It’s About Time

As anticipated in the April column, the Delta Ponds are now bustling with goslings. This year we were greeted with a sight that was not at all delightful: three goslings floating at the edge of the trail. The way they were mauled and left behind makes me suspect an off-leash dog. The natural predators don’t leave their dinner behind. Now I’m giving threatening looks to those who let their dogs off leash when walking along the edge of the ponds.

When asked what is my favorite color, my answer is “spring green.” By this I refer to the bright green of unfurling leaves on trees and shrubs. The leaves on most woody plants will darken as the season progresses but vine maples that grow in the understory have leaves that stay bright green through the season. The leaves of vine maples that grow in the open, as in the lava fields near the mountain passes, do get a darker green but then these are the ones that develop the brightest fall red in our area.

The valley’s wildflower season peaks around the time of the Mount Pisgah Arboretum Wildflower Festival, May 19 this year. Meanwhile, the season of mosses is growing to a close. Most mosses have their reproductive shoots mature, none more prominent than the badge moss. The badge moss gets its name from the cup of big leaves surrounding its male structures. After fertilization, the female plants will not develop spore capsules until the fall rains arrive.

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!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

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.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!