Calvin Norman
@functionalforests.bsky.social
Let's talk about trees! 🌳
I'm a forester, wildlife biologist and assist. teaching prof working on climate change, invasive species, and CWD at PSU. Opinions my own
I'm a forester, wildlife biologist and assist. teaching prof working on climate change, invasive species, and CWD at PSU. Opinions my own
When I see basal area in metric
November 30, 2025 at 2:06 PM
When I see basal area in metric
Finishing up the bad place today (80% of the overstory is tree of heaven). I got a nice little treat— to kill a big paulownia
October 31, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Finishing up the bad place today (80% of the overstory is tree of heaven). I got a nice little treat— to kill a big paulownia
It seems like my chimney isn’t as sealed as I thought it was. This southern flying squirrel got in the house, but I managed to catch it before the cats. It was released, largely, unharmed
October 27, 2025 at 1:46 PM
It seems like my chimney isn’t as sealed as I thought it was. This southern flying squirrel got in the house, but I managed to catch it before the cats. It was released, largely, unharmed
Sedges have edges, rushes are round, and grasses have nodes all the way to the ground—that’s the only grass id you need
October 17, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Sedges have edges, rushes are round, and grasses have nodes all the way to the ground—that’s the only grass id you need
Look what decided to show up to my invasive plant workshop! It really drove home the importance of the workshop
September 29, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Look what decided to show up to my invasive plant workshop! It really drove home the importance of the workshop
I collected and gave away a bunch of native plants at the Great Insect Fair because insects grow on plants
September 21, 2025 at 6:45 PM
I collected and gave away a bunch of native plants at the Great Insect Fair because insects grow on plants
We’re getting swamp white oaks and chestnut oaks started! We’re in a drought so I’m not too confident in their fertility…
September 20, 2025 at 11:06 PM
We’re getting swamp white oaks and chestnut oaks started! We’re in a drought so I’m not too confident in their fertility…
Only a few weeks old and she’s already taking out spotted laternfly. I couldn’t be more proud of my little girl
September 14, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Only a few weeks old and she’s already taking out spotted laternfly. I couldn’t be more proud of my little girl
I finally found where the SLG on this property was coming from
August 21, 2025 at 10:55 PM
I finally found where the SLG on this property was coming from
Just a few invasives
July 20, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Just a few invasives
Spotted laternfly is such a flexible insect! Yesterday, I saw it feeding on at least a dozen species from tree of heaven to white oak to pokeweed
July 14, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Spotted laternfly is such a flexible insect! Yesterday, I saw it feeding on at least a dozen species from tree of heaven to white oak to pokeweed
First SLF of the year, and it’s not even on tree of heaven. It was on a multiflora rose. Don’t worry I killed everything in this picture
June 22, 2025 at 11:49 AM
First SLF of the year, and it’s not even on tree of heaven. It was on a multiflora rose. Don’t worry I killed everything in this picture
A lawn hates to see me coming—I’m prepping this for conversion to a native meadow
June 17, 2025 at 3:38 PM
A lawn hates to see me coming—I’m prepping this for conversion to a native meadow
Here’s my new record tree of heaven! It was so big I threw a few root hacks on it
June 16, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Here’s my new record tree of heaven! It was so big I threw a few root hacks on it
Big herp day! It’s so fun seeing these dudes and making good habitat for all the critters in the woods
June 9, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Big herp day! It’s so fun seeing these dudes and making good habitat for all the critters in the woods
This week, I part of a really fun multi-institution event where we trained grad about extension! Teaching people about extension, doing some extension events, and seeing old friends was such a great time!
May 29, 2025 at 6:26 PM
This week, I part of a really fun multi-institution event where we trained grad about extension! Teaching people about extension, doing some extension events, and seeing old friends was such a great time!
Class is over and I’m back in the field! The first project for the summer is killing invasives and getting control of this fern. Once we have everything in shape, which will take two years, we’ll plant roughly dozen native tree and shrub species
May 21, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Class is over and I’m back in the field! The first project for the summer is killing invasives and getting control of this fern. Once we have everything in shape, which will take two years, we’ll plant roughly dozen native tree and shrub species
Some colleagues and I are writing a tree ID and I’m SO proud of how it’s coming! If you need a tree ID book for the Mid-Atlantic, I’ll have one for you next June
May 3, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Some colleagues and I are writing a tree ID and I’m SO proud of how it’s coming! If you need a tree ID book for the Mid-Atlantic, I’ll have one for you next June
Who knew CWD had lobbyists!?!
April 30, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Who knew CWD had lobbyists!?!
The CEO of Colossal is really posting through it. He forgot (or doesn’t know) that science is built by consensus and he SHOULD be concerned about critiques from the scientific community. Posting a 2011 meme instead of data is telling
April 10, 2025 at 3:51 PM
The CEO of Colossal is really posting through it. He forgot (or doesn’t know) that science is built by consensus and he SHOULD be concerned about critiques from the scientific community. Posting a 2011 meme instead of data is telling
This whole “dire wolf” thing is just Silicone Valley folks doing the Torture Nexus meme, but with Jurassic Park. You know can tell they’re not serious because they started with a long extinct species that had no habitat, didn’t use its DNA, and are trying to use phenotypic species definition!!
April 9, 2025 at 2:38 PM
This whole “dire wolf” thing is just Silicone Valley folks doing the Torture Nexus meme, but with Jurassic Park. You know can tell they’re not serious because they started with a long extinct species that had no habitat, didn’t use its DNA, and are trying to use phenotypic species definition!!
Invasive plants like this Japanese barberry are the first bud out and the last to lose their leaves this phenomenon is called extended leaf phenology. If you see a plant leafing out before anything else, it’s probably invasive
March 24, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Invasive plants like this Japanese barberry are the first bud out and the last to lose their leaves this phenomenon is called extended leaf phenology. If you see a plant leafing out before anything else, it’s probably invasive
Looks like Europe is taking the trade war seriously. Hardwood markets are going to take big hit, especially following the loss of the Chinese market.
Casks, used in the aging of wine/spirts, are specifically called out, so I’m curious what the long tail impacts of this will be
Casks, used in the aging of wine/spirts, are specifically called out, so I’m curious what the long tail impacts of this will be
March 12, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Looks like Europe is taking the trade war seriously. Hardwood markets are going to take big hit, especially following the loss of the Chinese market.
Casks, used in the aging of wine/spirts, are specifically called out, so I’m curious what the long tail impacts of this will be
Casks, used in the aging of wine/spirts, are specifically called out, so I’m curious what the long tail impacts of this will be
We had a really fun guest lecture today about the Champion Tree Program! I’m so happy to see how Jaq is growing the program and helping find some of the biggest trees in America!!
March 5, 2025 at 5:01 PM
We had a really fun guest lecture today about the Champion Tree Program! I’m so happy to see how Jaq is growing the program and helping find some of the biggest trees in America!!
Oooofff. Well, RIP to the US forest products industry
March 4, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Oooofff. Well, RIP to the US forest products industry