Author Archives: sigrungadwa

About sigrungadwa

I am a consulting ecologist , professional wetland scientist, and registered soil scientist, based in Cheshire, Connecticut. I hold an MS from UConn Storrs in Ecology. My business, Carya Ecological Services, LLC, specializes in applying ecological principals and knowledge of native botany to a wide range of client projects.

Mowing Tips: How to avoid killing Eastern Box Turtles

Posted on June 9, 2013

DOCUMENTING SIGHTINGS Please document any Eastern box Turtle  sighting for CTDEEP; photograph the upper and undershell, and also the habitat. Note  note the date and location. The  DEEP reporting form can be downloaded from the Endangered Species Section of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Native Landscaping, Wildlife Habitat | Leave a comment

Water Woes on Drumlins

Posted on December 30, 2011

Water Woes on Drumlins Posted on January 21, 2012 by sigrungadwa What is a drumlin anyway?  A gremlin with an aptitude for percussion?   Seriously, a rounded, elongated hill in the Connecticut landscape is probably a “drumlin”. The best known is … Continue reading →

Posted in food chain, Native Landscaping, Soils, Water Quality, Wildlife Habitat | Leave a comment

The Red Menace

Posted on August 1, 2011

Euonymus alata, also known as burning bush, is at least a clear-cut villain, unlike  some of the other invasives.    I recall spending a long June day collecting vegetation data in an an immense Euonymus thicket, a former estate  in Wilton. … Continue reading →

Posted in food chain, Invasive Species, Wildlife Habitat | Tagged | Leave a comment

Origins of the Traprock Ridges

Posted on July 28, 2011

The extensive ridgetop hiking trails in central Connecticut are fairly well known, with their fine views, blueberries, and sunflowers, e.g the trails on East Rock, West Rock, Mount Higby, the Hanging Hills,  Cathole Mountain, and Ragged Mountain.  However, remarkably few … Continue reading →

Posted in Soils, Wildlife Habitat | Leave a comment

Rose Maze

Posted on July 22, 2011

Yesterday at dusk I was near downtown Wilton, at the site of a future apartment building.  I was trying to get out of  an approximately  2-acre thicket of invasive shrubs and vines, after characterizing them. It was raining hard, so … Continue reading →

Posted in Invasive Species, Wildlife Habitat | Tagged | Leave a comment

Milky Spore Mystery

Posted on July 26, 2010

In about 1990 we applied Milky Spore to our lawn, just once, in the fall, after several years of  trapping Japanese beetles  in funnel shaped plastic bags with flower-scented lures. I’ll never forget the sickly sweet smell after it rained,  … Continue reading →

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Far-Travelling Toxins

Posted on June 25, 2010

  Very High Toxin Concentrations found in Arctic Whales The link  below is  an article sent by a colleague on the surprisingly high levels of toxins, found in arctic whales.   Concentrations of toxic heavy metals like cadmium and chromium, were … Continue reading →

Posted in food chain, oil spill, PAH, Water Quality, Wildlife Habitat | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment