.0%

Enjoyment 36 15.5% 74 10.2%

Amenities 33 14.2% 106 14.7%

Place attachment 33 14.2% 71 9.8%

Park quality 20 8.6% 98 13.6%

Activity 18 7.8% 99 13.7%

Sociability 9 3.9% 65 9.0%

Other: No reason, first visit, etc. 15 6.5% 29 4.0%
40

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Figure 7. Woodsy Owl participates in a variety of environmental stewardship activities, like (A) collecting tree data for 

scientists, (B) growing a community garden, and (C) cleaning up trash at a local waterway. Photos by Cecilio Ricardo.

Specific Barrier Women Men Total

Number of

people

Percent of 

people

Number of

people

Percent of 

people

Number of

people

Percent of 

people

Fear or concern 54 29.7% 32 15.5% 86 22.2%

Access 12 6.6% 11 5.3% 23 5.9%

Kids 12 6.6% 6 2.9% 18 4.6%

Total visitors who mentioned a specific 

barrier to visiting natural areas 78 42.9% 49 23.7% 127 32.7%

Table 3. Scientists broke down the responses of the people who did not visit natural areas because of a specific 

barrier into each specific barrier mentioned: fear, access, or kids. The results are divided by gender, and visitors 

could give more than one reason for not visiting natural areas. The percentages are based on the number of visitors 

who do not visit natural areas. 

Forty-one percent of visitors said they do not 

visit the natural areas of the park (table 2, page 

39). Some people said they prefer landscaped 

areas of the park because those areas have the 

amenities they use, like playgrounds, bathrooms, 

or ball fields. Some reported avoiding natural 

areas because they didn’t feel safe (table 3). They 

worried about being hurt by people, animals, or 

insects in natural areas. Others worried about 

getting lost on trails. 

More women than men reported visiting the 

park with children. Because women are often at 

the park with children, scientists found that women 

preferred places with amenities like playgrounds. 

Women were less likely to visit natural areas than 

men, and 30 percent of women said they were 

afraid of going into natural areas. Because of this, 

children are more likely to be in landscaped areas 

rather than natural areas.

Finally, a roughly equal number of men and 

women who were interviewed said that they 

participated in environmental stewardship groups. 

These groups may do things like organize cleanup activities in parks or along waterways, teach 

people how to compost or conserve water, or work 

with community leaders to pass laws protecting 

the environment (figure 7). Visitors who were 

members of these kinds of groups were more likely 

to visit natural areas than people who were not 

part of environmental stewardship groups. 

A B C

Reflection Section

 What kinds of park amenities might be useful to visitors who bring children to 

the park?

 What kinds of activities could you enjoy in natural areas of a park that might be 

different from activities you enjoy in landscaped areas?
41

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Adapted from Sonti, N.F.; Campbell, L.K.; Svendsen, E.S.; Johnson, M.L.; Auyeung, D.S.N. 2020. Fear and fascination: Use 

and perceptions of New York City’s forests, wetlands, and landscaped park areas. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 49: 

126601. 10 p. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2020.126601.

Discussion

According to the park visitors who were 

interviewed, both landscaped and natural areas 

of these parks provided a sense of refuge from 

the city, enjoyment, and a connection to a 

familiar place. Both kinds of areas were also most 

frequently visited because of how close they were 

to where visitors lived or worked. The landscaped 

areas provided more social activities, but the 

natural areas attracted more people who enjoyed 

the seclusion, peacefulness, and opportunities to 

view wildlife.

Park visitors who were reluctant to visit natural 

areas had some specific concerns. Some worried 

about access to natural areas because these places 

were sometimes hard to reach, like up steep hills 

or across busy roads. Some visitors worried about 

safety, both from other people and wildlife. Others 

felt that natural areas were not good places to bring 

children because of safety concerns or because 

children would be harder to watch in natural areas 

than on a playground. Finally, some park visitors 

who had always lived in cities and hadn’t visited 

the park much as children preferred the more 

landscaped areas and avoided natural spaces. 

People who were members of environmental 

stewardship groups were more likely to visit the 

natural areas of the park and feel comfortable 

there. Encouraging visitors to become involved 

in stewardship activities that help protect and 

conserve natural areas at urban parks may 

encourage more people to use these areas and feel 

comfortable in them.

Urban park managers want more visitors, 

including children, to feel safe and welcome in their 

parks in both the landscaped and natural areas. 

This desire is because most urban parks are public 

lands. Public lands are paid for by taxes and are 

operated on behalf of all residents. Therefore, 

urban park managers want to provide the kind of 

recreational opportunities residents want to have. 

Reflection Section

 What did visitors enjoy about the parks they visited?

 What prevents some people from visiting natural areas in parks?

 What are some ways that park managers can make their parks feel safer and more 

welcoming to all visitors?

The title of this article, “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” is taken from a book of collected 

poems by Shel Silverstein. In the book, a poem also called “Where the Sidewalk Ends” talks 

of a place “where the sidewalk ends / And before the street begins.” This place is a place of 

imagination, creativity, and wonder, much like the natural areas of city parks. Places beyond the 

sidewalk can be places of discovery and wonder.

What’s in a Name?
42

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Glossary

amenity (ǝ me nǝ tē): Something that helps to provide comfort, 

convenience, or enjoyment.

bias (bī ǝs): A systematic error introduced into sampling or testing 

by selecting or encouraging one outcome or answer over others.

borough (bǝr ō): In this case, one of the five main sections of New 

York City; the boroughs are the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, 

Queens, and Staten Island.

hypothesis (hī pä thǝ sǝs): An idea or theory that is not proven 

but that leads to further study or discussion.

landscape (lan(d) skāp): To make changes to improve the 

appearance of an area of land.

randomize (ran dǝ mīz): To arrange or choose something in a 

random way or order.

refuge (re fyüj): A place that provides shelter or protection.

seclusion (si klü zhǝn): The state of being away from other people.

stewardship (stü ǝrd ship): The careful and responsible 

management of something entrusted to one’s care.

urban (ǝr bǝn): Of or relating to cities and the people who live in 

them.

wetlands (wet landz): An area of land, such as a marsh or swamp, 

that is covered with shallow water.

Accented syllables are in bold. Marks and definitions are from https://www.merriam-webster.com/. 

Definitions are limited to the word’s meaning in the article.

USDA Forest Service photo.
43

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

FACTivity

Methods

1. Choose a local area park and research the features of that park. A good place to look online would 

be your local parks and recreation department or leisure services. Does the park have walking trails, 

a dog park, a pool, basketball courts, etc.? Can people who are differently abled (like those who use 

a wheelchair or those who are visually impaired) easily use the park facilities? Does the park have 

special events or activities planned? (Use the graphic organizer on page 44 to take notes.)

2. Now that you know more about your local park, brainstorm ways that your park could improve in the 

three areas listed above as well as ways your park could help people feel safe and welcome.

3. Discuss your ideas as a class and write a letter to your local parks department to share your 

suggestions.

The questions you will answer in this FACTivity are:

How does a park in your area offer visitors (1) refuge 

or stress relief, (2) inspiration or a spark to the 

imagination, and (3) connection with friends, family, 

and the community? 

Also, how can your local park improve and help 

people feel more welcome and safer?

Time Needed

One class period

Materials

• Computer 

• Graphic organizer 

Using your ideas about your local park, design your own ideal park that would 

offer visitors all the benefits listed above and help visitors feel safe and welcome.

OR

Design an event to be held at your local park that would encourage more visitors to 

enjoy the park. What activities could your event include that would help visitors feel 

safe and welcome? (For example, guided trail hikes, scavenger hunts, or teaching 

sessions.)

Deliver a presentation explaining your ideas as if you were presenting to your parks 

department. Visual aids, like a poster or a model, might be helpful.

