Apr 012018
 

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard RockTwo newly purchased healthy female kiwi vines — time to get you two out of your pots and in the ground.  Best to plant now before the spring sun gets too strong, too hot.  Recent rains have left the ground moist, and rainy season has just come to a close here in Northern California.  Left: Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, female.  Right: fuzzy kiwi Saanichton ( Actinidia deliciosa Saanichton), female.

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard Rock

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard Rock

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard Rock

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard RockBoth vines are in 1-gallon pots.

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard RockThe BEFORE.  A loquat tree is espalied along the back fence.  Besides providing food, the evergreen tree provides fence line privacy.  The tree is planted between our chicken coop (right, out of view) and the compost pile.  Marmi, our 6-year-old Plymouth Bard Rock hen, would uproot the tree if not for the sticks, branches, and driftwood root burl protecting its crown.  Note also the river rocks used to protect the tree’s roots.  Most of the work planting the two kiwi vines will be to likewise protect their roots from the Marmi Scratching Machine.  Note the young avocado tree behind the loquat’s trunk.  Note also the vibrant kiwi climbing up into the loquat tree’s leaves; that vine is a Hardy kiwi, male, which was planted in 2008.

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard RockNew vines in place, alongside avocado tree.  Hardy male on other side of avocado tree, hidden from view.  With the help of a pollinating insects the male’s pollen rich flowers will now have nearby female kiwi flowers to pollinate.  What do you get when you cross avocado with kiwi?  Only pollinators know.

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard RockSaanichton left.  Vincent right.  Note the integrity of the planting wood — it’s old and rotten, decayed, on its way to becoming soil.  The old wood is also pourous; it will serve as a moisture bank and provide food/shelter for garden critters.  So among the 3 kiwi vines, avocado, and loquat tree AND all the miscellaneous wood material AND the rich soil, it’s a WILDLIFE HABITAT.  And, much of that wildlife will be delicious treats for Marmi the chicken if she is lucky during her garden browsing.  As shown in pics to come, Marmi will be held at bay so that she will not destroy the habitat nor uproot any of its plants.

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard RockFront view, toward fence.  Driftwood and wooden sword keep chicken feet away.  About time I found a use for that wooden sword.  Thanks Dave!

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard RockAlmost enough obsticals to keep Marmi away from the vines; more to come.

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard RockTucked next to the fence and under the loquat tree, the southern exposure sun will be filtered to the young kiwi vines.  Once the vines grow up to the fence latice, they will be more mature and better able to survive full exposure to our mild, light-frost winters and hot-sun summers.

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard RockMarmi will love the new digs, complete with a metropolis of critters living in the caverns and crevices of the rotting wood barracade protecting the kiwi vines.

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard RockThe AFTER.  Hardy male climbs into loquat tree (leaffing vine right of the loquat tree.  New kiwi vines, Vincent and Saanichton under the young avocado tree.

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard RockChicken coop cleanings on their way — chicken poop (nitrogen) and decomposing rice straw (carbon).  Yum! says the compost.

0- Habitat Landscaper-Instructor for hire — Tony McGuigan — international consulting available — install@sporelore.com , Tony McGuigan, Habitat it!, Spore Lore©, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, soil microbes, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, ecological landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, native plants, how to build wildlife habitat, spore lore, sporelore, sporelore.com compost, kiwi vine, fuzzy kiwi Saanichton, Actinidia deliciosa, fuzzy kiwi Vincent, Actinidia deliciosa Vincent, loquat, wood chips, mycorrhizal, Mycorrhizae, driftwood, pill bugs, insects, gastropods, slugs, snails, fungi, chicken manure, rotten wood, rotting wood, avocado tree, Hardy kiwi, chicken coop, Plymouth Bard RockMarmi says, “Habitat it!”

Enjoy your wildlife garden creations.

