For those interested in regional oak and beech masting, please visit this website:
The Northeastern Regional Mast Survey http://www.nbii.gov/portal/community/Communities/Geographic_Perspectives/Mid-Atlantic/Featured_Projects/Northeast_Regional_Hard_Mast_Survey/ The northeast regional mast survey is a cooperative effort initiated in 1995 by the Wild Turkey Technical Committee of the Northeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. The goal of this survey is to provide regional information about annual hard mast production to aid in the management of wild turkey and other wildlife in the northeastern United States. The data are potentially suitable for phenological and climate change/disturbance analyses as well as others. To ensure the quality and reliability of the data, data collection and entry is currently limited to participating state wildlife agencies. However, parallel participation is encouraged. For example, at SUNY ESF's Huntington Wildlife Forest in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, biologists have monitored beech and other tree seed production for nearly 20 years and recently established a mast survey comparison site. Forms and instructions are available online, as is a partial database. Cheers, ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Stacy McNulty Adirondack Ecological Center SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry 6312 Route 28N Newcomb, NY 12852 518-582-4551 x102 voice 518-582-2181 fax [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.esf.edu/EFB/faculty/mcnulty.htm >A front-page article in today's Washington Post >http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/29/AR2008112902045.html?hpid=topnews >describes the failure of the acorn mast this year over a large area >around Washington, D.C. Also hickory nuts. It should have been >(based on historical patterns) a good year for the oaks. Was there >a similar failure in other parts of the US (or elsewhere)? > >David Inouye
