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By the end of last month, northern Wisconsin had already reached the ‘severe or ‘very severe’ annual winter index thresholds set by the Wisconsin DNR for the first time since 2013

Most trees are either deciduous, and drop their leaves in fall, or are evergreen, and hang onto their leaves for more than one season. The evergreen trees tend to be in more stressed environments, stressed by either cold temperatures or low water availability.

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses how water temperature and oxygen impact fish activity.

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Trout Lake Station’s Gretchen Gerrish takes us to Florida with a lesson about marine field research.

Whether you are a vegan, vegetarian or omnivore, plants are at the base of what you eat — even Oreos.

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses wild cranberries in the Northwoods.

If you walk barefoot in a lake or stream, your feet might slide on slippery stones. What makes them so slippery? In this month’s installment of Field Notes, Trout Lake Station’s Gretchen Gerrish takes us underwater to learn about life on rocks.

Swans may not be the most important factor in the decline of wild rice, but there is no doubt that the number of swans has increased on our Northwoods lakes. How did this happen?

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses how wood moves.

As we move through the season, keep your eye out for these unloved plants. They are all native to Wisconsin and belong here just as the maples and hazelnuts and lady slippers belong in our woods.

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses miner bees, important pollinators.

What it's like raising chickens through a Northwoods winter.

In this month's Field Notes, Susan Knight discusses what some Olympic athletes have in common with beer.

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses the wood we use in acoustic guitars.

While many organisms thrive solely feeding on the leaves, roots and fruits of trees, very few are capable of efficiently incorporating wood into their diets.

This attractive plant is not found in Wisconsin, and until the last few decades, was not found anywhere in North America. It is native to Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe, but it is extinct in many of those original locations due to habitat destruction.

A burl is a tree growth where the grain has grown in a deformed manner. Burls yield a very peculiar and highly figured wood sought after in woodworking.

Pumpkins hold a unique place in the hearts, minds and stomachs of Americans; and they should, considering they are one of the oldest cultivars native to North America.

Susan Knight, a scientist at UW-Madison's Trout Lake Station, breaks down a research project to understand the decline of wild rice.

In this month’s Field Notes, Susan Knight of Trout Lake Station tells us about the genetics of apples and the real story behind Johnny Appleseed.