Tony

 

 

Mar 052015
 

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View School

Cricket Compost Corral is a wildlife habitat installation that was installed October 2014 at the Laguna Environmental Center.   This post is about moving a garden resource (debris) pile to Cricket Compost Corral.  The new compost will help jumpstart the compost pile and the wildlife habitat features of the pile.  The new compost will help raise the soil level of the compost so that the compost will drain better, stay warmer, and work more efficiently.  Also, the new compost resources will come with a rich biota of fungi, soil microbes, crawly critters, and perhaps animals of higher trophic levels.

The Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, operates the Laguna Environmental Center, on Stone Farm, at 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa, California, 95401. This wildlife habitat installation borders the LEC’s (Laguna Environmental Center’s) Native Plant Nursery, which is used for the Foundation’s Restoration Program.

“Cricket Compost Corral Gets A Habitat Blanket” is an outdoor classroom project — Science is just the beginning!  The students of Orchard View School, substitute teacher Alison, and I had fun at this outdoor classroom Biology project.  Teacher Sunny Galbraith worked logistics before installation day.

Before the students arrive — fenceline garden resource pile:

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolForeground = Veggie Garden at the LEC.  The resource debris pile to be moved is in the background, straight back off the garden’s corner, next to the fence, left of the propane tank.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolWinter rains have greened the grass around the resource pile.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolEveryone grab a tool.  Let’s move this pile!

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View School“Rusty” will help us move the resource pile across the LEC grounds quickly, saving a lot of wheelbarrow loads.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View School

Gathering organic debris (horse manure and fallen poplar branches) to add to Cricket Compost Corral.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolUsing the gathered manure/branches to build up a side of CCC.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolFarmer Stuart Schroeder, of Stone Farm, lends a tractor to add a layer of wood chips for the students to spread.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolLogs are used to frame the new resources added to CCC.  The wood frame will help keep the new higher soil level intact, wick water to the Santa Barbara sedge to be planted, and provide habitat for critters.

 Moving the resource pile:

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolStudents haul off the resource pile to the truck trailer.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolA Pacific Tree Frog (Pseudacris regilla), green phase, hides in the resource pile.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolKeep it Science — we listed all the critters we saw.  The resource pile is a critter mystery pile.

Adding the resource pile to Cricket Compost Corral:

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolWood chips are spread to make a rich base for the resource pile on Cricket Compost Corral.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolForeground, a student plants Santa Barbara sedge, a native, drought-tolerant plant that will hold the compost’s hill in place.  Far right (back), students install driftwood to complete the frame of CCC.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolUnloading Rusty the Trailer.  About this time during unloading, a western fence lizard was found in the trailer and introduced into Cricket Compost Corral.  You have a new home!

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolA bouquet of veggie garden sticks for Cricket Compost Corral.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolOne garden’s debris is another garden’s treasure.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolSecuring the end of CCC’s frame with driftwood held in place by palm tree frond wedges.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolIn goes a palm tree wedge — local, FREE materials!

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolA sledge to finish CCC’s frame.

 Finishing touches on CCC gets a habitat blanket:

 

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolThe veggie garden resource pile now sits on top of Cricket Compost Corral.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolTree limbs are staked into place to terrace plant Santa Barbara sedge along CCC’s front edge.  The compost gets a lot of fuel from keeping the Nursery’s concrete swept.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolMore stakes.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolCleaning tools before our class is finished. Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolTerrace planting of Santa Barbara sedge to keep the compost’s soil level from eroding.  Ultimately, the wood will rot away but the sedge mound will hold the soil in place.  The sedge will also provide habitat for the compost’s critters. Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolClose up of sedge planting.Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolA plug of sedge (center) sits in a soil-filled raised bed made by two tree limbs.Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolWeeds in front.  Sedge behind the terracing limb.Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolA plug of grass with yarrow plants planted at the base of adjacent Log Pile Apartments.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolWatered down and ready to call the job done.

A thank you to the Laguna Foundation’s staff, especially Wendy Trowbridge, Director of Restoration and Conservation Science Programs, and Brent Reed, Restoration Projects Supervisor.  Cool project!

Enjoy your wildlife habitat creations.  Habitat it!

Tony

Wildlife at Orchard View student-built habitats at the LEC

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolWestern fence lizard in Log Pile Apartments.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolResting bird about to get company.  Habitat is Garter Snake Ravine.  Bird cam photo.