Lend a Hand—

Care for the Land! 
44

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Student names:

Name of local park:

Website or resource for information on the park:

Benefit of 

visiting the park Features in my local park Ways my local park can improve

Stress relief/

refuge

Inspiration/

imagination

Connection with 

friends, family, 

and community

Graphic Organizer
45

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

2012

Number 5

The Natural Inquirer Monograph Series

Time Out! How Much Time Do Kids Spend Outdoors?

Natural Inquirer Connections

You may want to reference these Natural Inquirer articles for additional information 

and FACTivities: 

XFor more on why visitors avoid natural areas, read “Lions 

and Tigers and Bears – Oh My! Understanding Wildland 

Visitation” in the Natural Inquirer 1999 edition.

XFor more on how park visitors can impact local wildlife, read 

“The Golden Egg: Using Adaptive Management to Regulate 

Hiking Near Golden Eagle Nests in Denali National Park” in 

the Natural Inquirer Scientific Models edition.

XFor more on environmental stewardship, read the Natural 

Inquirer Citizen Science edition.

XFor more on kids in the outdoors, read the Natural Inquirer

monograph “Time Out! How Much Time Do Kids Spend 

Outdoors?”

XFor more on wilderness recreation, read the Wilderness 50 

monograph series: “Pack to Back” and “Wilderness 2.0.”

These resources, along with others, can be found at

https://www.naturalinquirer.org/all-issues.html.

Web Resources

New York City Urban Field Station (Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service)

https://www.nrs.fs.usda.gov/nyc/

New York City Department of Parks & Recreation 

https://www.nycgovparks.org/

Natural Areas Conservancy 

https://naturalareasnyc.org/

Discover the Forest 

https://discovertheforest.org/

Interactive Visitor Map for national forests and grasslands 

https://www.fs.usda.gov/ivm/

USDA Forest Service page on urban forests 

https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/urban-forests

USDA Forest Service's Urban and Community Forestry Program 

https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/urban-forests/ucf

If you are a trained Project Learning Tree educator, you may use 

“I’d Like to Visit a Place Where . . .” as an additional resource.
Fish-ing Around

Discovering

the Habitat 

Needs of the 

Pacific Fisher

46

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Adobe Stock photo.
47

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Meet the Scientists

 Jennifer Kordosky, Genomics Research 

Scientist: My favorite science experience was 

trapping mesocarnivores (see Fun Facts! sidebar 

on page 51) in the Sierra Nevada. Fishers make 

a faint chuckling noise while in the trap, so if 

you heard it when approaching, you knew you’d 

caught a target. Collaring and monitoring fishers 

was rewarding and exciting work.

Courtesy photo from Jennifer Kordosky.

Courtesy photo from Eric Gese.

 Eric Gese, Wildlife Biologist: I love having the 

opportunity to conduct research on a variety of 

carnivores for the past 40 years with my group of 

dedicated graduate students in incredible places on 

this planet. I love to witness the “Aha!” moment 

when they see the importance of the research 

and the value of understanding these remarkable 

creatures in our natural world. 

One of my favorite science experiences was 

tracking radio-collared jaguars in the Pantanal of 

Brazil. The area is unbelievable in the diversity of 

animals. I saw flocks of macaws flying overhead 

while hiking through the forest to investigate what 

the jaguars were killing and feeding on—mainly 

caiman (kä mǝn), feral hogs, javelina (hä vǝ lē nǝ), 

and cattle. A caiman is similar to an alligator, and a 

javelina looks like a wild boar.

Fun Fact!

The Pantanal in South America is the 

world’s largest tropical wetland!

All the animals in these photos were unharmed and released back into the wild by trained scientists.

Never approach or handle wildlife.
48

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

 Kathryn Purcell, Wildlife Biologist: My 

best day in the field ever was when I climbed 

to a fisher den and extracted two kits to be 

measured and marked for future identification. 

My arm just barely fit in the tree cavity and 

they tried to evade me, but I was able to pull 

them out one at a time and send them down to 

the crew on the ground. One was a female and 

the other was a male. They were at the stage 

where their eyes were just beginning to open. 

One had only the left eye open and the other 

had the right eye open, so it looked like they 

were winking at each other. When they were 

ready to be put back in the den cavity, they 

were no longer so shy and didn’t want to let go 

of my hand. My arm got pretty scraped up, but 

it was worth it. 

Courtesy photo from Kathryn Purcell. Courtesy photo from Craig Thompson.

 Craig Thompson, Wildlife Ecologist: I have 

worked with a variety of carnivores over the 

years, large and small, but one of my favorite 

research-related memories is being attacked by 

a northern grasshopper mouse. After I released 

it from a trap, rather than turn and run, it leapt 

at me and tried to bite me. I shouldn’t have 

been surprised, considering that those mice 

hunt scorpions and act like miniature wolves, 

but having a creature the size of my thumb be 

willing to do battle like that gave me a profound 

respect and fascination for these animals and 

their spirit.

Glossary words are bold and are defined on page 60.

All the animals in these photos were unharmed and released back into the wild by trained scientists.

Never approach or handle wildlife.
49

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

What Kind of Scientist Did This Research?

Genomics Research Scientist: A scientist who studies genes’ effects on physical 

traits and how multiple genes and their interrelationships influence the growth and 

development of an organism.

Wildlife Biologist: A scientist who studies wildlife, including what they eat, how they 

reproduce, and how they use their habitat.

Wildlife Ecologist: A scientist who studies the relationship of different kinds of wildlife 

with each other and with their living and nonliving environment.

Thinking About Science

from several previous studies that 

helped them narrow down their 

research question. Additionally, 

several of the scientists working on 

this research had worked on earlier research 

questions regarding this topic, so these scientists 

had a broad understanding of their research 

topic and could work together to learn even 

more about it.

Often in science research, scientists build 

and expand upon research that has already 

been done. When scientists begin researching 

a topic, they gather all previous research on 

the topic and review it. This process is called 

a literature review. The scientists use the 

information they have gathered to inform their 

research and help define the research question. 

In this article, the scientists had information 

Thinking About the Environment

Sometimes it is important to manage an 

area of land to help an animal or plant survive. 

When plants or animals are having difficulty 

surviving in their environment, they may be 

labeled a "species of concern" by local, State, or 

national agencies. Scientists then research ways 

to improve the situation for the plant or animal. 

Then, a management plan is designed to help 

support the plant or animal in its environment. 

The management plan can be used by land 

managers and others to help protect and 

improve the outcome for the 

plant or animal before it becomes 

endangered. In this research, scientists were 

interested in learning more about a particular 

animal that was listed as a species of concern. 

They wanted to learn specifically about its 

habitat needs so that they could help provide 

guidance and information about how to best 

help the animal. You will learn more about this 

animal and what the scientists found in the 

following article. 
50

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

CANADA

MEXICO

RANGE OF

FISHERS

UNITED STATES

Introduction

The scientists in this study were interested in 

learning more about the habitat needs of the fisher 

(figure 1). The fisher is a rare mammal that lives in 

Canada and four areas of the United States: New 

England, the Great Lakes, the northern Rocky 

Mountains, and the Pacific States (figure 2). 

Figure 1. Fishers are sometimes called “fisher 

cats,” but they are not cats, nor do they fish. 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo.

Figure 2. Examine the map to see where fishers can be found. Are any of these areas close to where you 

live? FIND Outdoors map by Leslie Shaw Design. 
51

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

RANGE OF

WEST COAST

FISHERS

CALIFORNIA

OREGON

S I E

R

R

A

N E VA D A

Fun Facts!

Fishers are a medium-sized member of the weasel family. Contrary to its name, 

the fisher does not eat fish. Instead, it is a voracious hunter of other small animals. 

