Lean thinking is a process focused on increasing the value added to products and services and the reduction of waste. The term “lean,” coined by Womack during one of his visits to the Japanese carmaker Toyota in the early 1980s (Womack and Jones 2003), has become the universally accepted term for increasing value and reducing waste.

Given the prominence of feeding activity, and the sheer volume of supplemental food dispensed into the environment, it is worthy to examine the impacts of feeding on nature and to improve one’s understanding of the proper care and responsibilities that come with feeding wild birds.

An overview of information to help readers improve knowledge and understanding of human interactions with snakes common to Virginia and methods to avoid conflicts with these often maligned animals.

Lumber is usually dried to a specific moisture content prior to further manufacturing or use. The amount of water in wood is usually expressed as moisture content and can be directly measured or calculated. The moisture content of wood is defined as the ratio of the weight of water in wood to the dry weight of the wood material. While lumber can be air-dried, the humidity in most localities prevents the lumber from reaching the moisture content required for the stability needed for interior use. A dry kiln is required to dry lumber to the necessary final moisture content and does so fairly rapidly. This publication discusses the design and operation of a solar-heated lumber dry kiln that is designed to be inexpensive to construct and simple to operate.

Each year many landowners in Virginia consider Christmas tree farming as an alternative enterprise for their unused open land. The number of growers in the Commonwealth is increasing steadily, and currently Virginia ranks eighth in the nation in Christmas tree production, with about 1.8 million trees harvested in 1990.

This brochure provides information to improve readers’ knowledge and understanding of black bears and discusses various options designed to minimize negative consequences from our interactions with black bears in Virginia.

Autumn olive was introduced to the U.S. from Japan and China in 1830. It was originally planted for wildlife habitat, shelterbelts, and mine reclamation, but has escaped cultivation. It is dispersed most frequently by birds and other wildlife, which eat the berries.

Ailanthus, also known as tree-of-heaven and paradise- tree, is a major nuisance to foresters, farmers, and homeowners alike. Its prolific seeding and ability to sprout from roots and stumps and grow quite rapidly just about anywhere make it a serious competitor and threat to native species and cultivated crops. On top of that, ailanthus is allelopathic, producing substances that are toxic to and inhibit the growth of neighboring plants.

Several species of Asian honeysuckle have been introduced in the United States for their ornamental and wildlife values. Honeysuckle is perhaps the most widespread exotic invasive in the U.S., now found in at least 38 states. The Asian honeysuckle produces abundant seeds which are dispersed by birds and other wildlife. It also spreads by sprouting from its roots. Because it tolerates shade from other plants, it grows in forest understories.

Aquatic biodiversity is the rich and wonderful variety of plants and animals—from crayfish to catfish, from mussels to mayflies, from tadpoles to trout—that live in watery habitats. It is the number of different native species, or species richness.

Natural aquatic habitats include ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, springs, estuaries, bays, and various types of wetlands. Some of these habitats are shallow and others deep, some are cold-water and others warm-water, some are freshwater and others saltwater, and some have high oxygen levels and others little oxygen.

Nearly 300 species of mussels inhabit freshwater rivers, streams, and lakes in the United States. This is the richest diversity of mussels found in the world and an extraordinary natural heritage that needs protection. Because of the lustrous, pearl-like interior of the shells, some of these pearly mussels have important commercial value in the cultured pearl and jewelry industry.

Of the approximately 500 crayfishes (some times called crawdads or crawfish) found on earth, about 400 crayfish species live in waters in North America, and about 353, nearly 70 percent of the world’s total species, inhabit waters in the United States.

Nearly 800 native fish species in 36 families inhabit the freshwater rivers, streams, and lakes of the United States and Canada. North America has the most diverse temperate freshwater fish fauna in the world.

This is the largest and most ecologically diverse family of freshwater fishes in the world. Minnows are exclusively freshwater, although some species stray into brackish, tidal waters. Over 290 species of minnows occur in North America.

Frogs can be found in all landscapes, from deep under the water to high in trees. There are more than 100 species of frogs in the United States, and many of these are of conservation concern. This publication describes frog biology, diversity, and conservation issues.

Of the more than 700 species of salamanders found worldwide, more than 200 live in North America, and over 40 percent of these are considered to be at risk. Although these secretive creatures are unknown to many people, they are important parts of our natural world and in serious need of our protection. This publication describes salamander biology and conservation concerns.

The diversity of insects can only be described as amazing. More than half of all known species of living things (microbes, plants, and animals) are insects.

As the Christmas tree industry develops in Virginia, the production of larger quantities of trees places growers in a more competitive environment. Under conditions of competition, it becomes necessary for growers to produce the highest quality trees possible in order to enjoy marketing success. There are many characteristics of Christmas trees which are widely considered to be quality factors, but the most important are shape, needle retention, straightness, and color.

Using trees as living screens can easily enhance living and working spaces. Before selecting trees for screening, first determine the screen’s purpose, whether functional or environmental. Screening can be used to define an area, modify or hide a view, create privacy, block wind, dust, salt and snow, control noise, filter light, and direct traffic flow.

To grow, all trees require air, light, water and nutrients. Some trees can survive over a wide range of climatic and soil conditions, whereas others are very site specific. Both wet and dry sites present establishment and growth challenges, making selection of the right tree for the right site very important.

