Wildlife Biologist and Environmental Writer
If you really want to feel alive, surround yourself with living things. -- ©SDJ
Exploring Wild South Florida: A Guide to Finding the Natural Areas and Wildlife, 4th Edition 2011. By Susan D. Jewell. To order from Pineapple Press, Inc., click here Pineapple Press. Amazon.com customers rate this 4.8 out of 5 stars!
Exploring Wild Central Florida: A Guide to Finding the Natural Areas and Wildlife of the Central Peninsula; Pineapple Press. By Susan D. Jewell. To order from Amazon.com, click here. Note: May be out of print.
Florida's Fabulous Waders by Susan D. Jewell (essay in Great Florida Birding Trail, edited by Susan Cerulean) . To order from University Press of Florida, click here.
The Most Valuable Bird by Susan D. Jewell (essay in The Book of the Everglades, edited by Susan Cerulean). To order from Milkweed Editions, click here.
Magazine Articles by Susan Jewell:
Jewell, S.D. 2002. Adopt a Grandparent Program Lends a Hand at Pine Ridge. Native Peoples. March/April, p. 32.
Jewell, S.D. 2001. A bear sends a message. Alaskan Southeaster. February, pp. 34-35, 38. Jewell, S.D. 2000. Attacked by a bear in the middle of nowhere. Sea Kayaker. December, pp. 48-51. Newspaper Articles by Susan Jewell (The Chronicle Newspapers): The Night Sky Without Bats? A Disease Could Soon Make it True Boating and Fishing Are Fun But Come with Responsibilities Keeping Your Fireplace Warm and Our Environment Safe This Winter Accotink Watershed Plan Needs Public Input Why Our Local Floods are Getting Worse Pitch in for Public Lands Because This Land is Your Land’ The Year of the Frog Duck Stamps are Saving More than Ducks After 75 Years Fresh Local Produce Will Be On the Menu With Farmers Markets Opening Countywide Assisting Injured Wild Animals Caves, Virginia's Land Down Under Maple Syrup Making “Liquid Gold” in Your Own Backyard High School Students Surface at Waterfront to Stop the Rising Sea National Wildlife Refuges: Places of Peace and Health for Wildlife and People Falconry: The Ancient Sport of Kings - Now a Modern Sport of Americans Bringing Out the Best in Chesapeake Bay-Lorton Photographer's Images Grace New Book Citizens Help Fairfax County Become Cool Life at the Bottom of a Stream Rachel Carson-Her Book, Silent Spring, Kept the Birds Singing The Earth is Worth it-So, How Are We Doing? The American Elm: Grace Under Pressure The Mighty Mussels: Blind, Deaf, Mute Superheroes The Marvels and Myths of Snowflakes Walk the Line from Maine to Florida on the East Coast Greenway The Chestnut Challenge: Can We Bring Back this Magnificent Tree? Nature's Clock-The Changing Day Length BioBlitz: This Race is Not How Fast But How Many Turn Your Yard Watershed Friendly Vernal Pools-Miniature Marshes With a Big Job Ducks Unlimited Protects Wetlands for More than Just Ducks Let's Walk Across Fairfax County Be Kind to Bicyclists-Share the Road Where Money Grows on Roads Lake Accotink Gets a Makeover Alexandria Seaport Foundation Keeps Boat-Building Tradition Afloat Birds On the Move Virginia Indian Festival Drums up Fun for All Meet the Candidates in Springfield National Powwow Draws Native Dancers Tough Trees and the Role of Urban Forester Our Dwindling Species Fiddling for Worms Brighten Your Lawn with Plants that Belong Need some home maintenance advice? Grow an underwater garden! Are the trees sleeping? Gas pipeline through Fountainhead Park raises questions For better or for horse - adopt a wild one Lend a hand for public land Coast Guard Auxiliary keeps Potomac waters safe Too Many of Some, Too Few of Others Park authorities tackle expansion and improvement issues Planning for the next generation of garbage Wetlands deserve our praise Earth Day celebrates its 34th birthday Spring-cleaning for the Potomac River Merging people and words - join a local writers' group Small Town, Big Interest in Popes Head Creek Counting all Birds at Fort Belvoir Beyond the Tap and the Drain - Where Does Our Water Go? Neighborhood Snakes
What would Halloween be without bats? That is a question we may be facing in a few years if a new scourge that is killing the famed holiday icon continues to escalate. The disease is called white-nose... 4.3K - Oct. 7, 2009
That Pesky Yard Waste: It’s Biodegradable, So Why Can’t I Just Dump It in the Woods?