The fisher is considered a mesocarnivore, which means 50–70 percent of its 

diet is made up of meat from another animal. It has been known to prey upon 

porcupines. Very few animals are known to prey upon porcupines. One of the 

other known predators of porcupines is a cousin to the fisher—the wolverine. U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service photo by Bethany Weeks.

In California, the historic range of the fisher 

goes through the Sierra Nevada (figure 3). Since 

the 1940s, the fisher population in California has 

declined due to fur trapping, which almost brought 

the species to extinction. Trapping was banned in 

1946 to help the population recover, and the fisher 

was listed a species of concern (see “Thinking 

About the Environment” on page 49). However, 

scientists note that the species has never fully 

recovered from that time. When this research was 

conducted, some populations of fishers, such as the 

West Coast Distinct Population Segment, were 

being reviewed for listing as an endangered species 

(see sidebar on page 52). The West Coast Distinct 

Population Segment in the southern Sierra Nevada 

had less than 300 adults. In addition to fur trapping, 

the fisher population is declining due to habitat 

fragmentation, development, and climate change 

(figure 4). 

Figure 3. The Sierra Nevada are a major mountain range 

in western North America. The Sierra Nevada run along 

the eastern edge of California. FIND Outdoors map by 

Leslie Shaw Design.

Figure 4. As areas are developed, land is cleared for 

various purposes. In this photo, land is cleared for a 

shopping center. Courtesy photo by Babs McDonald.
52

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

The fisher has a home range. This home range 

is an area where the fisher engages in its normal 

activities like eating, resting, and caring for its 

young. Within the home range, scientists have 

identified a core area. This core area may be used 

more frequently than the rest of the home range. 

The core area may contain more dependable 

resources such as food. Scientists think that core 

areas may serve as refugia (ri fyü jē yǝ). Refugia 

are locations that support an isolated population 

by sheltering it from unfavorable conditions. The 

fisher population is isolated due to habitat needs, 

human development and habitat fragmentation, 

and climate change. 

The scientists in this study were interested in 

figuring out which landscape characteristics were 

more abundant in the core areas of fisher habitat. 

The scientists hypothesized that the core area 

would contain more late-successional forest. A 

late-successional forest is an older forest with 

more mature trees and undergrowth (figure 5). 

Additionally, scientists hypothesized that there 

would be less tree mortality, less habitat disruption 

from humans, and less human presence in general.

Sometimes a species may have several separate populations within its natural habitat. The fisher, for 

example, lives in several different areas of the United States (see figure 2, page 50). These fisher 

populations are geographically separate from one another and may have different genetic profiles, 

community behaviors, or challenges in their communities. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service calls these 

separate populations “distinct population segments,” or DPS. Sometimes one DPS of a species may 

have more difficulty surviving in its current habitat than other populations. That particular DPS can 

be protected under the Endangered Species Act while the other populations of the species are not 

protected. In the case of fishers and during the time period the research took place, the West Coast 

Distinct Population Segment was the population being considered for endangered species status.

However, in 2020, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service broke the West Coast Distinct Population Segment 

into two parts. The southern Sierra part of the segment has been listed as endangered. The northern 

California/southern Oregon part has not been listed as endangered.

Distinct Population Segment (DPS) 

Figure 5. Forest 

succession is the 

change from one plant 

community to another 

within a forest. Latesuccessional forests 

are the forests at the 

end of the progression.

Look at how the type of 

vegetation changes over 

time. What do you notice 

about late-successional 

forests? FIND Outdoors 

illustration by Stephanie 

Pfeiffer Rossow.
53

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Reflection Section

 In your own words and in the form of a question, what did the scientists want 

to learn? 

 Some of the challenges facing fisher populations include habitat fragmentation, 

climate change, and human presence. Why do you think each of these may influence 

the fisher habitat? 

Methods

The study was conducted in the Kings River 

Fisher Project area (KRFP) and the Sierra Nevada 

Adaptive Management Project area (SNAMP). 

Both areas are located in the Sierra Nevada in 

California. Specifically, the scientists gathered 

information from the Bass Lake and High Sierra 

Ranger Districts of the Sierra National Forest 

(figure 6). 

Figure 6. The project areas for this study (SNAMP and KRFP) are both located in the Sierra Nevada. FIND Outdoors 

map by Leslie Shaw Design.

FRESNO

OAKHURST SNAMP

KRFP

168

S EI RRA NEVADA RANGE

Yosemite National Park

Sierra National Forest

SNAMP

41
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Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

 Number Crunch

 What was the summer temperature range in degrees Fahrenheit (°F)? What was the 

winter temperature range in Fahrenheit? 

Hint: The formula is °F = (°C × 9/5) + 32.

During the summer months, very little 

precipitation fell in the area. The temperatures 

ranged from 9 degrees Celsius (°C) to 23 °C. Snow 

cover was typical from November to April with 

temperatures ranging from -4 °C to 7 °C. Both 

areas were impacted by a severe 4-year drought 

from 2012 to 2015. This drought is thought to be 

one of the most severe droughts in that region 

in the past 1,200 years. The drought, combined 

with a mountain pine beetle infestation, caused a 

significant loss of trees in the area. 

Mountain pine beetles live for only 1 year. Most 

of the year is spent “chilling out” in a condition 

scientists call supercool. Because they live in high 

mountain environments where it is very cold, 

they spend most of their short life span being 

supercool. That does not give them much time 

to lay eggs and reproduce. When these beetles 

reproduce, they lay eggs in the phloem of pine 

trees. These eggs become the larvae that live in 

the phloem during the cold 

months. In late summer, 

pupa become adults and 

emerge from the pine 

trees. As adults, the 

beetles must bore holes 

in other pines trees so 

they can lay their eggs.

When they bore holes in the trees and lay eggs, the beetles usually kill the 

tree. Pine trees produce resin to repel the beetles. To successfully lay their 

eggs, the beetles must work as a team. They bore holes in pine trees in 

large numbers. To learn more about mountain pine beetles, read the 

“Beetles Are Supercool!” monograph.

What Is a 

Mountain Pine Beetle Infestation?

FIND Outdoors illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer Rossow.
55

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

The scientists trapped the fishers with live traps. 

They covered the traps with natural materials and 

baited the traps with chicken and bait lure. Fishers 

were handled with a canvas sleeve and a metal 

handling cone. The fishers were sedated, and 

dosages of the sedation medicine were based on 

the size, age, and whether it was a male or female 

fisher (figure 7). The scientists measured the 

following things: 

• Body length

• Body mass

• Tail length

• Canine length (the canine is a type of tooth 

that is usually used for tearing food)

• Reproductive status (scientists examined them 

for indications that they had reproduced)

The fishers were fitted with a handmade, 

breakaway radio collar (figure 8). The fishers were 

also injected with a passive radio transmitter. The 

collar enabled the scientists to track the fishers’ 

movements within their home ranges. The passive 

transmitter allowed them to identify an animal 

later if it slipped out of the collar, like the way some 

people microchip their dogs and cats. All animals 

were captured and handled under authorization 

from the USDA Forest Service and local agencies. 

None of the animals were harmed, and all were 

released back into the wild.

Figure 7. Fishers are sedated and handled with care 

while scientists take measurements and record their 

observations. This photo was taken during another 

study of fishers’ ranges in Oregon conducted by the 

Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. 

Bureau of Land Management photo.

Figure 8. (A) The breakaway radio collar enables the scientists to track fisher movement. (B) A scientist uses 

a computer and an antenna to track the fisher’s radio collar. These photos were taken during another study of 

fishers’ ranges in Oregon conducted by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Bureau of Land 

Management photos.

