Roger Di Silvestro’s Archive

Why Leaves Fall from Trees in Autumn

French author Albert Camus tells us, “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” And what opulent bouquets the leaves of autumn do create—whole mountainsides of dazzling … Read more

Virginia opossum, gardening, NWF, National Wildlife Federation

Opossums and Gardening: A Few Things to Know

The opossum is one of the most frequently encountered U.S. wildlife species, showing up in woods and swamps, plains and marshes, cities and suburbs—and in backyard gardens, where it may … Read more

The Life of Ants in Your Garden

As almost every U.S. gardener knows—they are out there. They are out there in teeming millions, they are out there in colonies and queendoms. They are out there on the … Read more

common loon, tar sands, alberta

Five Things to Know about the Tar Sands Threat to American Birds

Tar sands—a mixture of sand, clay and water from which a dense and extremely viscous form of petroleum, called bitumen, can be extracted—underlie more than 54,000 square miles of northeastern … Read more

Keeping the Peace Between Gardeners and Chipmunks

When I first moved into one of Washington, D.C.’s Virginia suburbs, shrouded with heavy woodlands, I was thrilled by a little flash of energy that rocketed past me one day … Read more

How to Offer Bird-Nesting Materials in Your Garden

Spring is here, and birds around the world—and in your backyard—are turning into construction crews. It’s nesting time! Many songbirds are master builders, putting together intricately made weavings of twig … Read more

Bluegill on hook baited with earthworm (US Fish and Wildlife Service)

Ten Things to Know about Earthworms

As winter draws to a close, gardeners begin their spring migration into the outdoors, leaving winter dens behind and coming into contact with the harbingers of the shifting seasons: shovels, … Read more

snow, snowflake, snowfall, deer

Snowfall, Wildlife and Gardens

Have you been dreaming of a white Christmas, or dreading it?  Either way, the very essence of winter in temperate climes is snow. And what a wonderful thing snow is. … Read more

Giving a Gift for Conservation

Donors are the foundation of NWF’s success in protecting wildlife and habitat, getting children outdoors and fighting climate change. The threats facing the natural world are diverse and ever-changing, putting … Read more

Brown bear mother and cub

Thanksgiving Wishes to NWF Donors

Every year around Thanksgiving, NWF staff members phone a selected list of individual donors to thank them for their generosity in supporting the Federation’s conservation work. In making these calls, … Read more