Tag Archives: forest

Forestry Friday …Thinning Forest Fuels

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With all the fires burning in California there has been a lot of discussion about logging to reduce forest fuel. Doing so makes our forests more fire resilient. There is fear among many people that logging of any kind will destroy our forest. The truth is the the fires are destroying our forests. This is a short video of such a logging operation from last year on the Lassen National Forest. The Forest Service prepared this project. Our company bought and logged the timber sale. The result is a healthier more resilient forest.

Forestry Friday … Headed Out Loaded

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pen and ink, log truck, loggers, logging

A loaded log truck heading to town.

This pen and ink was inspired when I was headed to a logging job near Trinity Lake in Northern California. It appeared in the children’s book Timber In The Working Forest, by Mary A Livingston and illustrated by yours truly.

Wild Wednesday … Northern Pacific Rattlesnake

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While looking at a timber sale last week with a fellow forester, we walked past this big northern Pacific rattlesnake. His dog walked within inches in front of the rattlesnake and it buzzed like crazy. The dog didn’t react to the snake at all. That’s probably why the snake didn’t strike the dog. I took the picture and video with my cell phone so it’s not the greatest quality. Be careful if you hear this sound.

Forestry Friday … Pacific Fisher

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fisher, Pacific fisher, weasel, pen and ink, ink, drawing, mammal

Pacific fisher in pen and ink. Mary and I had a chance meeting with a pair of fishers. That’s when I took the photo that this picture was based on. We watched this fisher as it climbed up and down a Douglas-fir tree while it was hunting.

The Pacific fisher is a large member of the weasel family that makes its home on our California timberland.

pacific fisher

This was a different Pacific fisher that unknowingly visited us. Observing wildlife from a hidden hunting blind is a great way to watch animals in their natural state.

Pacific fisher

The fisher investigates our wildlife camera. Come on little fella just a bit farther. Darn, we didn’t get his picture on the wildlife camera.

The company I work for, Sierra Pacific Industries, has been involved in a fisher relocation project for a number of years. Our partners in the project include US Fish and Wildlife Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and researchers from North Carolina State University. The purpose is to re-establish fisher into parts of the Sierra Nevada Mountains that used to be their historic range. The project has been highly successful. You can read more about the project here at the Fish and Wildlife Service website.

This is a mixed media illustration of a fisher with a radio collar that I did for the children’s book Timber!. The pen and ink version appeared in the young reader book Timber In The Working Forest. Both books were written by Mary A Livingston and illustrated by me. You can read her blog at Sneaking Bliss.com.


Kowanni, More Progress

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Here an update for Kowanni the great horned owl. I’m planning to finish tonight!

I’ve added my previous progression pictures and the original photo of Kowanni for fun. Although, they aren’t very illustrative of my process other than I draw when I can. By the way, don’t you think Bliss is a great photo prop. She kind of doesn’t really like it. This is the look I get just before she gets up and leaves.

Inking the night!

I thought maybe a woody update would be cool, not sure it’s working. Bliss just wasn’t into it.

Jury duty sketching.

This is the real Kowanni. In case you missed my last post, he’s a resident of Shasta Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation. Actually I’m not sure if Kowanni is a him or her. Sadly, he’s not capable of hunting so will never be released. I want to portray Kowanni as he is meant to be.

Wild Wednesday … Wood Rat’s Nest

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Bliss and I were out marking trees a few weeks ago when we came upon several wood rats nests. They build these large stick pile akin to a beaver lodge on land. They are very industrious creatures. They are also an important prey species for forest predators.

Bliss, wood rat nest

Bliss was very impressed with this massive collection of sticks. So impressed that she claimed it for herself. Sadly for her it wasn’t going to fit in my vest and she could only carry one stick at a time.

This clever rat built its nest in the trees. No sticks for Bliss from this one.

Bliss found a deer skull under the nest. “No Bliss it’s not a rat skull and no you can’t eat it!”