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A Complete Fall Color and Autumn Leaf Guide

Beartown State Park, West Virginia in Autumn Color

No forestry site would be complete without some mention of the Fall and Autumn tree leaf. I have created an in-depth resource using tree leaf science and tree viewing tips to enhance your next autumn leaf viewing trip.

The Best Fall Leaf Viewing

Steve's Forestry Blog

Finding American Ginseng in Eastern Forests

Sunday September 7, 2008
The New York Times reports a South Korean ginseng plant that fetched a price of $65,000 . That was a "one in a million" 30-year-old plant found by a digger who had a vision of its existence. Ginseng hunting is a spiritual act in many parts of Asia but not as much so in the hunting grounds of the U.S. Appalachians. American collectors consider it a source of extra income.

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius, L.) is a perennial herb that grows under a portion of the deciduous forests of the eastern United States. It has been harvested in it's wild and natural habitat for centuries. There are federal laws now associated with digging wild ginseng for export and many states have their own digging restrictions that you need to be familiar with.

Wild ginseng once thrived throughout most of the nation's Eastern Seaboard. Because of a demand for the ginseng root (mostly in Asia), which is mainly sought for its healing and curative properties, it needs to be dug with care in the early fall and at the appropriate age (10 years). Here are some guidelines on digging ginseng legally in the American states.

Ginseng with Seed in Appalachia - Photo by Steve Nix, Licensed to About.com

Fall Color Finder - A Manual for the Identification of Trees in Autumn Color

Saturday September 6, 2008
C. Ritchie Bell and Anne H. Lindsey's Fall Color Finder is the best pocket-sized fall leaf identification manual available for common trees east of Rocky Mountains. Sixty-four illustrated pages are crammed full of tips that help in identifying 150 of North America's most common native trees in autumn.

This Autumn leaf identification manual provides a beautiful color leaf photo, the tree's range, the leaf size, silhouette and a key that helps you narrow the selections to a unique tree species. The key is dichotomous. You select the best of two questions until identification. Many times you can skip the key if you review the leaf illustrations and have some knowledge of individual tree species.

Cover Image, Laurel Hill Press

Quaking Aspen and a Fall Railroad Tour

Friday September 5, 2008
The Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad is a touring train with its headquarters and depot in Leadville, Colorado. Mining and railroading are a large part of the local history, and while the train trip is designed to offer a step back into that time, it also provides some of the best fall aspen viewing in Colorado.

Jim Zornes, forester and former district ranger at the USFS Leadville, Colorado Ranger District, took a railroad trip through the Arkansas River Valley to the Continental Divide to view the beautiful autumn aspens of Colorado. Here is his personal photo account...

On the Leadville, Colorado and Southern Railroad - Photos by Jim Zornes

Fall Foliage Trees For Your Landscape

Thursday September 4, 2008
David Beaulieu has compiled pictures and descriptions of fall foliage trees for planting on your landscape for color. David has categorized the trees by species including maple, hickory, ash, dogwood, birch and ginkgo.

The About Landscaping Guide says "plant these fall foliage trees and your landscape will bask in the glow of their autumn leaves. From the red and orange autumn leaves of maples to the yellow autumn leaves of aspens, don't miss out on the colorful displays you'll get by planting these magnificent fall foliage trees!"

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