A B
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Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

The scientists collected information on home 

ranges for a year. They analyzed both male and 

female home ranges separately. The scientists also 

obtained data on where different silviculture

treatments had occurred. Silviculture is the art 

and science of managing the establishment, 

growth, composition, health, and quality of 

forests and woodlands to meet the diverse needs 

and values of landowners and society. These 

needs and values could be wildlife habitat, timber, 

water resources, restoration, and recreation on a 

sustainable basis. Silviculture treatments include 

logging, thinning, burning, and regeneration

(figure 9). The locations of buildings and roads 

were obtained from the Forest Service. This 

information was used to analyze the amount of 

human activity in these areas. 

The scientists also collected information on 

habitat characteristics such as canopy cover and 

habitat type. They identified six habitats (figure 10):

(1) Conifer forests (forests composed largely 

of evergreen trees or cone-bearing, needleleaved trees; in this study, mainly ponderosa 

pine, sugar pine, white fir, and incense cedar) 

(2) Hardwood forests (forests that mainly 

have deciduous trees, which are trees that 

periodically shed their leaves; examples 

include California black oak and canyon 

live oak)

(3) Developed lands (lands with human 

development such as buildings and houses)

(4) Shrubland (areas dominated by shrubs such 

as manzanita (man zǝ nē tǝ), whitethorn 

ceanothus (sē ǝ nō thǝs), and bear clover/

mountain misery)

(5) Sparse cover (areas with granite or little 

shrub cover)

(6) Open water 

The scientists noted that canopy cover or 

canopy density is the one characteristic that 

has been widely associated with the presence of 

fishers. Dense canopy is defined as greater than 

60 percent cover and helps with foraging, rest 

site opportunities, and refuge from large predators 

(figure 11). 

The scientists also obtained tree mortality data. 

Both an extensive drought that occurred from 

2012 to 2015 and a mountain pine beetle infestation 

greatly increased the amount of tree mortality. 

There were many dead trees in all the home ranges 

of these fishers.

Figure 9. Thinning trees from a forest is a silviculture technique used to help manage forest fires. Photo by 

Cecilio Ricardo.
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

1

A

4

2

B C

5

3

6

Figure 11. The scientists in this study classified the tree canopy cover into three categories: dense cover, moderate 

cover, and low cover. This figure shows examples of (A) dense, (B) moderate, and (C) low tree canopy cover. Adobe 

Stock photos.

Figure 10. Scientists categorized land into six habitat types for their study on fisher home ranges. These habitat 

types are: (1) conifer forest; (2) hardwood forest; (3) developed land; (4) shrubland; (5) sparse cover; and (6) open 

water. Photos by (1) Molly Simonson; (4) Jim Frazier; (5) Paul Wade; and (6) USDA Forest Service photo. Adobe 

Stock photos (2) and (3).
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Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Reflection Section

 Why do you think scientists gathered information on tree mortality? How might 

tree mortality influence fisher populations?

 The scientists identified six habitats (see figure 10, page 57). Based on what you have 

learned about fishers so far, which habitat areas do you think would be more likely for 

fisher habitat? Why? 

Findings

From 2014 to 2016, scientists trapped 41 female 

fishers and 23 male fishers. Sixty-eight home 

ranges were identified for females. For the male 

fishers, the scientists had trouble distinguishing a 

home range because they did not appear to have 

regular spots that they visited frequently. Instead, 

they identified 32 “areas of use” for male fishers. 

Scientists used the term “area of use” to refer to all 

the areas that a male fisher used. 

The main difference between males and females 

is that males use a larger space and do not use den 

sites. Den sites are used to raise the young (figure 

12). Females raise the young independently.

For female fishers, building density and 

percentage of low canopy cover were significantly 

lower in their core areas (box 1). The percentage 

of hardwood habitat, percentage of sparse cover, 

and percentage of moderate canopy cover were 

also lower in the core area compared to the entire 

area. The percentage of dense canopy cover was 

significantly higher in core areas. Percentage of 

conifer forests was also higher in core areas.

For male fishers, the scientists found a 

significantly lower portion of developed land in their 

core areas compared to their whole area of use 

(box 2). Building density, percentage of shrubland, 

and percentage of low canopy cover were also 

lower in the core areas than in the entire area of 

use. Like female fishers, males’ core areas had a 

higher percentage of conifer forest habitat and 

dense canopy cover.

Figure 12. A fisher kit looks out from its den. Adobe 

Stock photo.

Female core areas had more:

• Dense canopy cover

• Conifer forest habitat

Female core areas had less:

• Building density

• Low canopy cover

• Moderate canopy cover

• Hardwood habitat

• Sparse cover habitat

Box 1. Characteristics of female fishers’ core areas.
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Reflection Section

 Look at the findings for the female and male fishers. What characteristics do 

they have in common?

 Based on what you have read so far and the findings, what would you recommend to 

land managers if they were trying to help support fisher habitat?

Reflection Section

 Recall what the scientists wanted to learn from this study. Look back at the 

“Introduction” section if you need to refresh your memory. In your own words, 

what is the answer to their research question?

 Do you think research like this is important to conduct? Why or why not? 

Discussion

Female home ranges had lower amounts of 

building density, percentage of hardwood forests, 

percentage of sparse cover, and percentage of low 

canopy within the core. The female home ranges 

also had a higher amount of conifer forests and 

dense canopy within the core. 

Like the females, male fisher areas of use had 

lower building density, shrubland, developed areas, 

and areas with low canopy. Males also had higher 

amounts of conifer forests and dense canopy in 

their core areas. The scientists think that males may 

position their core areas to avoid developed habitat 

with low canopy cover. 

Because fisher habitat is deteriorating due to 

development, wildfires, past logging, and other 

issues, the core area appears to provide a more 

suitable habitat for the fishers. Both male and 

female fishers seem to prefer being farther from 

human development and having the protection of 

denser canopy cover. This finding suggests that it 

may be important to help protect these core areas 

for species of concern such as the fisher. 

The scientists also found evidence that fishers 

were able to adapt to small changes to the core 

habitat. Overall, the scientists recommended that 

managers conserve areas of dense canopy cover 

that are about 2 square kilometers (km2) in size. 

Ideally, the patches should contain conifers and 

have very few roads or buildings. 

Box 2. Characteristics of male fishers’ core areas. 

Male core areas had more:

• Dense canopy cover

• Conifer forest habitat

Male core areas had less:

• Building density

• Developed habitat

• Shrubland habitat

• Low canopy cover 

Adapted from Kordosky, J.R.; Gese, E.M.; Thompson, C.M.; Terletzky, P.A.; Purcell, K.L.; Schneiderman, J.D. 2021. 

Landscape use by fishers (Pekania pennanti): core areas differ in habitat than the entire home range. Canadian Journal of 

Zoology. 99(4): 289–297. https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2020-0073.
60

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Glossary

canopy (ka nǝ pē): The uppermost spreading branchy layer of a 

forest.

cavity (ka vǝ tē): An unfilled space within a mass; especially, a 

hollowed-out space.

evade (i vād or ē vād): To slip away or avoid capture.

foraging (fȯr ij iŋ): To wander in search of food.

genetic (jǝ ne tik): Of, relating to, caused by, or controlled by genes.

genomics (jǝ nō miks): A branch of biotechnology concerned with 

genetics. 

habitat fragmentation (ha bǝ tat frag men tā shǝn): When a place 

where an animal or plant naturally lives and grows is broken or 

separated into distinct parts.

hypothesize (hī pä thǝ sīz): Make a tentative assumption in order to 

draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences.

mortality (mȯr ta lǝ tē): The number of deaths in a given time or 

place.

phloem (flō ǝm): Tissue in plants that transports nutrients from the 

leaves to the rest of the plant.

regeneration (ri je nǝ rā shǝn): Renewal or restoration of a biological 

system (such as a forest) after injury or as a normal process.

sedated (si dā tǝd): Being in a calm, relaxed state resulting from the 

effect of a sedative drug.

Accented syllables are in bold. Marks and definitions are from https://www.merriam-webster.com/. 

Definitions are limited to the word’s meaning in the article.

