Life

In this July 19, 2016 photo provided by WildPlay Ltd., tourists suspended above the water from zip lines make their way at speeds of up to 40 mph toward the the mist of the Horseshoe Falls, on the Ontario side of Niagara Falls. The overhead cables have evolved from a fun way to explore jungle canopies to trendy additions for long-established outdoor destinations. (Kien Tran/WildPlay Ltd. via AP)

Niagara Falls latest natural wonder to add zip line

Niagara Falls is the latest natural wonder to add a zip line, offering honeymooners and everyone else the chance to take an adrenaline-pumping plunge toward… Continue reading

In this July 19, 2016 photo provided by WildPlay Ltd., tourists suspended above the water from zip lines make their way at speeds of up to 40 mph toward the the mist of the Horseshoe Falls, on the Ontario side of Niagara Falls. The overhead cables have evolved from a fun way to explore jungle canopies to trendy additions for long-established outdoor destinations. (Kien Tran/WildPlay Ltd. via AP)
Brad Stoner, in his fourth internship with the Student Conservation Association, describes a stickleback to fourth- and fifth-graders at Headquarters Lake as part of the Get out & Get Dirty summer camp at Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo courtesy Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)

Refuge Notebook: Adventuring with the Student Conservation Association

I grew up in a small suburb of Los Angeles California. Then again, small is a relative term seeing as my home town of La… Continue reading

Brad Stoner, in his fourth internship with the Student Conservation Association, describes a stickleback to fourth- and fifth-graders at Headquarters Lake as part of the Get out & Get Dirty summer camp at Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo courtesy Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)

An Outdoor View: Fall fishing

Author’s note: This column first appeared in the Clarion 21 years ago, but what it says about fishing is as true today as it was… Continue reading

In this photo taken Monday Aug. 15, 2016, a captive Osprey is seen at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness, N.H. Iain MacLeod, a researcher at the center, is using solar-powered satellite transmitters attached to the backs of juvenile and adult Ospreys to track the international migrations of birds nesting in the Northeast. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)

Scientists unravel mystery of osprey migration

TILTON, N.H. — Scientists have long known ospreys make an epic journey each summer from New England to South America. But the details of their… Continue reading

In this photo taken Monday Aug. 15, 2016, a captive Osprey is seen at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness, N.H. Iain MacLeod, a researcher at the center, is using solar-powered satellite transmitters attached to the backs of juvenile and adult Ospreys to track the international migrations of birds nesting in the Northeast. (AP Photo/Jim Cole)
In this undated photo taken in New Paltz, N.Y., a path is shown mown through this meadow of goldenrod, asters and other flowering plants, inviting a stroll through this backyard meadow. (Lee Reich via AP)

Preparation and planning make for a successful meadow

Weeks of lawn mowing can make a backyard meadow — a carefree carpet of flowers and grasses — seem like an especially appealing alternative.Even small… Continue reading

In this undated photo taken in New Paltz, N.Y., a path is shown mown through this meadow of goldenrod, asters and other flowering plants, inviting a stroll through this backyard meadow. (Lee Reich via AP)

An Outdoor View: Handlining halibut

(Author’s note: The Clarion first published this column in 2000. I’ve edited it for brevity. LP)During a long night last winter, I decided I’d like… Continue reading

Bird observations recorded in an online database (www.ebird.org) for the Kenai Peninsula have increased dramatically in recent years. (Graph by D. Magness)

Refuge Notebook: Early birds: How flexible is migration timing on the Kenai Peninsula?

Our early spring, sunny days, and warm temperatures this summer changed my behavior. I considered planting my garden early, but my fear of frost over-rode… Continue reading

Bird observations recorded in an online database (www.ebird.org) for the Kenai Peninsula have increased dramatically in recent years. (Graph by D. Magness)

An Outdoor View: On safety

While listening to the two presidential candidates the other day, I got to wondering about whether electing either him or her would make the U.S.… Continue reading

This undated photo provided by Dale Sievert shows moss growing in a pot in Sievert's garden in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Moss is a versatile plant to use in the garden, providing year-round green in everything from containers to a full lawn. (Dale Sievert via AP)

