Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Making Morgan Park and Wilson Park Household Names



Prof. Dale Glenwood Green
Photo: MSU
From Sheila Kast and WYPR is an audio interview with Dale Glenwood Green, assistant professor in Morgan State University’s School of Architecture and Planning and Chair of the university’s Historic Preservation Program, with information on the beginnings of Morgan Park and Wilson Park and why these two historic African American neighborhoods need to be recognized.

In case you forgot or didn't realize it, the Springfield Woods is bordered on the north side by Wilson Park.

Making Morgan Park and Wilson Park Household Names

Friday, August 23, 2013

Wildlife of the Springfield Woods: Warning dead stuff!



 The reality of nature is that of  survival of the fittest.  Unfortunately in the Springfield Woods this young fox was found dead in the early summer.
"Red foxes live around the world in many diverse habitats including forests, grasslands, mountains, and deserts. They also adapt well to human environments such as farms, suburban areas, and even large communities. The red fox's resourcefulness has earned it a legendary reputation for intelligence and cunning.

Red foxes are solitary hunters who feed on rodents, rabbits, birds, and other small game—but their diet can be as flexible as their home habitat. Foxes will eat fruit and vegetables, fish, frogs, and even worms. If living among humans, foxes will opportunistically dine on garbage and pet food.

Like a cat's, the fox's thick tail aids its balance, but it has other uses as well. A fox uses its tail (or "brush") as a warm cover in cold weather and as a signal flag to communicate with other foxes.

Foxes also signal each other by making scent posts—urinating on trees or rocks to announce their presence.

In winter, foxes meet to mate. The vixen (female) typically gives birth to a litter of 2 to 12 pups. At birth, red foxes are actually brown or gray. A new red coat usually grows in by the end of the first month, but some red foxes are golden, reddish-brown, silver, or even black. Both parents care for their young through the summer before they are able to strike out on their own in the fall.

Red foxes are hunted for sport, though not extensively, and are sometimes killed as destructive pests or frequent carriers of rabies."

 For more info on the red fox and other animals, check out the National Geographic website.  There are photos, statistics and even a soundbite of what foxes sound like.:  http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/red-fox/

Monday, August 19, 2013