USDA Forest Service photo.
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

FACTivity

Method

Extension

Choose an animal to study that lives in the United States. This animal may be selected from one 

of the field guides. Using the field guide and other sources, find the following information about the 

animal (use your paper to take notes): 

• What is the animal’s habitat? When you find out about the areas it lives, mark those areas on the 

blank map. Label this map “Where (animal species) Currently Lives.”

• What does the animal eat?

• Does the animal have predators? If so, what are they?

• What is the average size of the animal?

• What does the animal look like?

• What is the climate where the animal lives?

• Is the animal a species of concern? Threatened? Endangered?

• Does the animal live close to humans? Are there any problems between the animal and humans?

Use this information and any other interesting facts to create an Animal Fact File. Display your 

information on the blank white paper or poster board. Once all of the Animal Fact Files have been 

created, the files and maps can be compiled into a class book or poster series.

The question students will answer in this FACTivity is:

What is the range of an animal?

Time Needed

1–2 class periods

Materials

• Animal field guides that include 

range maps, such as bird, reptile, amphibian, 

or mammal guides and other resources with 

wildlife information

• A blank map of the United States

• Paper for note-taking

• Blank white paper or poster board for creating 

an Animal Fact File

As a class, discuss problems these animals might have when humans come close to their habitats. 

Brainstorm ways that humans can prevent disrupting these habitats.
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Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

FACTivity continued

Lend a Hand—Care for the Land! 

How can you “Lend a Hand” to help fishers and other wildlife? One way 

is to “Leave No Trace” when you’re in the outdoors. The idea is to minimize 

human impacts on nature and leave it in a healthy condition for others to 

enjoy. There are seven principles of Leave No Trace: 

1. Plan ahead and prepare.

2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces.

3. Dispose of waste properly.

4. Leave what you find.

5. Minimize campfire impacts.

6. Respect wildlife.

7. Be considerate of others.

Individually or in a group, choose one of the principles. Why might that principle be 

important? What are some ways that visitors to the outdoors can practice that principle? 

Create a poster or brochure to help others understand that principle of “Leave No Trace.” 

You can learn more about “Leave No Trace” and the seven principles at https://lnt.org/.
63

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Climate Change Edition

There’s Snow

Place Like Home

page 61

Back to the Future

page 38

Number 14

It’s a Small 

World

page 6

The 

GLAS 

Is 

Half 

Full

page 29

Natural Inquirer Connections

You may want to reference these Natural Inquirer articles for 

additional information and FACTivities: 

X For more on how a similar animal’s range may be impacted 

by climate change, read “There’s Snow Place Like Home” 

in the Climate Change edition of Natural Inquirer.

X For more on how forest fragmentation may impact marten 

populations, read “There Goes the Neighborhood!” in the 

Rocky Mountain edition of Natural Inquirer.

X For more on how human recreation may impact wildlife, 

read “The Golden Egg” in the Scientific Models in 

Adaptive Management edition of Natural Inquirer.

These resources, along with others, can be found at

https://www.naturalinquirer.org/all-issues.html.

Web Resources

The Fisher: Secret Phantom of Mature Forests

https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/news/highlights/fisher-secret-phantom-mature-forests

The Pacific Fisher Fact Sheet: Sequoia National Forest

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd614411.pdf

Kings River Fisher Project 

https://www.fs.usda.gov/psw/topics/wildlife/mammals/fisher_krfp/

Here Today, Here Tomorrow: Managing Forests for Fisher Habitat in the Northern Rockies

https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/here-today-here-tomorrow-managing-forests-fisher-habitatnorthern-rockies

Racing the Clock to Stem the Spread of the Mountain Pine Beetle

https://www.fs.usda.gov/features/racing-clock-stem-spread-mountain-pine-beetle

If you are a trained Project Learning Tree educator, you may use 

“Life on the Edge” as an additional resource.
64

Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Which Wood You Choose?

Forest 

Landowners’ 

Selection of Trees 

for Planting Forests 

Can Have 

Different

 Outcomes

64

USDA Forest Service photo.
65

Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Meet the Scientists

 Yukiko Hashida, Environmental and Natural 

Resource Economist: My favorite science experience is 

converting my backyard to a butterfly and bird-friendly 

sanctuary. I am not a fan of the lawn as it doesn’t 

support much biodiversity. I tend to go with native plants, 

which are diverse and drought resilient. The positive 

impact of my decisions is readily visible and supports 

biodiversity in my backyard.

Courtesy photo from Yukiko Hashida.

Courtesy photo from John Withey.

Courtesy photo from David Lewis.

 John Withey, Ornithologist and Landscape 

Ecologist: One of my favorite science experiences was 

going out in the Panamanian rainforest to find and study 

tropical songbirds. I lived close to Soberania National 

Park (next to the Panama Canal) with my family, and 

we would hear howler monkeys from our house. I 

caught birds of three different species, put small radio 

transmitters on them, and then would go back to find 

them and record their behavior. In my photo, I am 

studying birds in the Florida Everglades.

 David Lewis, Environmental and Natural Resource 

Economist: My interests in forests and conservation 

go back to my long-term love of being outdoors, which 

started when I was a kid and continues to this day. My 

favorite science experience is when I discover something 

new. I love the idea that I can quantify a previously 

unknown link between humans and the environment 

which informs the management and conservation of 

natural resources.
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Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Glossary words are bold and are defined on page 76.

 Tara Newman, Environmental Scientist: My favorite 

science experience was getting outside every day and 

exploring places that most people don’t get to go to 

learn about and help protect wildlife. This has included 

wading through wetlands, kayaking on ponds and rivers, 

and hiking in the mountains in search of frogs and 

salamanders.

Courtesy photo from Tara Newman.

Courtesy photo from Jeff Kline.

 Jeff Kline, Environmental Economist: My favorite 

experiences over the course of my career as a scientist 

have involved working with scientists from other 

disciplines. Since I was a kid playing in the woods behind 

my house, I have always enjoyed observing nature—

the plants and animals that live there, how they are 

influenced by and interact with each other, and how 

topography and the presence or lack of water help 

to determine what species thrive where. My career as 

a Forest Service scientist has enabled me to conduct 

research with other scientists who know things that I 

don’t, giving me opportunities to learn about the science 

behind many of the things I observed as a kid in those 

woods behind my house.

What Kind of Scientist Did This Research?

Environmental Scientist: A scientist who studies the physical and biological 

aspects of the environment.

Environmental and Natural Resource Economist: A scientist who studies the way 

environmental goods, services, and wealth are measured, produced, distributed, and used.

Landscape Ecologist: A scientist who studies the relationships between ecological 

processes in the environment and particular ecosystems.

Ornithologist (ȯr nə thä lə jist): A scientist who studies birds.
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Thinking About Science

What is that decision and how is 

the environment affected? 

Forests, the subject of this 

research study, provide an example 

of an environment that can be affected 

by human decisions. To adapt to a changing 

climate, forest landowners may switch to 

planting more climate-resilient tree types. This 

may be a good thing for the forest landowners 

and the climate. However, some wildlife species 

that have adapted to today’s forest types might 

not be able to survive in this new type of forest. 

In this study, the scientists were interested in 

how forest landowner decisions might affect 

wildlife habitat in the future. 

Environmental and natural resource 

economists study human decisions—why, 

when, and how people make decisions and how 

these decisions affect the environment around 

us. For example, some people might decide to 

move out of a flooded area after a devastating 

hurricane. Other people might decide to rebuild 

in the same spot. These decisions affect how 

the natural system evolves. If a built-up area 

that experiences a flood is allowed to return 

to its natural condition, the larger community 

may be better protected from future floods. 

People make decisions all the time that affect 

the environment, and all decisions have 

consequences. Can you think of one decision 

that people make that affects the environment? 

