National Great Outdoors Month is celebrated each year in June.  National Great Outdoors Month aims to encourage people to get outside and contribute to the preservation of natural spaces.  The month-long celebration inspires people to enjoy the world we live in by exercising, volunteering, or just enjoying nature.  During National Great Outdoors Month, we celebrate our nation’s vast …
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The American chestnut is a large, fast-growing tree of the Castanea genus, in the beech family.  The American chestnut is recognizable by its dark brown to red ridged bark and long, canoed-shaped leaves.  Once the king of the forest, this hardwood tree is often killed and reduced to stump sprouts by disease. At one time, the …
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Celebrated on the last Friday in April in the U.S., Arbor Day, much like Earth Day, is a holiday that celebrates nature.  A day of optimism for the planet, Arbor Day is a time to observe, appreciate, and plant trees.  Arbor Day was first celebrated in 1872 as a way to encourage farmers to plant and care …
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Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the genus Rhododendron, a large family of shallow-rooted plants.  All North American species of azaleas are deciduous, shedding their leaves in the fall.  Brightly colored, azaleas come in just about every color-red, orange, pink, purple or white.  Many varieties are even fragrant, carrying a rich lily-like scent with clover overtones. Azaleas grow …
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Also known as “the tree of love,” the crabapple is a small to medium-sized deciduous (shedding leaves annually) tree of the genus Malus, a genus of approximately 30 species of small flowering trees and shrubs in the rose family.  Compared to apple trees, crabapple trees are stiffer and spinier in form.  A forager’s delight,  crabapple trees …
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The azalea belongs to the genus Rhododendron – a very large family of shallow-rooted, woody plants.  Azaleas’ spectacular display of vivid colors, profusion of flowers and adaptability to a wide range of environments make them one of the most popular flowering shrubs in the country.  A hardy, flowering shrub, the azalea is ideal for adding color and …
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Birds play countless roles in maintaining the Earth’s biological diversity.  Not only do birds birds provide services to the ecosystem as pollinators, seed distributors, and scavengers, but also they teach us appreciation of natural diversity.   Raising awareness about bird conservation, therefore, is promoting awareness of environmental issues. The Audubon Society is an American nonprofit environmental …
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The formal and stately American beech holds a special place in the hearts of many.  It is a large, graceful native tree with smooth gray bark and an arching crown.  The American beech is easy to spot from its shiny, ribbed dark green oval leaves which come to a tip. Often used in acreages, golf …
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In 2015, the World Monuments Fund, an international organization dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and cultural heritage, launched the Bridge to Crafts Careers (B2CC) program.  In connection with Woodlawn Cemetery and Conservancy, B2CC was created to offer underrepresented New York City youth a path to technical training and placement in a stable career, …
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