Congratulations to Trix Niernberger, who has completed the training and volunteer requirements to become a Level 2 Master Naturalist!
Trix provides a photo on local wildlife and native plants for Rensselaer County’s community newspaper, The Eastwick Press. Each week in “Outdoors with Trix” she features a different species found on one of her hikes with a photo and some scientific information.
Trix also submits observations to iNaturalist and identifies the submissions of others. Since earning her Level 1, Trix has submitted 525 observations, and identified 1,027 submissions!
Thank you Trix for your commitment to inspiring others’ interest in their local ecosystem, and your contributions to citizen science!
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The Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus), named for its pale wood, grows in the northeastern United States usually in mixed forests of conifers and hardwoods. The tree has needles two to five inches long in bunches of five. Needles remain on the tree for two growing seasons before turning brown and falling.
When mature, the pine can tower to more than 200 feet high. Many birds, large and small, hide their nests in its boughs, as well as eat its seeds.