You’ve just spent hours mowing the lawn, trimming the shrubs or raking leaves. Now you have a pile of clippings and leaves, and you want to get rid of it. So you haul it down the street to the neighborhood woods and dump it there. You figure th... 4.6K - Sep. 1, 2009
Bald Eagles Raise a Family at Lake Accotink Park
Bald eagles have found a home at Lake Accotink Park in Springfield. Eagles have been seen there for several years, and this spring, a pair nested at the lake for the first time. With patience, park visitors can see the parents and two young eagles pe... 4.5K - Aug. 3, 2009
“State of the Air” Report Shows Clean Air is Rare in Fairfax County
Go outside and take a deep breath. But make sure it’s not on a “purple day” or, even worse, on a “maroon day.” So says the 10th annual State of the Air Report for 2009, released in April by the American Lung Association.... 4.6K - Jun. 1, 2009
With the walls of development closing in on us, the options for Northern Virginians to enjoy outdoor activities are dwindling. While open land is disappearing in Northern Virginia, the lakes and rivers are still here. People of all ages can learn abo... 4.7K - May. 2, 2009
Earth Day Festivals Abound in and Around Fairfax County
Get ready for a big party, but don’t forget the recyclable utensils. April 22 is Earth Day, and celebrations are planned all over the country. Fairfax County, Alexandria and the National Mall are among the locations that will have events for th... 5K - Apr. 1, 2009
When Will Spring Fall in Winter and How Will We Know? Join Project BudBurst
Now that March is here, we anticipate the arrival of spring. But when does spring start? Let us count the times. One is meteorological spring, which is March 1 a simple way to mark the seasons by the calendar. Another is the vernal equinox, when the ... 3.5K - Mar. 3, 2009
The Great Backyard Bird Count
In midwinter, when days are brief and chilly and we humans feel like snuggling inside, wild birds still have to brave the elements to find food. Local bird lovers can help scientists learn more about the health of bird populations by participating in... 4.8K - Feb. 4, 2009
Many fireplaces in modern homes have a design that has changed little in 100 years. They pull more heat from the house than they add with and without a fire burning. You could say that a fireplace is good for burning money. Here are some tips for usi... 4.4K - Jan. 7, 2009
The rainfall in Fairfax County is a blessing because it provides water for drinking, farming, gardening, recreation and supporting wildlife. The floods that damage property happen primarily because we don’t manage stormwater runoff properly. Fa... 4.5K - Oct. 29, 2008
On Sept. 6, 2008, tropical storm Hanna whooshed through Northern Virginia, dropping more than seven inches of rain in the Springfield area in less than half a day. While the overall damage was minor, some areas were devastated. Such flooding is likel... 4.5K - Oct. 1, 2008
Public lands come in all shapes and sizes, but they have one thing in common they benefit everyone. On Sept. 27, public land managers across the United States will celebrate the 15th annual National Public Lands Day by inviting the public to pitch in... 4.4K - Aug. 27, 2008
In China, this is the Year of the Rat, but in countries around the world, this is the Year of the Frog. Rather than a new international zodiac fad, this is the way scientists are drawing attention to the impending mass extinction of amphibians. Scien... 4.4K - Jul. 30, 2008
The piece of paper is only about 1 x 2 inches, but it has raised more than $700 million to save 5.2 million acres of wetlands in the United States. The little paper is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s annual Federal Migratory ... 4.3K - Jul. 3, 2008
Despite intensive real estate development, small farms are still hanging on in the Metro area. Starting in May, local residents will reap the benefits. That’s when the farmers’ markets return to Fairfax County for another fruitful... 4.3K - May. 7, 2008
Presents Legal, Practical Hurdles By Susan Jewell As Earth Day rolls around again on April 22, we feel a renewed energy to save the planet, even one animal at a time. The sight of a helpless wild animal arouses an urge in many people to give aid. Des... 4.4K - Apr. 7, 2008
Beneath the rolling meadows and forests of western Virginia is a world of large chambers, wondrous formations, rivers and even waterfalls, but no seasons. Each day is like every other-cool, damp, and pitch black. It's not the stuff of myths and horro... 4.3K - Mar. 7, 2008;
Once a staple sweetener in the northeastern United States, maple syrup fell into obscurity when cane sugar and other refined sugar production flourished. Yet the distinctive maple flavor, nutritional qualities and low environmental impact of making m... 4.1K - Jan. 31, 2008
On a mild autumn day, about 50 people, including high school students, gathered at Waterfront Park on the Potomac in Alexandria to discuss their communities’ futures. The Intergovernmental Climate Change Panel had just released a report that da... 4.1K - Jan. 31, 2008
Within an hour's drive of every major city in the United States, including Washington, DC, is a place of natural peace and beauty for wildlife and people, thanks to the National Wildlife Refuge system (NWR). The refuge system's primary mission is to ... 4.7K - Dec. 3, 2007
The hawk circles overhead, scanning below for a place to perch, then swoops down and lands on . . . someone's hand? That's because it's not a wild hawk; it is trained to return to the falconer, who is holding a morsel of food. This is the sport of fa... 4.1K - Nov. 5, 2007
Ian Plant has seen the natural beauty of Chesapeake Bay like few other people ever have. In his new book, Chesapeake: Bay of Light-An Exploration of the Chesapeake Bay's Wild and Forgotten Places, he shares his photographic journey in magnificent, fu... 4.4K - Sep. 26, 2007
