The woodland in my backyard on the outskirts of Decatur now has a new distinction — the home of two American chestnut trees, planted there last week by my forestry friend, Dale Higdon. The trees — or ...

Bruce Beehler is a naturalist and author of 14 books, including the forthcoming “Flight of the Godwit.” This fall, I went hiking on Sugarloaf Mountain, about 30 miles northwest of the District.

We are in the middle of a very hot summer. As I was mowing the yard this weekend, I stopped to take a break in the shade of the swamp chestnut oak tree in my front yard. I started thinking about the ...