A quarterly newsletter for Volunteers and Friends of the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and Patuxent Research Refuge FRIENDS OF PATUXENT Vol. 30 • No. 4 www.friendsofpatuxent.org October-November-December 2019 Economics and Emotions Dr. Manuela Dal By Brad Knudsen, Refuge Manager Forno Speaks About the Fascinating very five years or so since 1997, the National Wildlife Ref- World of Lichens Euge System has undertaken an analysis of its economic impacts By Evelyn Kirby, Volunteer and Debbie to local communities. This series of Phillips, Volunteer Wildlife Educator studies is called “Banking on Nature,” with the most recent one being com- Knudsen Brad Photo by pleted in Fiscal Year 2017 (October 1, 2016-September 30, 2017). Patuxent Research Refuge was part of this re- view in 2006, but was not included in the 162 refuges that were part of the Cohen K. Photo by most recent study. The highlights of the report include: • The National Wildlife Refuge System estimated 53.6 million visitors to na- tional wildlife refuges. Patuxent has over 20 miles of hiking trails open to the public. • Trip-related spending by recreational visits generated $3.2 billion of eco- • Refuge recreational spending gen- nomic output in local economies. erated about $229 million in tax rev- enue at the local, county, and state Dr. Manuela Dal Forno. • As this spending flowed through the levels. economy, it supported over 41,000 n Sunday, July 14, the Friends jobs and generated about $1.1 billion Circling back to the 50-plus million of Patuxent was honored to in employment income. visitors, it is interesting to note that Ohave Dr. Manuela Dal Forno, • About 86 percent of total recreation- approximately 80 percent of those a Peter Buck Postdoctoral Research related expenditures are generated visits were for “non-consumptive Fellow at the Smithsonian Institution Continued on page 2 by non-consumptive activities on ref- Continued on page 8 uges. Fishing accounted for 10 per- cent of expenditures and hunting 4 percent. Inside... A Gifter’s Garden, Perennial Delights .......... 3 The Big Trees at Patuxent ........................10 • On average, local visitors account- We’re Liken’ Lichens at Patuxent! ............... 4 FOP Wildlife Holiday Bazaar ....................13 ed for 17 percent of expenditures Hollingsworth Exhibitors for Fall 2019 ......5 Around the Refuge ..................................14 while visitors traveling more than Ding-Darling: Creator of the Duck Stamp Duck Stamp Contest ...............................16 50 miles accounted for 83 percent and Patuxent Research Refuge ..............6 The Buzz on Honeybees ..........................17 of expenditures. Fall 2019 Vol. 30 | No. 4 Economics and Emotions Continued from page 1 uses” (hiking, photography, auto tours, etc.), while 15 percent were for fishing, and 5 percent were for hunt- ing. For comparison, Patuxent Re- Knudsen Brad Photo by search Refuge’s visitation breakdown is about 93 percent non-consumptive, 4 percent hunting, and 3 percent for fishing. There is, of course, a lot of variability among refuges how pre- cisely they can count visitors, and at Patuxent it even varies from tract to tract. But, as Teddy Roosevelt once said, “We do the best we can with what we have at the time.” While the economic benefits of ref- uges are well documented by these periodic analyses, there are all the in- tangible benefits the public gets from spending time on a refuge. Any one of you reading these words know exactly what I am talking about. The joy a child Fishing is a popular wildlife-oriented public use on the refuge. feels the first time he/she catches a fish or sees a great blue heron up among the forests and fields of a na- address stress, attention deficit, and close. The thrill a teacher experiences tional wildlife refuge. Organizations depression among their patients. when her students exhibit creativity like “Wheelin’ Sportsmen” know all and leadership during an outdoor ex- about the restorative powers of time These kind of intangible benefits may cursion, skills not otherwise evident spent in nature for disabled veterans. be short term, or they can be life- in the classroom. The emotional re- More and more doctors are prescrib- changing. One of my favorite examples lease many of us feel from time spent ing “X number of hours OUTSIDE” to is one of our former Career Discovery Internship Program participants who came to Patuxent as an Interior De- Friends of Patuxent is published quarterly and can be read online or sign Major, returned to college and mailed to our Friends upon request. switched her degree to Wildlife Biol- Many of the regular newsletter contributors and assistants are volunteers. ogy, spent several summers on Forest However, we welcome and encourage all volunteers and Friends to submit items Service and/or state wildfire crews, for the newsletter by sending or bringing them to: and she NOW runs her own company focused on getting inner city youth Editor, Friends of Patuxent Newsletter involved in nature through the visual ATTN: Ross Feldner 11811 Ivanhoe Street arts. All from spending 10 weeks on Wheaton, MD 20902 a refuge, working with our Visitor Ser- vices staff, volunteering with our facili- Or email to [email protected] ties staff on her days off, and enjoying All articles submitted to the Friends of Patuxent Newsletter will be reviewed by sunrises and sunsets from her refuge newsletter staff prior to their publication. We reserve the right to not publish quarters! Don’t ever underestimate submissions based on length, content or suitability. the power of Mother Nature!!! Article submission deadlines: Issue Issue So – come visit Patuxent, visit Chin- No. Months Deadline No. Months Deadline coteague. Heck, visit Midway Atoll 1 Jan-Mar December 1 2 Apr-Jun March 1 NWR (clearly, a harder journey). 3 Jul-Sept June 1 4 Oct-Dec September 1 Spend a little money, spend a lot of To become a member of the Friends of Patuxent or send a donation, please see time – and reap the rewards that await “Membership Application” on page 19. you on a national wildlife refuge of your choice! 2 Fall 2019 Vol. 30 | No. 4 A Gifter’s Garden, Perennial Delights By Karen E.H. Atwood, Volunteer t’s autumn on the East Coast. Most er or friend might like? We’ll show you gardens are prepping for Winter’s around! We’ve got ideas for just about Isleep, but Friends of Patuxent’s everyone -- from the fisherman, the Wildlife Images bookstore “garden” hunter, the hiker, the birder and the is blooming for birthdays, special “butterfly-er,” to the kite-flyer, the puz- occasions, the holidays and more. zle-master, the playful puppeteer, the Come “dig” our clever sweatshirts, t- educator, the curious armchair natu- shirts and caps. “Sow seed” for the ralist and beyond. Reminder: Friends future, with teaching tools like “first” of Patuxent members can receive a binoculars and compasses. Gather Something fishy here…! 10% discount. “bouquets” of beautiful gifts, butterfly scarves and unusual nature jewelry, and adult’s wildlife and outdoor-en- The Wildlife Images store is open Fri- outdoor chimes, hand-crafted orna- thusiast books and gifts. Leave with a days through Wednesdays from 11 ments and art. “Pick” more, from our wonderful feeling, knowing that your a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Thursdays and patch of children-and-family creative, purchases “perennialize” and help federal holidays (when the Visitor Cen- educational and entertaining puzzles support Patuxent’s educational pro- ter is also closed). Located on Patux- and games. Round out your “harvest” grams! Not sure what a spouse or ent’s South Tract, in the National Wild- from our bountiful rows of children’s child, grandparent, grandchild, teach- life Visitor Center. Mark the row in your reading. “Bou- quet” your gifts with slender slips of artful inspiration! Harvest some American-made, and im- Come pick from our children’s patch of ported, hand-crafted gifts, ornaments new titles, traditional favorites, finger and art. puppets, puzzles and games. Find something for everyone! Your purchases from the Wildlife Images Bookstore help support the work of the refuge. “Friends” receive a 10% discount Continued on page 17 3 Fall 2019 Vol. 30 | No. 4 We’re Likin’ Lichens at Patuxent! Karen E.H. Atwood, Volunteer sk Ava, age eight, what her favorite lichen is – and she Acan actually tell you! Ava and her family, along with about two dozen other curious visitors, came to the National Wildlife Visitor Cen- ter on Sunday, June 23rd. We joined enthusiastic Lichenologist Natalie Photo by Karen E.H. Atwood Karen E.H. Photo by Howe for a Lichen Discovery Walk around the building and grounds. Dr. Howe, currently a Biological Scientist with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is working with the Patuxent Refuge Lichen Team under leader Helga Matausch to survey and cata- log the Refuge’s lichen species as part of our ever-growing Herbarium*, a work-in-progress resource being catalogued online for researchers around the globe. Dr. Howe told us that lichens – small, but often surprisingly beautiful organ- isms that we easily overlook, although they’re all around us, growing on trees, logs, rocks, even on metal signs, Young Lichen Walk participant Ava and Dr. Howe look at lichens up-close-and- personal in front of the National Wildlife Visitor Center. the very ground we walk upon – are neither plant nor animal, but combi- right in front of the National Wildlife Vis- nations of diverse fungi and algae or itor Center Suddenly we were seeing cyanobacteria that are living and work- lichens, instead of just tree trunks with ing in tandem, appearing to be one or- “stuff” on them! ganism. Intrigued, we took up our pock- et-sized magnifying lenses (or used We found many lichens, among them our binoculars “in reverse,” in lieu of the tiny, gorgeous and nearly glowing, those) and trooped over to some trees Howe Natalie M.