Valerie Blaine
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Looks can be deceiving: Invasive species in Kane CountyMay 23, 2010 11:00 pm - In the springtime forest a sea of dew-drenched wildflowers glistened in the sun. These plants advanced along the forest floor as far as the eye could see - or, to the ed...
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Meet the shagbark hickory treeMay 02, 2010 11:00 pm - A goddess, a president, and a tree. An unlikely trio, but there is a connection: the shagbark hickory tree. This tree is deserving of superlatives, if not deity and pre...
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Leave it to beaver: Hydro-engineers alter water flow, landscapingApr 11, 2010 11:00 pm - One North American rodent has had more influence on politics, economics, international relations and nation-building than any other of its kind. Its work ethic is secon...
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Welcome, woodpeckers: Nature's noisy little harbingers of springMar 21, 2010 11:00 pm - It's springtime! And woodpeckers are drumming, drilling and banging to beat the band. While spring is a welcome treat, not everyone is thrilled with the annual revival o...
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Is our wildlife management for stewardship or domination?Mar 07, 2010 10:00 pm - From SeaWorld to the suburbs of Chicago, people react to wild animals in inconsistent and incongruous ways. Consider two recent situations with two very different resul...
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The good, the bad, the ugly and the beautifulFeb 23, 2010 10:00 pm - If you asked a random sample of shoppers at the mall what they think about wildlife, you'd get some weird looks and some off-the-cuff responses. Some people might say "...
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Coyote attacks always make headlinesFeb 07, 2010 10:00 pm - It's a slow news day when eating dinner becomes breaking news. But when someone picked up some fast food in Wheaton last week, the media were all over it. The story mad...
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Dwindling gray fox not as well-known as its more famous red cousinJan 24, 2010 10:00 pm - The red fox gets a lot of press in the Fox Valley. His likeness is everywhere - on signs, in logos and in sculpture. There is another native fox, however, that is oversh...
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That honking you hear? It's probably a Canada gooseJan 10, 2010 10:00 pm - There's an awful lot of honking during the evening rush hour. These aren't commuters with uncontrollable road rage, they're Canada geese keeping track of each other as ...
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The significance of the solstice: Lights brighten dark skies of winterDec 20, 2009 10:00 pm - The pale winter sun sank beneath the horizon at 4:21 p.m. yesterday. Fifteen hours of darkness ensued, making it the longest night of the year. It was a special night, t...