Thinking About the Environment

Wildlife and tree species thrive within a 

particular range of environmental conditions. 

Wildlife species are usually limited by the 

vegetation growing in an area, and the 

vegetation is usually limited by weather and 

climate conditions. These weather and climate 

conditions are the result of many factors, such 

as the coldest and hottest temperatures in the 

area, the duration of the temperatures, and the 

amount of rainfall and the season when it rains. 

Other conditions, such as the type of soil in an 

area, may also affect the range of a plant or 

wildlife species. 

Forest ecosystems have evolved over time to 

support certain plant, tree, and wildlife species. 

As the climate changes, the type of forest 

ecosystem in an area may change. As the forest 

ecosystem changes, the wildlife 

living in that area may no longer be 

supported with suitable habitat.

In this study, the scientists were interested 

in learning about how forests might change as 

the climate changes and whether wildlife can 

live in the changing forests. The possible forest 

changes studied by the scientists, however, 

are not necessarily caused directly by climate 

change. Instead, these changes might happen 

because people are reacting to climate change. 

Climate change may cause people to make 

different decisions regarding the management 

of their forest land, and these different decisions 

may change the forest conditions and therefore 

the kind of wildlife habitat found there.
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Woodsy Owl Edition, https://www.naturalinquirer.org

OREGON

WASHINGTON

CALIFORNIA

Introduction

Forest disturbance can happen by many 

means. Forest wildfires, destructive insects, and 

tree diseases, for example, may cause a lot of 

disturbance and change a forest ecosystem. You 

may have seen how wildfires have changed forests 

in California. Timber harvests, the result of human 

decisions, are also a type of forest disturbance. 

Climate change influences forest disturbance over 

time, as some species of trees may be more likely to 

die or are subject to more fires or insect outbreaks. 

In the Pacific States of California, Oregon, and 

Washington (figure 1), private forest landowners 

are responsible for over 70 percent of forest 

change. This forest change is largely caused by 

landowner decisions to harvest timber. Landowners 

then manage the land through replanting trees or 

some other decision, and that land can continue 

to provide wildlife with habitat as the forest 

regrows. Timber harvests provide income for forest 

landowners and if they choose to replant trees, 

they will have income again in the future. Forest 

landowners, therefore, usually choose to plant trees 

that will be worth more when they are harvested. 

As you know, climate change is creating many 

challenges for the future. You probably also know 

that trees hold carbon as they grow. Planting tree 

species that hold more carbon, therefore, offers one 

way to address climate change. To encourage forest 

landowners to plant tree species that hold more 

carbon, a policy known as carbon pricing has been 

developed. Under this policy, forest landowners 

are paid to increase the amount of carbon held in 

their forest trees. This encourages landowners to 

plant tree species that hold more carbon than other 

tree species. If the new tree species are different 

than the tree species being harvested, the forest 

ecosystem will change over time. If the forest 

ecosystem changes, the habitat for some wildlife 

species will also change.

Figure 1. The Pacific Coast States are Washington, Oregon, and California. FIND Outdoors map by Leslie 

Shaw Design.
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

What Is the Difference 

Between Private and 

Public Forests?

If private landowners owning forests in 

Washington, Oregon, or California decide to 

replace the current tree species with a different 

species after harvesting, their private forests will 

change over time. As the forests change, the 

ecosystems will change. This change may have 

implications for the wildlife currently living in 

private Pacific forests. They may not thrive in the 

new ecosystems. 

The scientists in this study were interested in 

exploring how the environmental conditions for 

wildlife species might change as landowners make 

decisions about replanting trees after harvesting. 

Based on earlier science, the scientists knew that 

people tend to make decisions that maximize their 

profits. If landowners are paid to replant their land 

in something other than the current species, then 

the current habitat for wildlife may change. The 

scientists asked these questions: 

(1) How might carbon pricing policy affect 

future privately owned forests of the 

three Pacific States?

(2) How might carbon pricing affect the 

breeding habitat of some wildlife species 

in those States? 

Reflection Section

 In your own words, explain carbon pricing. How might carbon pricing be applied 

in another circumstance?

 In the Pacific States, landowners may be given an opportunity to address climate 

change and earn more income at the same time. On the other hand, those decisions to 

address climate change and earn more money may also have a negative consequence. 

What might be that negative consequence? Do you think the consequence is 

important? Why or why not?

In this study, the scientists were interested in decisions that 

might be made by private forest landowners. These private 

landowners are either citizens, organizations, companies, or 

large corporations who own and manage their own forests.

Public forests, on the other hand, are forests managed on 

behalf of all citizens by a government. Public forests can be 

managed at the local, State, or Federal level. Public forests 

are managed in such a way as to balance a wide variety of 

benefits for citizens. Public forest examples include State 

forests and national forests.
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Methods

First the scientists created a list of vertebrate

species considered to have conservation concern 

status in the States of California, Oregon, and 

Washington. The scientists identified probable 

forest habitat for the species based on the following 

criteria: 

(1) The species must be associated with a 

forest habitat (not grasslands, open lands, or 

wetlands). 

(2) The species cannot be associated with all 

forest habitats.

(3) The species cannot be extremely limited in 

its range.

(4) The species cannot be limited to old-growth 

forest. 

After the scientists had considered all the species 

of conservation concern, they identified 35 species 

that may occupy the current private forest habitat. 

The list of wildlife species included 8 amphibian 

species, 12 bird species, and 15 mammal species 

(figure 2).

The scientists then determined which forest 

types were potential breeding habitats for each of 

the 35 species, and they created maps that showed 

the location of the breeding habitat for each species.

The scientists needed to determine how forest 

types might change under different climate change 

and carbon pricing scenarios. The scientists knew 

that earlier research has shown that the Western 

States will become warmer and drier as the climate 

changes. In a warmer and drier climate, hardwoods 

tend to be healthier over time than coniferous trees.

A B C

Figure 2. Some of the vertebrate species identified as species of conservation concern in Pacific State forests are 

(A) the Van Dyke’s salamander, (B) the rufous hummingbird, and (C) the lodgepole chipmunk. Adobe Stock photos.

What Is a Species of 

Conservation Concern 

(SCC)? 

A species of conservation concern (SCC) is a plant or 

animal for which the managing agency has concerns 

about its ability to remain on a particular landscape for 

a long time. An SCC is not a federally listed threatened, 

endangered, or candidate species under the Endangered 

Species Act. The SCC designation guides wildlife managers to pay close attention to the 

health and habitat of the species of concern. This attention is intended to prevent the SCC 

species from becoming federally listed as threatened or endangered. When a species 

becomes federally listed, it receives special protection based on United States laws.
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

The scientists also needed to include forest 

landowner decisions in their analysis. They used 

earlier research they had done that compared climate 

variables, carbon pricing, and landowner replanting 

choices. Their past research explored the decisions 

forest landowners make depending on carbon and 

harvest prices, tree growth, and climate. 

If a forest landowner decided to harvest, the 

next choice was whether to replant in one of 

six primary forest types. The value of a forest 

landowners’ land depends on what kind of trees 

are replanted. The scientists estimated how 

much money a forest landowner would receive 

under different tree planting options and three 

climate change and carbon pricing scenarios. They 

compared these options to a situation where the 

climate was not changing. 

What Is the Difference Between 

Hardwood and Coniferous Trees?

Hardwood trees are usually deciduous (di si jə wəs). Deciduous trees lose their leaves in 

the fall. Softwood trees are conifers (meaning that they have cones). Coniferous trees have 

needles rather than broad, flat leaves, and they keep their needles throughout the entire 

year. A common coniferous tree in the area studied by the scientists is the Douglas-fir. 