 

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolViolet Green Swallow perching westward.  Habitat is Garter Snake Ravine.  Bird cam photo.

 

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, driftwood, Orchard View SchoolCaught one!  White Short Bill, male, seasonal outfit, unshaven.  Bird cam photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jan 282015
 

Students pull up Garter Snake Ravine’s barn owl perch using a block-and-tackle.

Garter Snake Ravine is a wildlife habitat installation that incorporates a deep hole cut into adobe soil, a water reservoir, a large-branches heap (BIG stick pile), a Fungus DreamWorld, and a Science Experiment.

The Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, operates the Laguna Environmental Center, on Stone Farm, at 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa, California, 95401. This wildlife habitat installation borders the LEC’s (Laguna Environmental Center’s) Native Plant Nursery, which is used for the Foundation’s Restoration Program.

As mentioned in Spore Lore’s post,  Prep for Garter Snake Ravine, 1-3-2015, the adobe hole, AKA “Ravine”, was left full of water to soften the hardpan adobe soil in the bottom of the hole.  Sure enough, a week later, we were able to dig the hole another foot deeper — that much more space/capacity for the new habitat installation.  The deeper hole will also give the owl perch more vertical stability; the upside down poplar tree will be buried deeper.

A long-handled posthole digger at the ready in Garter Snake Ravine after a week of soaking the hole with water.

The dug-out adobe soil was used to raise the compost’s ground level to help keep the compost out of winter’s wet.  Garter Snake Ravine is two doors down from Compost Cricket Corral; Log Pile Apartments is between them.  So to review, in the photo above, the water is overflowing Garter Snake Ravine, flowing under Log Pile Apartments, and moistening the raised banks of Compost Cricket Corral BUT not saturating the compost pile because of the now raised soil level of the compost piles.

A tree has fallen!  No one was there to hear it but the crushed fence leaves a reminder.  The poplar tree split at its crown with the snapped-off trunk landing into the adjacent horse corral.  Problem: tree in corral.  Solution: we just found ourselves an owl perch.

A 16-foot section of this poplar tree trunk will become an owl perch in Garter Snake Ravine wildlife habitat.

Because the tree is a poplar, we want to use it in a way that it will not sprout, thrive, and eventually shade the compost piles which are west (shady side) of Garter Snake Ravine.  Poplar (Populus) trees are similar to willow trees in that they are both riparian species widely used for stream/watershed restoration.  Both Poplar and willow have high levels of rooting hormone.  And that’s a problem here — the Ravine habitat will be a water-/moisture-filled vase, like that for table flowers, during the coming wet months.  Solution: “plant”, or install, the poplar tree upside down to prevent the rooting process. Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, Garter Snake Ravine, owl perch, barn owl, Tyto alba, poplar tree, willow, block and tackle, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, coyote brush, Baccharis pilularis, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Log Pile Apartments, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, wildlife cam, driftwood, palm fronds, Orchard View School,And don’t forget the trunk stump.  This hulk of poplar wood will add to the habitat’s hugelkultur mass.  Also, heavy, bulky pieces of wood like this one and others will help stabilize the owl perch, keep it from falling.  Note how a staircase of skids was used to roll the stump into the bed trunk.  Great to have a helping hand.

The poplar trunk stump waits on the sidelines until the owl perch is placed into the Ravine.

Our initial desire was to raise an owl perch high in the sky to encourage barn owls to hunt and feed at the compost pile.  A perch that the barn owls that live on Stone Farm can use.  That pair of barn owls (Tyto alba) can sometimes be seen in the palm trees below the Office’s front porch.  Hoo called in Rodent Management?

IPM, a Permaculture term, stands for Integrated Pest Management.  Rodents can be pests around a farm and Stone Farm is no exception.  IPM is a way to handle one of Nature’s jobs by Nature.  Traditionally, by introducing, a cure animal.  Problems arise when the cure-all species becomes a problem — no other species is well suited to control the alien plant or animal.  Such is part of the reason that Native Plants and IPM are considered solutions to removing pests ecologically. Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, Garter Snake Ravine, owl perch, barn owl, Tyto alba, poplar tree, willow, block and tackle, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, coyote brush, Baccharis pilularis, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Log Pile Apartments, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, wildlife cam, driftwood, palm fronds, Orchard View School,Palm fronds are not accepted in the local Resource Center, which makes soil additives from the garden debris (resource!) brought to it.  But the fronds will be an asset in the hugelkultur — critters will seek the nooks and crannies between the slowly decomposing fronds.

