Woods

6 eyes flutter, scanning the warming moist air, 3 mouths open in a simultaneous wide yawn. Who is in the woods? [[Click to wake up Critter 1|Word1]]

(set: $word1 to "Black Bear") A bunchy pillow of velvety chocolate fur, Black Bear, woozy from her late night honey comb binge at the bee hive, slowly comes alive, limb by limb, toe by finger, to spot the fading glow of the setting full moon. Jarringly, she hears some commotion nearby. (live: 0.5s)[(either: "Bang!", "Clank!", "Ouch!", "Grrr!") ] And, why is my neck moist? she wonders... [[Click to wake up Critter 2|Word2]]

(set: $inv to (a: $word1, $word2, $word3)) $inv are here!

(set: $word2 to "Spotted Fawn") Spotted Fawn and her twin are delicate fierce pixies, the first up each day sniffing out the sweetest shoots in the tall grass for breakfast as twilight lightens the sky, and the starry night and setting moon cede to the sun. They love to sneak up on Black Bear to nose her awake and start the day together. Spotted Fawn snorts friskily with her twin, then all of a sudden spooks away from a sharp noise. [[Click to wake up Critter 3|Word3]]

(set: $word3 to "Squorkie") Baby squirrel, Squorkie, is a zippy dune buggy! Newly graduated from the nest, flinging themself here and there, careful to run for cover from the crows and hawks, happy to scatter a birdfeeder in a quick grab and dash to stuff as much seed as they can in their face. Today's mix includes cashews! So they stay a bit longer to load up to treat Black Bear, too. This morning, though, perched high in a hickory tree, Squorkie drops their cashews and softly barks at the provoking sharp noises. [[Critters|List1]] [[What's that noise?|Noise]]

(set: $poop to (either: "pile", "nuggets", "drops")) They decide on a prank that is easy to do and they have plenty of time and material to make -- poop for him to step on in unexpected places! Each day, one of them will figure out a way that gets his attention and gets a good laugh. Pay attention! It's time now to figure out who did it in the woods, where. Later that day, as the human set out to drive in some more stakes, he found some $poop just before his next step! {(set: $inv2 to (a: "pile", "nuggets", "drops"))} [[I wonder who did it?|Guess]] [[Look some more|Poop]]

(set: $where to (either: "bee hives", "tall grass", "hickory tree")) (set: $inv3 to (a: "bee hives", "tall grass", "hickory tree")) (if: $start is 0)[You've got 3 place it could have happened: $inv3 (set: $start to 1)] Check [[what's left|List3]] to see what location is missing to get your answer! [[Solve]]

(set: $location to (prompt: "where did it happen?")) (if: $solve contains "Hickory Tree")[(set: $where to "Hickory Tree")] (if: $solve contains "Tall Grass")[(set: $where to "Tall Grass")] (if: $solve contains "Bee Hive")[(set: $where to "Bee Hive")] (if: $location is $where)[You got it! $guess did it by the $where.] (else:)[[[Try another guess|Solve]]] [[Ready to solve the next prank?|Poop]] [[What about the human?|Human]]

(set: $culprit1 to (prompt: "Who did it?")) {(if: $poop contains "pile")[(set: $guess to "Black Bear")] (if: $poop contains "nuggets")[(set: $guess to "Spotted Fawn")] (if: $poop contains "drops")[(set: $guess to "Squorkie")]} (if: $culprit1 is $guess)[You got it![[Where?]]] (else:)[Try another [[Guess]]]

(set: $inv2 to $inv2 - (a: $poop)) $inv2 are left!

(set: $inv3 to $inv3 - (a: $where)) $inv3 are left The one missing location is it! [[Solve]]

Black Bear, Spotted Fawn, and Squorkie see the lone human, a new visitor staking their woods with pink flags, banging in stakes to [[mark some spots|Mark]]. But, why? And should they be worried? They'd hate to see anyone bother their favorite places by the hickory tree, bee hives, or the fields of tall grass. They relied on these special spots for food and protection. Plus they made the best places for fun and games as far back as they could remember.