Moss can be a versatile and beautiful addition to any garden

J. Paul Moore, who owned a garden center in Tennessee for over 30 years, can’t count the number of times people asked him how to… Continue reading

This undated photo provided by Dale Sievert shows moss growing in a pot in Sievert's garden in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Moss is a versatile plant to use in the garden, providing year-round green in everything from containers to a full lawn. (Dale Sievert via AP)
This virtual snake, an Ekans, was spotted at the Refuge Visitor Center through the augmented reality of Pokemon Go. No real snakes are found in the state, otherwise. (Image courtesy Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)

Refuge Notebook: Wildlife viewing through augmented reality: It’s a new game

Driving past the Refuge entrance sign last week, a group of boys gathered nearby caught my attention. It’s an unusual hangout spot, so I stopped… Continue reading

This virtual snake, an Ekans, was spotted at the Refuge Visitor Center through the augmented reality of Pokemon Go. No real snakes are found in the state, otherwise. (Image courtesy Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)

An Outdoor View: Humpy year

Author’s note: This column first appeared in the Clarion on Aug. 16, 2002. I’ve edited it for clarity.In years ending with an even number, such… Continue reading

Photo provided by Amanda Tweed

Pushki making its presence felt on peninsula

A family trip in the Alaska wilderness can turn sour in a hurry if the proper precautions are not taken against the unassuming but dangerous… Continue reading

Photo provided by Amanda Tweed
This undated combination photo taken in New Paltz, N.Y., shows a strawberry bed, left, after being renovated, and at right a few weeks later, readying for next spring's crop. (Lee Reich via AP)

Strawberry beds get a boost from renovation

If you saw my strawberry bed, you might think I don’t like strawberries. The leaves have been lopped off, some plants were ripped out of… Continue reading

This undated combination photo taken in New Paltz, N.Y., shows a strawberry bed, left, after being renovated, and at right a few weeks later, readying for next spring's crop. (Lee Reich via AP)
Coyotes, now common on the Kenai Peninsula, naturally colonized the peninsula in the early 1900s. They are perhaps the most adaptable carnivore in North America.

Refuge Notebook: Coyotes prove adaptable on the Kenai Peninsula

Coyotes are perhaps the most adaptable carnivore in North America, ranging from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts and from Central America north to Interior… Continue reading

Coyotes, now common on the Kenai Peninsula, naturally colonized the peninsula in the early 1900s. They are perhaps the most adaptable carnivore in North America.

An Outdoor View: High water

Back when I did more crazy things than I now do, I used to fish the Kenai far more than I now do. I didn’t… Continue reading

Cutting mosquito numbers in the garden helps control disease

Mid-summer is shirt-sleeve weather, an enjoyable time of year to be out and about with family and friends. But it also is the heart of… Continue reading

Tips for traveling in bear country

ANCHORAGE — A basic rule on what to do when encountering a bear in the wilderness is so common, it’s long been a mantra: “If… Continue reading

Close-up view of a tardigrade's claws that can range from two small 'Y' shaped points to oddly-shaped barbed fish hooks depending on the species. (Photo by Rebekah Brassfield, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)

Refuge Notebook: Moss piglets? More common than you think on the Kenai

Mosses and lichens are among the most abundant plants on the Kenai Peninsula, both of which contribute to the ecosystem on a large scale. But… Continue reading

Close-up view of a tardigrade's claws that can range from two small 'Y' shaped points to oddly-shaped barbed fish hooks depending on the species. (Photo by Rebekah Brassfield, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)

An Outdoor View: Saving the kings

Unless you’ve been in a coma for the past several years, you’ve heard that the so-called early run of Kenai River king salmon is in… Continue reading

In this undated photo, the white bracts of a kousa dogwood make the tree a beautiful sight to behold in summer and are shown here in New Paltz, NY. (Lee Reich via AP)

Dogwoods’ beauty continues into summer

The last of the “hounds of spring” is in its glory. Dogwood.The flamboyant show began back in late winter when cornelian cherry (Cornus mas), a… Continue reading

In this undated photo, the white bracts of a kousa dogwood make the tree a beautiful sight to behold in summer and are shown here in New Paltz, NY. (Lee Reich via AP)