A bird cam is installed — the camera will be trained on the perch to view owls hunting and eating their meals.

Students create a small retaining wall made from stones and heavy clay removed from the Ravine’s hole.  This berm will direct runoff water under the adjacent wildlife habitat installation.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, Garter Snake Ravine, owl perch, barn owl, Tyto alba, poplar tree, willow, block and tackle, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, coyote brush, Baccharis pilularis, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Log Pile Apartments, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, wildlife cam, driftwood, palm fronds, Orchard View School,The poplar owl perch is here!  Students walk the perch up the woodchip pile to gain height advantage for installing the perch into Ravine’s hole.

Here comes the perch, heading for Ravine’s hole.  Note the thinner tree limbs in the foreground; the tree section is being flipped upside down.

The poplar tree section’s thinner branches are tied together to better fit the upside down tree into the Ravine.  Note the green rope crossing back and forth — the block and tackle is being threaded for pulling the tree vertical.

Students, on top of the woodchip pile, wait for the signal to assist the block-and-tackle’s raising of the owl perch.

Signaling to the rope puller, “Pull in the slack, batten down the hatches.”

“Pull!”, and up the perch goes with a little help from the top of the woodchip pile.  Two safety lines were used in case the perch was accidently pulled past vertical. Note the safety line from the right-most student (right of the woodchip pile). The left-sided safety line is being held by a student standing behind and to the left of the woodchip pile.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, Garter Snake Ravine, owl perch, barn owl, Tyto alba, poplar tree, willow, block and tackle, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, coyote brush, Baccharis pilularis, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Log Pile Apartments, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, wildlife cam, driftwood, palm fronds, Orchard View School,The owl perch is edged into place.  The poplar tree section has been up-ended.

Students stuff driftwood logs, the poplar stump, palm fronds, and smaller poplar braches (upside down) around the perch to stabilize it.  Plenty for all hands to do now; we want to vertically secure the perch and remove the block-and-tackle lines and safety ropes.

Safety check!  Lookin’ good; keep packing the hole around the perch.

Still more materials to pack around the perch as it approaches standing on its own, without stabilizing lines.

A breather while the owl perch is finalized.  This outdoor classroom rocks!

Students are busy planting Santa Barbara sedge (Carex barbarae), programming the bird cam, and packing the Ravine.

Garter Snake Ravine wildlife habitat installation is completed.  Note that the habitat has three major elements: a deep moist adobe hole that will fill to a small pond during the rains, a pile of branches and sticks, and an owl perch.  That’s a lot of nooks and crannies for critters to hunt, hide, cool-down, and LIVE! in.  First will come the wood-eating fungi and decomposer microbes, then higher trophic critters, then perhaps a mammal (an even higher trophic animal), like a skunk or a possum, that wants to reign over the habitat.

Tony McGuigan, Spore Lore, Habitat It And They Will Come, garden, soil, Soil Under My Nails, gardening, gardens, native plants, permaculture, wildlife garden, wildlife habitat installation, environmental education, ecological landscaping, Animal Habitat, garden, ecological, landscaping, wildlife garden, biodiversity, outdoor classroom, nonvirtual education, touch the soil!, Laguna Environmental Center, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, environmental conservation,  Stone Farm, Garter Snake Ravine, owl perch, barn owl, Tyto alba, poplar tree, willow, block and tackle, mulch, wood chips, hugelkultur, adobe soil, berm, ditch, coyote brush, Baccharis pilularis, garter snake, Compost Cricket Corral, Log Pile Apartments, Santa Barbara sedge, Carex barbarae, wildlife cam, driftwood, palm fronds, Orchard View School,Garter Snake Ravine waits for a perching barn owl throughout the dark night.