(if: $start is 0)[The ground was hard for so little rain, and the human had to work hard to drive the stakes in.With each strike the human made, Black Bear, Spotted Fawn and Squorkie ask each other: (set: $start to 1)] (if: $start is 1)[(set: $tries to $tries + 1)] (if: $tries is 1)[[[Stake falls over - try again? Say the critters: Should we pull up the stakes?|Mark]]] (if: $tries is 2)[[[Huh, still not stable - try again? Scare him off?|Mark]]] (if: $tries is 3)[[[One more time? Play pranks on him?|Mark]]] (if: $tries is 4)[[[Done!|Poop]]]

One morning, Spotted Fawn, while poking around the newest stake, rooting at it with her back to the driveway, turned around and saw Human! A new one, a young woman with a clipboard, a bag, and a shovel. (set: $counter to 1) {(live: 1s)[ (set: $counter to it + 1) (if: $counter is 10)[(go-to: "Human2")] (replace: ?amount)[$counter] ] }

Spotted Fawn froze; her mom had taught her that sometimes, trying to be invisible could save you. Making herself still as a statue, barely breathing, she counted to 10... (set: $counter to 1) |amount>[$counter]! {(live: 1s)[ (set: $counter to it + 1) (if: $counter is 11)[(go-to: "PlanB")] (replace: ?amount)[$counter] ] }

{(set: $job to (either: "landscape architect", "real estate developer", "pipeline consultant")) (set: $critter to (either: "Black Bear", "Spotted Fawn", "Squorkie")) (set: $inv4 to (a: "landscape architect", "real estate developer", "pipeline consultant"))} Pay attention! It's time now to figure out what this human is doing in the woods and how it affects the critters. Just under the biggest oak tree, where all the best acorns pile up, $critter spotted a small pick up truck. $critter could think of 3 options: $inv4 [[Look some more|job]] $critter saw $job on the side door. {(if: $job contains "land")[[[That's what the bag is for!|LA]]] (if: $job contains "real")[[[Huh, the shovel?|RD]]] (if: $job contains "pipe")[[[I guess you'd need a clipboard?|PC]]]}

(set: $impact1 to (either: "natural species", "showy hybrids")) Contracted for design, the human was there to investigate planting $impact1. (if: $impact1 contains "natural")[[[Could be good|good]]] (if: $impact1 contains "showy")[[[Likely bad|bad]]] [[Also...|LA]] [[Pick another job|job]] [[What do the critters think?|Final]]

(set: $impact2 to (either: "conservation easement preparation", "clear cutting the timber")) The human was retained to provide an estimate for $impact2. (if: $impact2 contains "conserv")[[[Could be good|good2]]] (if: $impact2 contains "clear")[[[Likely bad|bad2]]] [[Also...|RD]] [[Pick another job|job]] [[What do the critters think?|Final]]

(set: $impact3 to (either: "endangered species in the area", "ways to sell this project to the community")) The human was assessing if there were $impact3. (if: $impact3 contains "endan")[[[Could be good|good3]]] (if: $impact3 contains "ways")[[[Likely bad|bad3]]] [[Also...|PC]] [[Pick another job|job]] [[What do the critters think?|Final]]

Habitat destruction is the #1 threat to animals and all living things. (font: "Andalus")["I am the heat of your hearth on the cold winter nights, the friendly shade screening you from the summer sun, and my fruits are refreshing draughts quenching your thirst as you journey on...I am the bread of kindness and the flower of beauty. Ye who pass by, listen to my prayer: Harm me not."] *Prayer of the woods* [[The critters huddle|huddle]]