Trees can become a dangerous liability when they are planted near utility lines and their mature size leads to conflicts with the utility lines. Trees can damage utility lines, disrupt power delivery, and create hazardous conditions. Utility companies expend significant resources managing tree conflicts through pruning and removal. Despite the potential for these conflicts, property owners often desire trees near utility lines for amenity and privacy. To prevent recurring conflicts with utility lines, trees with compatible mature size should be planted near utility lines. In this publication are recommendations for minimizing tree conflicts with utility lines along with an extensive list of utility line compatible tree species suitable for landscapes in Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic region.

The Virginia Master Naturalist program is a statewide corps of volunteers providing education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities.

This publication provides an overview of the study of mammals in Virginia. It includes an up-to-date listing of mammals found in Virginia and information on the biology and natural history of mammals. The intended audience is Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers and others seeking to gain a basic understanding of this topic.

The economic and ecological considerations of clear cutting wooded acreage.

Marine finfish production is a rapidly expanding field, both in research and industrial aquaculture. A driving force behind this growth is the inherently high value placed upon marine finfish products in the marketplace.

This document provides the background, rationale, and detailed production protocols for all stages of high-quality Artemia culture.

Research into the attitudes and actions of private forest landowners shows that although very few own their forestland for the purpose of producing timber, most will sell timber at least once in their lifetimes. Private forest landowners sell timber for a variety of reasons that range from purely financial to solely for management purposes. Often landowners do not consider selling timber until they have an immediate need for cash. Other times the landowner has planned an immediate commercial thinning with a full timber harvest scheduled in 10 years. Whatever the reason(s) for a timber sale, careful consideration of objectives is paramount.

Many forest products companies and landowners participate in forest certification programs. Forest certification programs set standards for sustainable forest management and verify that they are being met. Certification programs can demonstrate to consumers that certified forest products come from trees that were grown and harvested sustainably.

This publication provides information on how to identify the wood of several species common to Virginia using a hand-magnifying lens. It includes a wood identification key for some common Virginia species, a list of key species characteristics, and a list of companies that sell wood identification sample sets.

Big trees are natural wonders that inspire people and play important roles in forest ecosystems. The Virginia Big Tree Program documents, curates, and publicizes the largest trees known to exist in Virginia. Trees are scored and ranked using measurements of their physical dimensions.

Forest inventory (timber cruising) is a common activity used to quantify the resource. The data collected are used to form statistical estimates of a variety of important characteristics; however, these estimates are uncertain due to sampling. Confidence intervals are a relatively simple statistical tool that can help managers quantify this uncertainly and make more informed management decisions. This article explains confidence intervals, provides an example of their use, and discusses their management implications.

The current owners of woodlands-individuals, families, partners, and more-work to ensure that their woods are cared for well. Many have spent years investing time, money, and sweat, making decisions, and leaving their mark on the land. Yet the question of “What happens after me?” is always a looming pressure. For those landowners who act as good forest stewards, how can they ensure that, in the future, their property will be owned and managed as they intended?

Because of the coyote's versatility, adaptability, and its current wide distribution throughout Virginia, the likelihood of encountering a coyote is real. Thus, residents of the Commonwealth should become more aware and informed about the traits and behaviors of this species to avoid undesirable interactions. This publication provides basic information about the coyote, its expected and normal behaviors and other life history aspects, and suggestions on how to minimize or avoid problems that can arise from our interactions with this fascinating creature.

Virginia Master Naturalist volunteers are well-positioned to help more people of all ages and backgrounds to have regularly occurring, meaningful experiences in nature that meet their personal interests and needs. As volunteer educators, they may provide interpretive talks, lead interpretive walks, develop interpretive brochures and signage, and give formal presentations. The foundation for all of these forms of education includes knowing one's audience; planning topics, themes, goals, and objectives; background research and preparation; communicating clearly; and evaluating. This publication describes these key concepts and provides step-by-step guidelines for planning interpretive programs and other educational interactions.

Woodland owners increasingly hear about opportunities to earn income by participating in emerging forest carbon markets. This publication provides an overview of these markets and introduces the carbon credit programs operating in Virginia. This information is intended to help Virginia’s woodland owners decide if taking part in a forest carbon credit program is a good fit for their management objectives.

Estimates of the economic damage caused by meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) and woodland voles (formerly pine vole) (Microtus pinetorum) exceed $5 million annually to agricultural commodities (e.g., vegetable and grain crops, fruit orchards, flowering bulb production), nurseries, Christmas tree plantations, residential landscape plantings, and woodland parcels recently replanted with pine seedlings. This publication focuses on methods to resolve problems associated with the injurious meadow and woodland voles.

Regression techniques are widely used in forestry to predict difficult-to-measure tree characteristics. Despite their widespread applications, there is often a hesitancy to use them due to a perceived complexity. Further, these techniques are often misused. This extension publication introduces linear regression in an approachable, applied manner. The goal is that interested landowners and forestry professionals will consider using regression in their work and will have the knowledge to better critique published equations.

This publication explains how landowners can determine if threatened and endangered animals, plants, or insects are present on their land. It also identifies who to contact, if present, to determine if forest management activities could have a negative impact on these species. Finally, it includes information on a number of voluntary programs private landowners can participate in. These programs facilitate active forest management while protecting threatened and endangered species.

This publication provides information on giant hogweed identification, including how to distinguish between look alike species, and what to do if you think you have found giant hogweed.