Latest news with #parkRanger
The Independent
27-05-2025
- The Independent
Insect-eating Venus flytraps thrive in the Carolinas as hikers peek into their native ecosystem
Park ranger Jesse Anderson leads dozens of people on a weekly hike in North Carolina to see some of the most unique living things in the world — plants that supplement the nutrients they get from sunlight by digesting ants, flies and spiders. But the Venus flytraps aren't like the human-size, ravenous and cruel Audrey in 'Little Shop of Horrors.' In the wild, Venus flytraps are the size of a lima bean and pose no harm to anything other than insects. Their special hairs snap their leaves together when brushed — but only twice in about 20 seconds or less to reduce the amount of false alarms by dust or rain. Once inside, the insect is doomed to become plant food, Anderson said. 'It continues to trigger those hairs and the trap slowly closes and eventually starts releasing digestive enzymes to start breaking down the insect. And because they're in nutrient-poor environments, they supplement their food with insects,' Anderson said. Anderson's hike at Carolina Beach State Park on the southeast North Carolina coast also showcases other carnivorous plants. There are vase-shaped pitcher plants with liquid at the bottom that traps insects, then digests them. Butterworts and sundews attract insects with glistening leaves, then secrete an adhesive to trap them in place. Bladderworts work similarly to Venus flytraps. And the hike is one of the few places to see Venus flytraps. The plant only grows in 12 counties in southeast North Carolina near Wilmington and a few nearby places in South Carolina, which made the organism the state's official carnivorous plant in 2023. Now is an especially good time to take that hike. Venus flytraps bloom from about mid-May to mid-June, Anderson said. The flytrap is a fragile plant that needs fire to survive. Wildfires in the pine forests where they grow clear off the denser overgrowth to provide the abundant sunlight the plants need. They face two big enemies — poachers and development. Harvesting the plants without permission is a felony in North Carolina and a misdemeanor in South Carolina. In 2016, a man was sentenced to 17 months in prison for taking nearly 1,000 Venus flytraps from game land in Hampstead, North Carolina. And the flytraps live in one of the fastest-growing parts of the U.S., where neighborhoods and businesses have been built over their habitats. Most of the plants can now be found in preserves and other undisturbed areas. Scientists counted only about 300,000 flytraps in the Carolinas several years ago. While Anderson's hike is one of the few ways to see Venus flytraps in their natural environment, he said commercially grown plants can be found around in greenhouses and plant stores around the world and can thrive in homes in the right conditions 'They like nutrient-poor soils, and also they can't stand typical well water or tap water. So they need things like rainwater or distilled water or versus osmosis,' Anderson said. Venus flytraps need abundant sunlight and soils that are moist but not drenched. And they don't have to eat bugs if they can get enough nutrients from photosynthesis. Please don't feed them hamburger meat — that's not what they eat. And try not to trigger the leaves shut without something to digest. That takes a lot of energy the plant needs to replace. ___ Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this story.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Bucks County park closed as crews search for park resource ranger after his kayak overturns
The Brief Rescue units are on scene at a Bucks County park. Officials announced Tyler State Park would be closed until further notice after an accident happened involving a park ranger. NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Tyler State Park, in Bucks County, is closed until further notice as crews work to find a park ranger whose kayak capsized. What we know Officials with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources released a statement saying Tyler State Park would be closed indefinitely due to an accident involving a park ranger. A 38-year-old park resource ranger was in a kayak in the Neshaminy Creek Friday, a little after 12:30, when the kayak overturned. Additionally, they went on to say many agencies responded to the scene to help in the search. A witness at the park in Newtown Township sent a video showing emergency crews suiting up to enter the water. What we don't know No additional details were released.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Crews battling rapidly growing encampment fire in Sepulveda Basin
Crews on Wednesday battled a rapidly spreading fire near an encampment in the Sepulveda Basin, authorities confirmed. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the fire was reported by a park ranger at about 12:16 p.m. in the area of Balboa and Victory boulevards near Encino. The department was quick to react to the scene, but images captured by SkyCAL showed citizens shoveling dirt and pouring water onto the flames on the grass. A nearby encampment appeared to be threatened, but as of 12:30 p.m., it wasn't confirmed if any tents or vehicles burned. This is a developing report. Check back for updates.
New York Times
19-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- New York Times
I'm New to Camping. But This Outdoor Gear Makes Me Feel Like an Expert.
In this edition of The Recommendation, our tech editor and self-proclaimed novice camper dishes on the outdoor gear that made the biggest difference for her. Plus: a great raincoat, the best hiking boots, and some excellent binoculars. I have never been what anyone would call outdoorsy. I didn't grow up biking or fishing with relatives, as many of my friends did. My stint as a Girl Scout was short-lived. And while I took up hiking during the pandemic, the only outdoor 'gear' I owned was a pair of running shoes. Forget camping. Friends and family used to joke about how miserable I would be sleeping outside without creature comforts like steaming hot showers and soft mattresses. But then I started dating my now-partner, a former park ranger who's happiest in the woods. I quickly realized I would have to accept the outdoors into my life eventually, and when he gently suggested that we give camping a try, I said yes (with some trepidation). A one-night trial run in a nearby state park revealed that our bare-bones setup needed a few upgrades to make us (read: me) a little more comfortable. One upgrade, in particular, was the biggest game changer for me: a deluxe sleeping pad, which came highly recommended by Wirecutter outdoor editor Ria Misra. It was a splurge, to be sure, but one that has made sleeping outside an almost-luxurious experience for me. We just returned from an early May weekend in Yosemite National Park, where we slept comfortably beneath towering pines and hiked along awe-inspiring granite cliffs. The sound of thundering waterfalls could be heard throughout the valley, and the sun peeked out occasionally between soft, late spring showers. We have a lot more gear now than when we started dating (this camping tent, for one, was an instant improvement over my partner's teensy backpacking tent. It's ridiculously easy to set up and more than spacious enough for two). And I have been struck by how easy it was to gain a little bit of outdoorsy confidence with one or two well-vetted upgrades. My advice? Pick one thing you're nervous about, then find a solution. I was anxious about sudden storms, so I bought a hardy-yet-stylish raincoat — which I now reach for even when I'm not hiking. I also hate sleeping on freezing cold ground, so I splurged on that cozy sleeping pad (which my veteran camping partner begrudgingly admits is awesome). And don't forget the little conveniences, too: This cleverly designed pour-over coffee setup has been a game changer — for both expert and newbie alike.