HARDWOOD TREES AND LEAVES

SOFTWOOD TREES AND NEEDLES

USDA Forest Service photos, bottom right photo by Elisa Stamm.
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The scientists, therefore, considered how 

landowners would act in three possible situations: 

(1) No climate change or carbon pricing 

(2) Climate change only 

(3) Climate change plus carbon pricing 

The scientists considered two different options for 

climate change plus carbon pricing. The two options 

were paying a high price for carbon sequestration

and a low price for sequestration. With carbon 

pricing, forest landowners would receive income 

twice: through carbon pricing and through timber 

sales when the timber is harvested.

For all these different situations, the scientists 

predicted what decisions forest landowners might 

make regarding harvesting and replanting their 

forests. 

Following this analysis, the scientists calculated 

the future forest areas that would be suitable 

habitat for each of the 35 species of conservation 

concern. They did this calculation for smaller 

areas, called ecoregions, within the larger forest 

areas. By calculating suitable habitat by ecoregion, 

the scientists predicted whether each future 

ecoregion was a suitable habitat for each species of 

conservation concern.

Reflection Section

 Environmental and natural resource economists study human decisions—why, 

when, and how people make decisions and how these decisions affect the environment 

around us. Explain in your own words what human decision the scientists in this study 

were interested in predicting. 

 Forest landowners may receive more income by replanting their forest in another tree 

species. However, they may not think about the impact a new forest type might have 

on the wildlife currently living in their forest. This situation is an example of a tradeoff 

between private forest landowner profits and the public good that results from diverse 

and healthy wildlife populations. In your own words, describe this tradeoff between 

private and public benefit. 

Findings

Forest landowners make decisions over decades, 

so any changes in the forest landscape will happen 

gradually. Currently, forest landowners living in 

warmer and drier western regions favor replanting 

other trees like hardwoods and ponderosa pine over 

Douglas-fir. With climate change, predicted warmer 

and drier conditions across the broader region will 

likely favor the decision to replant more forests 

in hardwoods over Douglas-fir trees and other 

coniferous trees (figure 3).

The scientists found that adding carbon pricing 

to the decision-making process accelerated the 

expansion of hardwood forests over Douglas-fir 

forests (figure 4). This expansion would likely 

be the result of landowner decisions based on 

lower productivity of Douglas-fir forests when 

compared with hardwood forests as the climate 

becomes warmer and drier. 

If these predictions are accurate, forest 

landowner decisions to replant in hardwoods 

will result in many of the species of concern 

experiencing habitat reductions. When the 

scientists looked at the combination of species 

multiplied by each ecoregion under a changing 
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Figure 3. These maps show the predicted percentage change in area occupied by (A) Douglas-fir 

forests and (B) hardwood forests under a changing climate. These maps show that Douglas-fir forests 

may be reduced by up to 16 percent and that hardwood forests may increase by up to 14 percent.

FIND Outdoors maps by Liz Sisk and Leslie Shaw Design.

Figure 4. These maps show the predicted percentage change in the area occupied by (A) Douglasfir forests and (B) hardwood forests under a changing climate and with carbon pricing options for 

forest landowners. These maps show that Douglas-fir forests may be reduced by up to 25 percent 

and that hardwood forests may increase by up to 21 percent. FIND Outdoors maps by Liz Sisk and 

Leslie Shaw Design.

A

A

B

B

WITH CLIMATE CHANGE

WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND CARBON PRICING
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climate, they projected a declining habitat for 171 

combinations and an increasing habitat for 49 

combinations. When the scientists added carbon 

pricing to the decision-making process, close 

to 180 combinations of species and ecoregions 

would experience declining habitat and about 40 

combinations would experience an increase in 

habitat.

Species predicted to experience the greatest 

losses in habitat include four salamanders, three 

birds, three voles, and two mammals. None of these 

12 species use hardwood forests as habitat. Included 

in this list is the Van Dyke’s salamander and the 

rufous hummingbird (see figure 2, page 70).

The scientists predicted that as carbon pricing 

increases, changes in wildlife habitat will also 

increase. This prediction illustrates a connection 

between policies intended to increase the 

sequestration of carbon and forest characteristics 

that contribute to biodiversity on private forests.

Reflection Section

 When the scientists added carbon pricing to their analysis, their numbers 

changed. Why do you think carbon pricing plus climate change, as compared with 

climate change alone, changed the findings of this study? 

 Reread the last sentence of the “Findings” section. Explain in your own words the 

connection between carbon pricing policies and forest biodiversity on private forests as 

described by the scientists in this study. 

USDA Forest Service photo.
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Reflection Section

 If the scientists’ predictions are accurate, what do you think would happen to 

the habitat of wildlife species who live in hardwood forests? What might happen to 

their population size? 

 In other studies, scientists have discovered that wildlife, and especially wildlife that 

may be threatened, possess many values for society. In short, people like to know that 

they share the planet with wildlife species. Do you think that these values should be 

considered when society makes decisions about forest management? Why or why not?

 Should private forest landowners consider the values of the larger society? Why or 

why not? 

Discussion

Carbon pricing is widely used to encourage 

forest landowners to manage their forests for 

carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration is an 

important process to help address climate change. 

This study shows that carbon pricing is also likely 

to have another impact on forest characteristics. If 

carbon pricing encourages landowners to replant 

their forests in a particular species, the new forests 

will favor wildlife who live in that forest habitat. 

Such replanting will not favor wildlife species who 

do not live in that forest habitat.

Carbon pricing can create a cost to society 

in the form of wildlife habitat loss. It can also, 

however, result in wildlife habitat gains. The 

findings of this research highlight the need to 

consider all consequences of forest policies, such 

as carbon pricing. The scientists recommend that 

the value of as many ecosystem services as 

possible be considered when implementing forestrelated policies.

Adapted from Hashida, Y.; Withey, J.; Lewis, D.J.; Newman, T.; Kline, J.D. 2020. Anticipating changes in wildlife habitat 

induced by private forest owners’ adaptation to climate change and carbon policy. PLOS ONE 15(4): e0230525. https://doi.

org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230525.

What’s in a Name?

Before you read this article, the article’s title may have been a 

mystery to you. You might have thought the word “wood” was 

misused. You were correct! The word was misused. After you 

have read this article, however, you might have a better idea 

of why “would” was misused as “wood.” In your own words, 

explain how the title relates to the article.

Which Wood 

You Choose?
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Glossary

accelerate (ik se lə rāt): To move faster.

biodiversity (bī ō dī vər sə tē): The existence of many different 

kinds of plants and animals in an environment.

breeding habitat (brēd iŋ ha bə tat): Environment where an 

animal nests and reproduces as opposed to where it lives during 

the rest of the year.

criterion (krī tir ē ən): A standard on which a judgment or decision 

may be based.

ecosystem service (ē kə sis təm sər vəs): Any of the various 

benefits provided by plants, animals, and the communities they 

form.

implication (im plə kā shən): The fact or state of being involved in 

or connected to something (such as a crime). 

policy (pä lə sē): Overall plan with rules that must be followed, 

generally made by a government. 

resilient (ri zil yənt): The quality of being able to recover from or 

adjust easily to change. 

sanctuary (saŋ(k) chə wer ē): A place where someone or 

something is protected or given shelter.

scenario (sə ner ē ō): A description of what could possibly happen.

sequestration (sē kwəs trā shən): The act of holding.

topography (tə pä grə fē): The physical or natural features of an 

object, place, or entity.

variable (ver ē ə bəl): A factor, trait, or condition that can be 

changed or controlled.

vertebrate (vər tə brət): An animal with a backbone, including 

mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish.

Accented syllables are in bold. Marks and definitions are from https://www.merriam-webster.com/. 

Definitions are limited to the word’s meaning in the article.

USDA Forest Service photo.
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

FACTivity

Methods

Your teacher will separate your class into groups of four students. Each group will read the following 

paragraph:

Based on the research in the article you just read, the situation where forest landowners 

might choose to replant their forests in a different species will result in less habitat for 

important wildlife species. These forest landowners, however, will gain additional profit and 

more carbon will be sequestered. These choices result in both public gain and loss, and 

private landowner gain.

