It’s About Time – January 2019

Global warming tends to manifest its effects in the form of droughts that dry our forest trees, especially Douglas fir, and cause bigger forest fires in late summer. Even in winter, however, the influence of global warming seems to cause a disruption of normal flowering time. This year our sasanqua camellia began flowering in November, while it usually begins around Christmas. A social media post by the Native Plant Society of Oregon reported seeing snow queen blooming already, when it usually starts a month or so from now. Going back through my notes, I see that there was a similar early flowering of Oregon grape in 2015, around Christmas.

I realize that the increased severity of fires that began four years ago is comparable to winter increase in precocious flowering. Winter effects of global warming are not easily noticed but the effect on the environment can be expected to be profound. The consequences are not yet clearly defined. Incense cedar, white alder and domestic hazelnut will likely shed pollen early, marking a new, earlier challenge to sensitive allergy sufferers.

What makes me happier is seeing the American shovelers doing their circle dance in the Delta Ponds. Chorus frogs begin their chorus season with a few tentative croaks and an occasional “frigget, frigget.” Many of the first spring leaves of perennial woodland herbs that die down and become dormant in the summer are starting to push up from their rest. Soon begins red fox, coyote and opossum breeding season.

David Wagner is a botanist who works in Eugene. He teaches moss classes, leads nature walks and makes nature calendars. He can be contacted through his website, fernzenmosses.com.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

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Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

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Thank you for standing with us!