COLUMBIA - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is trying something new to limit the presence Callery pear trees in local environments.
Callery pear trees, also known as Bradford pears, are the top invasive plant species in Missouri. They are easily identifiable right now because of the white petals of their blossoms.
Artificial reefs are one of the many tools used by marine conservationists to restore coral reefs around the globe, they are made from a variety of natural or synthetic materials, and come in an infinite number of shapes and styles. The goal of these artificial reefs is generally to provide a stable growing area for corals, and habitat for fishes and all the other organisms that you would find on a natural reef. Over the years, artificial reefs have a lot of praise from those who have worked with them, but a lot of criticisms from scientists who see it as working on the symptoms and not the problems that face coral reefs. At the New Heaven Reef Conservation Program, we have been working with artificial reefs for over a decade, and in this article, we are going to explore the history of artificial reefs, and then look at some of the methods we have found to be the most or least successful.
The Lake Champlain Transportation Company is offering to donate the soon to be retired Ferry Adirondack for the creation of a new Lake Champlain Underwater Historic Preserve dive site. The Adirondack, built in 1913, is the oldest continuously operating double ended ferry in the U.S. The Ferry has been a fixture on the Lake Champlain Transportation Company’s Burlington to Port Kent crossing for 65 years, since having started service here in 1954. During this time Adirondack has transported thousands of passengers and vehicles across one of the Champlain Valley’s most scenic lake crossings.
The Ferry Adirondack Project is an opportunity to preserve this piece of Lake Champlain history by sinking the vessel in the Lake and adding it, as a site, to the existing Lake Champlain Underwater Historic Preserve (UHP). The Underwater Historic Preserve system was created in 1985 and currently includes ten historic vessels. It is one of the first and best regarded preserve systems in the country and is overseen by the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation. The M/V Adirondack would be the eleventh vessel in the Preserve and ownership would transfer from the Lake Champlain Transportation Company to the State of Vermont upon sinking. The UHP System benefits the public by protecting historic vessels while providing public access for both recreational divers and the general public through the use of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs). It may seem counterintuitive to preserve a vessel by sinking it, but Lake Champlain’s cold fresh water will preserve the vessel’s structure for many years so that it can continue to be interpreted and appreciated in the Champlain Valley. In addition to preserving history, the Ferry Adirondack Project will help provide an economic stimulus to the Champlain Valley through increased diver visitation to the UHP from around the country. By adding the Ferry Adirondack to the Lake Champlain Underwater Historic Preserve, this significant piece of maritime history will be preserved, protected and enjoyed by the public for many years to come.
Well actually a mobile home is the proper term for these low cost, usually low income form of housing commonly seen in rural communities. They are kind of looked down upon, kind of seen as a home for people who can’t afford better. Most have very little residual value, much of their value isn’t the trailer but the land they reside upon.
Typically it’s a prefabricated structure with a rectangular steel steel base where wheels are initially mountained on for towing, with 2×6 wooden floor joists and 2×4 wall joists. The walls are typically insulated with fiberglass insulation like most houses, although often thinner than code requires for modern houses.
The outside is weatherized with a plastic vapor barrier and then protected from the elements by thin aluminum sheeting that is nailed onto the beams and caulked to prevent water intrusion. The inside typically uses thin sheets of lightweight and thin pressed board made of wood chips and a binder material, some of which is covered by plastic resin to improve its waterproof nature. Appliances and plumbing are typically lighter weight to reduce the weight when towing onto the site and compensate for the smaller footprint of the building.
The problems that mobile homes face is multi-fold. One is the structure is lightweight and it can be difficult to upgrade to heavier materials like sheet rock or hardwood flooring can poses excessive weight on the floor joists, requiring extensive bracing to the ground. Insulation is another issue, as the thin beams don’t allow for the thicker insulation called for in the building codes for more modern buildings.
Money is a big reason and what properties are available. I’d rather have more land and less house. 40 acres and a junk trailer beats 2 acres and a fancy suburbanite house. An off grid cabin, made from wood or more durable material would be better but sometimes that’s not an option. A junkey old trailer could be demolished with useful parts salvaged for other purposes.
Getting rid of a nasty old structure can be a lot of work. Even if you can burn a lot of the debris, scrap the metal pieces, your still left with a lot of junk that doesn’t burn that has to hauled off to the landfill or used as back fill on your property. Moreover, some of that rubber and plastic stuff used in mobile homes is really nasty to burn even if you are in a fairly unregulated area that let’s you burn what you want after notifying the fire department. It might seem like a good deal on paper but how good of a deal really is it?
The videos on YouTube are quite fascinating to watch on this topic. While I certainly grew up in rural area where a lot of people lived in trailers I didn’t know much about the structures and the tear downs, repairs and demolitions on YouTube are fascinating – along with learning how all the different materials go together are used and interact in the structures.
Good afternoon! Sunny and 70 degrees in Delmar, NY. 🌞 There is a southeast breeze at 5 mph. 🍃. The dew point is 41 degrees.
This afternoon will be sunny 🌞, with a high of 72 degrees at 5pm. 17 degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical day around May 23rd. Southeast wind around 5 mph. A year ago, we had mostly sunny skies in the morning, which became mostly sunny by afternoon. The high last year was 60 degrees. The record high of 88 was set in 1929. 4.5 inches of snow fell back in 1907.❄
I was having problems with the door 🚪 shutting so my landlord is over today grinding away and adjusting the door frame. Of course he blamed me for breaking the screen door a decade ago but that door was super fragile and it’s not my problem that his building is rotting away and apparently at one point had termite damage. I pay my rent and I do my part – I’m not gentile on his building 🏢 but also wear and tear is part of life. I will have been here 14 years come December.
Also been calling around for therapists accepting new patients. 📞 Been putting this off too long and I need to spend more time on my health. It really wasn’t good that I was so frustrated 😤 and vulgur the other day at the store. ISaving money 💵 and investing is great but now that I’m pushing forty I need to start taking better care of myself. 😷 I need to start also doing yearly physicals.
The golden hour 🏅 starts at 6:52 pm with the sun in the west (275°). 📸 The sunset is in the west (281°) with the sun dropping below the horizon at 7:30 pm after setting for 2 minutes and 57 seconds with dusk around 7:58 pm, which is one minute and 8 seconds later than yesterday. 🌇 The best time to look at the stars is after 8:33 pm. At sunset, look for mostly clear skies 🌄 and temperatures around 68 degrees.
There will be a south-southeast breeze at 6 mph. Today will have 13 hours and 4 minutes of daytime, an increase of 2 minutes and 49 seconds over yesterday.
Tonight will be mostly clear 🌃, with a low of 47 degrees at 5am. 12 degrees above normal, which is similar to a typical night around May 15th. South wind around 7 mph. In 2020, we had cloudy skies. It got down to 40 degrees. The record low of 16 occurred back in 1977.
Right now, a split verdict on the weekend. 😕 Saturday, partly sunny, with a high near 71. South wind 3 to 7 mph. Maximum dew point of 50 at 2pm. Sunday, showers likely, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Maximum dew point of 53 at 10am. Typical average high for the weekend is 56 degrees.
As previously noted, next Thursday is Tax Day 💰 when the sun will be setting at 7:37 pm with dusk at 8:06 pm. On that day in 2020, we had partly cloudy, snow showers and temperatures between 48 and 33 degrees. Typically, the high temperature is 58 degrees. We hit a record high of 86 back in 2003.
Every stop light on the planet has "A BAD PLACE" which makes you feel awkward and more likely to crash. Technology acts is a life guard who throws you a pretty cool life preserver: A longer green light!