(set: $counter to 1) {(live: 1s)[ (set: $counter to it + 1) (if: $counter is 2)[All 3 sat and watched the trickle from the new culvert after the passing thunderstorm.] (if: $counter is 3)[All 3 sat and watched the trickle from the new culvert after the passing thunderstorm.] (if: $counter is 4)[All 3 sat and watched the trickle from the new culvert after the passing thunderstorm.] (if: $counter is 5)[All 3 sat and watched the trickle from the new culvert after the passing thunderstorm.] (if: $counter is 6)[All 3 sat and watched the trickle from the new culvert after the passing thunderstorm.] (if: $counter is 7)["Gettin' dark"] (if: $counter is 8)["No...it's not getting dark Squorkie"] (if: $counter is 9)["No...it's not getting dark Squorkie"] (if: $counter is 10)[(go-to: "Chat")] (replace: ?amount)[$counter] ]}

Hushed. (set: $counter to 1) {(live: 1s)[ (set: $counter to it + 1) (if: $counter is 2)["Ga, ga, guh, ... gettin' dark." ] (if: $counter is 3)["Ga, ga, guh, ... gettin' dark." ] (if: $counter is 5)[Nervously stuttered in the way of a small animal feeling...] (if: $counter is 6)[Nervously stuttered in the way of a small animal feeling...] (if: $counter is 7)[Nervously stuttered in the way of a small animal feeling...] (if: $counter is 10)[small..] (if: $counter is 11)[(text-style: "condense")[small..]] (if: $counter is 12)[(css: "font-size: 75%;")[small...]] (if: $counter is 13)[(css: "font-size: 50%;")[small...]] (if: $counter is 14)[(css: "font-size: 50%;")[small...]] (if: $counter is 15)[(css: "font-size: 50%;")[small...]] (if: $counter is 17)[(go-to: "Fini")] (replace: ?amount)[$counter] ] }

(set: $counter to 0) {(live: 1s)[ (set: $counter to it + 1) (if: $counter is 1)[Down the rabbit hole they go.] (if: $counter is 2)[(text-style: "smear")[Down]] (if: $counter is 3)[(text-style: "mirror")[Down]] (if: $counter is 4)[(css: "font-size: 50%;")[Down]] (if: $counter is 5)[(css: "font-size: 25%;")[Down]] (if: $counter is 6)[(css: "font-size: 10%;")[Down]] (if: $counter is 7)[(css: "font-size: 0%;")[Down]] (replace: ?amount)[$counter] ] }

Natural plantings efficiently share resources, like water. Only .003% of water on Earth is freshwater available for human consumption, including watering landscaping. Americans now use 127% more water than in 1950, and about 95% of the water entering our homes goes down the drain. [[What's next?|Final]]

Non-native hybrid plantings are often not compatible with our native vegetation. They are prone to escaping into the wild and dramatically changing native habitats, invading and plundering, replacing native vegetation, thereby changing the whole ecosystem. [[What's next?|Final]]

A conservation easement limits certain types of uses or prevents development from taking place on the land in perpetuity while the land remains in private hands. [[What's next?|Final]]

Without grass and other groundcover, runoff is high. What soil has not been eroded away is thin and dry. Creek beds become sluces, co-opted as conduits for sending flash floods downstream at maximum velocity. [[What's next?|Final]]

Black bear, Spotted Fawn, and Squorkie all had cousins who were in danger of extinction (Brown Bear, Key Deer, and Fox Squirrel). Any consideration to protect special habitats is better at the start of a project, rather than rescue attempts after damage has already been done. Black bear was living proof! Once hunted to rarity, protection efforts brough back numbers impressively. [[What's next?|Final]]

While pipelines are generally regarded as a safe way to transport fuel, a far better alternative to tanker trucks or freight trains, it's inevitable that as pipelines age, as they are exposed to the elements, eventually they are going to spill. While rare, the impact of such failure is usually catastrophic to the surrounding ecosystems. [[What's next?|Final]]

(set: $counter to 0) {(live: 1s)[ (set: $counter to it + 1) (if: $counter is 1)[Who...] (if: $counter is 3)[did it in the] (if: $counter is 4)[did it in the] (if: $counter is 7)[Woods?] (if: $counter is 8)[Woods?] (if: $counter is 9)[Woods?] (if: $counter is 10)[Woods?] (if: $counter is 12)[(go-to: "Main")] (replace: ?amount)[$counter] ] } <hr>