In your small group, identify the benefits of each choice and who benefits. Write your answers in the 

graphic organizer. Then, hold a small group discussion and look for ways to maximize the benefits for 

everyone to the degree possible.

Write your solution in the graphic organizer. Then, share your solution with the class and hold a class 

discussion.

The question you will answer in this FACTivity is: 

How can we address the tradeoffs between planting 

trees to address climate change and protecting current 

wildlife habitat?

Time Needed

One class period

Materials

• Graphic organizer on page 78 

• Writing utensil

In this FACTivity, your class will consider the 

tradeoffs discussed in this article and work toward 

a solution. A tradeoff is any situation where 

making one choice to gain something means 

losing something else. All of the available choices 

involve gaining or losing a benefit. 
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Names:

Hint: There may be fewer or more than three beneficiaries. A beneficiary is one who receives a benefit.

Describe the benefit Who Benefits?

Describe the benefit Who Benefits?

Describe the benefit Who Benefits?

Graphic Organizer

Lend a Hand—Care for the Land! 

One way you can lend a hand and care for the land is by reducing your carbon 

footprint. A carbon footprint is the carbon dioxide emissions from the actions 

associated with a person. For example, when someone drives a car, the 

car creates carbon dioxide emissions. The carbon dioxide emissions create 

greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming and climate change. Here 

are some simple things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint:

Shop and buy locally when you can.

Walk or bike to places instead of using a car.

Turn off lights and unplug devices when you are not using them.

Use cold water for washing your clothes.

Keep stuff out of the landfill by recycling and reusing when you can. You can even 

recycle clothing by donating gently used clothing and shopping at thrift stores. 

You can learn more about your carbon footprint and how to calculate it by visiting https://

www3.epa.gov/carbon-footprint-calculator/. Watch “NASA’s Earth Minute: Gas Problem” to 

learn more about greenhouses gases and carbon dioxide: https://youtu.be/K9kga9c0u2I.
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Natural Inquirer Connections

You may want to reference these Natural Inquirer articles for 

additional information and FACTivities: 

X For more about ecosystem services, read the Ecosystem 

Services edition of Natural Inquirer.

X For more on how climate change may impact rural areas, 

read “Wide Open Spaces” in “Natural IQ.”

X For more on the economics of ecosystem services and how 

those value impact management, read “At Your Service” in 

the “Scientific Models in Adaptive Management” edition of 

Natural Inquirer.

X For more on financial incentives to private landowners, 

read the monograph “Show Me the Money: Promoting 

Sustainable Forests in the South.”

These resources, along with others, can be found at

https://www.naturalinquirer.org/all-issues.html.

Web Resources

USDA Forest Service: The Benefits of Trees

https://www.fs.usda.gov/learn/trees

USDA Forest Service information page on private forests

https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/private-land

USDA Forest Service information page on carbon

https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/sc/carbon

If you are a trained Project Learning Tree educator, you may use 

“Forest for the Trees” as an additional resource.
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Woodsy Owl Edition Crossword Puzzle 

Name: ______________________________________
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Woodsy Owl Edition eyeChallenge

Explain what each of these photos represents. You may write your explanation or hold a class 

discussion. If you write your explanation, use complete sentences, proper spelling and grammar, and 

appropriate punctuation.

CANADA

MEXICO

RANGE OF

FISHERS

UNITED STATES

FIND Outdoors illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer Rossow.

Adobe Stock photo.

USDA Forest Service photo by Cecilio Ricardo.

FIND Outdoors illustration by Stephanie Pfeiffer Rossow.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service photo by Amie Smith.

FIND Outdoors photo by Nissa McKinney.

FIND Outdoors map by Leslie Shaw Design.

Smithsonian ForestGEO photo.
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National Education Standards 

Which National Science Education Standards Can These Articles Address? Owl-ch! Where the Sidewalk Ends Fish-ing Around Which Wood You Choose?

Science as Inquiry

Abilities Necessary To Do Scientific Inquiry

Understandings About Scientific Inquiry

Life Science

Structure and Function in Living Systems

Regulation and Behavior

Populations and Ecosystems

Diversity and Adaptations of Organisms

Earth Science

Structure of Earth System

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

Science and Technology in Society

Understandings About Science and Technology

Natural Hazards

History and Nature of Science

Science as a Human Endeavor

Nature of Science

History of Science

For more detailed correlations of this Natural Inquirer Journal to National Education Standards, 

visit the Natural Inquirer website (https://www.naturalinquirer.org).
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

National Curriculum Standards

for Social Studies

Which National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies 

Can These Articles Address? Owl-ch! Where the Sidewalk Ends

Fish-ing Around

Which Wood 

You Choose?

Culture and Cultural Diversity

Time, Continuity, and Change

People, Places, and Environments

Science, Technology, and Society
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What Is the Forest Service?

The Forest Service is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The 

Forest Service is made up of thousands of people who care for the Nation’s forest 

land. The Forest Service manages 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands. 

These are large areas of trees, streams, and grasslands. National forests are similar in some 

ways to national parks. Both are public lands, meaning they are owned by the public and 

managed for the public’s use and benefit. Both national forests and national parks provide 

clean water, homes for the animals that live in the wild, and places for people to do fun 

things in the outdoors. National forests also provide resources for people to use, such as 

trees for lumber, minerals, and plants used for medicines. Some people in the Forest Service 

are scientists whose work is presented in the journal. Forest Service scientists work to solve 

problems and provide new information about natural resources so that we can make sure 

our natural environment is healthy, now and into the future.

For more information, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/.

Who Is Woodsy Owl?

Woodsy Owl has been inviting children of all ages to explore and care for the 

natural environment since 1971. Woodsy Owl, in partnership with the Natural 

Inquirer program, helps introduce students to science and the natural world. 

In this journal, Woodsy encourages students to listen to what scientists have 

to say, to see what scientists are studying, to ask questions, and to understand 

what scientists are discovering. Woodsy’s motto is “Lend a Hand, Care for the 

Land!” As you read the articles in this journal, look for ways that scientists lend a hand and 

care for the land. Then think of ways you can lend a hand and care for the land, too!

For more information, visit

https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/conservationeducation/smokey-woodsy/

woodsy-owl.
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Natural Inquirer • Number 22

Who Is FIND Outdoors?

Formerly the Cradle of Forestry in America Interpretive Association, 

FIND Outdoors is a re-imagined 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based 

in Pisgah Forest, NC. We are the Southeast’s leader in providing access 

to public lands, environmental education, recreation, and front country 

camping experiences. We maintain and operate 21 recreation, education, and 

camping facilities across western North Carolina, northern Georgia, and beyond—

serving approximately 800,000 visitors each year with over 150 recreational and 

environmental education programs, special events and tours.

• Our story is rooted in education about the forest. 

• Our passion is to help people become inspired. 

• Our goal is to help people connect with nature. 

• Our drive is to help people learn through discovery. 

We help people...FIND Outdoors. We are...FIND Outdoors. 

Visit https://www.goFINDoutdoors.org.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, 

and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, 

religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from 

a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA 

(not all bases apply to all programs). 

Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for 

program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at 

(202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete 

the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office 

or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 

632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 

Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C.20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Photo courtesy of J. B. Friday.
 FS-1210

Winter 2022

Editorial Review Board

Natural Inquirer

https://www.naturalinquirer.org

Forest Service Conservation Education

https://www.fs.usda.gov/conservationeducation

Woodsy Owl

https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/conservationeducation/

smokey-woodsy/woodsy-owl

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Mrs. Waugh's 7th and 8th grade class at Chadron Middle School (Chadron, NE)

USDA Forest Service photo.