Thank you for the wonderful pictures, Jenna.

The students of Orchard View School, teacher Sunny Galbraith, and Cordy and David and I had fun at this outdoor classroom Biology project.  A thank you also to the Laguna Foundation’s staff, especially Wendy Trowbridge, Director of Restoration and Conservation Science Programs, and Brent Reed, Restoration Projects Supervisor.  Cool project!

Enjoy your wildlife habitat creations.  Habitat it!

Tony

 

 

Dec 032012
 
Hummingbird Salvia (Salvia spathacea) shows off Tony and his camera gear before being planted.

First a video  re “Planting Salvia spathacea next to Monica Manzanita Mannequin 1 of 2”,  then some  pics of “Cacti Caverns animal habitat installation” (below the video):

Planting Salvia spathacea next to Monica Manzanita Mannequin 1 of 2 (video):

 

 

Cacti Caverns animal habitat installation and Planting Salvia spathacea (pics):

Roof view of Cacti Caverns animal habitat installation in 2010 (2 years old).Roof view of driveway property line in 2010: From street, 1) sunflowers are growing in Canyon Wall Oasis (large cavity in ground), AND 2) cacti grow above Cacti Caverns.  Note that the lavarock continues past Cacti Caverns to THE WORLD (especially if you are a tiny critter!).

 

Close-up of Cacti Caverns  in 2010.  Close-up of Cacti Caverns  in 2010.  Low profile above ground.  Several small sheltered cavities below ground.  Note the applewood tunnel in foreground and the 3-stack thick curved clay roofing tile tunnel in rear.  All earthworks are critter approved!

 

Hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea) shows off Tony and his camera gear before being planted.On with the show!  Let’s get this Hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea) planted and shoot some film.

 

The hummingbird sage will be planted between Cacti Caverns and Monica Manzanita Mannequin.  The two hummingbird sage will be planted between Cacti Caverns habitat and Monica Manzanita Mannequin habitat.  Truth be told, the salvias are actually planted above one of Cacti Caverns buried roofing tile cavities.

 

Pics and captions from Tony’s new book, Habitat It and They will Come of Cacti Caverns animal habitat installation (pics):

The property line along our driveway in 2008 -- not much animal habitat!Figure 4.52  Property line before Cacti Caverns installed.  Zeroscape for miles and miles and miles.  Time to change that.  Cacti Caverns will provide a little greenery, a little nook and cranny, a little Life is what you make it! to this property line.

 

Cacti Caverns' canvas cleared of lavarock -- ready to receive art!Figure 4.60  Planks held in place by rebar.  The sturdy barricade will keep the rock in place during work.  A worthwhile effort.  Cascading creative ideas and manipulation of the moonscape into Cacti Caverns wonderland won’t have to be interrupted to replace rock landslides.

 

Underground cavities installed in Cacti Caverns, which continues to the left.Figure 4.72  Flat Clay Roofing Tiles resting on tunnel.  Gaps on both sides of the rounded log section will shelter          (fill in critters of your choice)        .  Note shovelful of soil used to anchor tile in place; the soil will be washed down to settle both sides of the tile.  Lavastone will rest directly on the tile’s flat surface.

 

Cacti Caverns habitat installation completed.  Lots going on underground!Figure 4.88  Wala!.  Retaining wall planks and rebar supports removed.  We’re finished!

 

2011 -- A garter snake crawls out of Cacti Caverns to announce, "This animal habitat rocks!"Figure 4.94   Three Years Later.  next pages  Cacti Caverns has matured.  The cacti have grown paddle upon paddle upon paddle, a delicate flowering ivy has spread throughout, and Sea Creature has silvered (aged gracefully, they say).  Wood destined for the garden (in background, out of focus) awaits its turn alongside Cacti Gardens.  A wary garter snake has crawled out of the thicket of ivy and cacti, and rests on the fencepost.  Even more exciting than the snake itself (in our garden!) was watching it retreat from my pestering photography down into the ivy-obscured entrance of the applewood tunnel.

 

Happy animal habitat installation.  See you tomorrow.

Tony