The earth is warming and Virginians must get political to reduce the carbon emissions that are contributing to the warming. That was the message that four panelists delivered to a crowd of 150 people on June 13, 2007. The town hall meeting format at ... 4.5K - Aug. 3, 2007
Philip Latasa dipped the net into a knee-high section of Accotink Creek. While it looked as if there was nothing to catch, he pulled it out crawling with tiny organisms, but no fish. The children jumped with delight as they peered into the net and sa... 4.3K - Jun. 27, 2007
On May 27, Rachel Carson would have celebrated her 100th birthday. While she never sought the spotlight, Carson became one of the most famous and influential writers in American history. Her book, Silent Spring, alerted the world that we were poisoni... 4.2K - May. 2, 2007
The earth seems to be in the headlines a lot lately, and not for its good deeds. As Earth Day rolls around again on April 22, we should take stock of the progress we have made in protecting it and plot ways to protect it now and sustain it for future... 4.1K - Mar. 27, 2007
Before the American elm casts its rootprint in cement at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, viewers will get to see this new movie star in action-that's very slow action, as trees go. The American elm, shade tree extraordinaire, is the subject o... 4.2K - Feb. 27, 2007;
They can't see, hear, or even make noise. They barely even move during their entire lives. They are so small and nondescript that most people don't see them even when they are looking at them. Yet mussels are the superheroes of the water. In rivers a... 4.5K - Jan. 30, 2007
The magical transformation that comes with a snowfall is breathtaking and even mystical. Snow is a marvel of nature-it keeps animals warm in winter with a quiet grace that belies its icy composition. Let's look at some of the fascinating aspects of s... 4.0K - Dec. 29, 2006
Someday soon, people will be able to walk or bike from Maine to Florida on off-road paths. No, it's not the Appalachian Trail. It's the urban counterpart-the East Coast Greenway. If the East Coast Greenway Alliance succeeds, by 2010 they will connect... 4.2K - Nov. 27, 2006
A hundred years ago, "chestnuts roasting on an open fire" was a common sight in houses across the eastern United States. People collected the nuts from their own yards. Now the chestnut trees are gone. The demise of the American chestnut tree is one ... 4.5K - Oct. 31, 2006
September is the month of the autumnal equinox, when day and night are of equal length. Autumn arrives at three minutes after midnight on September 23. Many plants and animals adapt their daily routines based on the availability of natural light or d... 4.1K - Aug. 29, 2006
Biologists are marathoners, too. Only they don't run-they crawl, climb, swim, jump or dart madly in erratic patterns. It doesn't matter if they don't make it past the parking lot. What matters is that they find all the species they can in a small are... 4.2K - Jul. 25, 2006
Some people spend Sunday afternoons going to "For Sale" open houses. But on Sunday, June 4, 13 not-for-sale homes in northern Virginia were proudly displayed as examples of watershed-friendly yards. The open-yard tour, sponsored by Arlingtonians for ... 4.3K - Jun. 28, 2006
How could a mere puddle hold so much life? Look closely in some woodland puddles in the spring, and you'll be treated to a lively mix of tadpoles, small crustaceans, insects, and other invertebrates. All over the eastern woodlands, spring rains creat... 4.2K - Jun. 2, 2006
Once upon a time, the skies across North America throbbed with the wing beats of waterfowl. They nested in huge numbers in the small ponds that pockmark the flat northern Great Plains. They wintered abundantly along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf co... 4.4K - Apr. 25, 2006
If you've ever yearned to walk across Fairfax County, the newly completed Cross County Trail is the perfect way. The multi-use trail, stretching between Great Falls Park in northern Fairfax County and Laurel Hill Park in Lorton, is 40 miles long and ... 4.2K - Apr. 25, 2006
Warm weather and bicycling go hand in hand. Bicycles are an excellent form of transportation in Northern Virginia because the climate is relatively mild and the terrain is gentle. It's a safe way of traveling, provided bicyclists, motorists, and prop... 4.2K - Apr. 14, 2006
Would Abe Lincoln be flattered or insulted? His image lies all over our roads. We step on his face and run over him, so to speak, every day. We drop his likeness carelessly out of our pockets. But at least everyone in this country knows his face. For... 3.8K - Feb. 1, 2006
Or should we call it a "lakeover"? Starting next March, the 55-acre Lake Accotink in Springfield will be dredged to remove 161,000 cubic yards of silt that has accumulated over the years. The silt will be scooped by a hydraulic dredge, pumped three m... 4.2K - Jan. 4, 2006
A floating building on the Potomac River seems a throwback to colonial times, but the Alexandria Seaport Foundation has its headquarters in just such a building. Located on the Potomac River between Queen and Cameron streets in Old Town Alexandria, t... 4.4K - Nov. 30, 2005
Winter is on its way, and somehow the birds know. To some, it doesn't matter; they stay because they can survive. Others would starve or freeze to death, so they must fly south to warmer climates. Still others come from the far north and pass through... 4.3K - Nov. 3, 2005
Young and old alike joined in an outdoor festival on September 10 at Riverbend Park that celebrated Virginia's original inhabitants. Descendents of those Native Americans, who are members of the Mattaponi, Pamunkey, and Rappahannock tribes, demonstr... 4.3K - Sep. 27, 2005
Are you ready for this year's elections? Come and talk with the candidates at the Springfield Civic Association's "Candidates Night" meeting on September 20. The association wants to make it easier for the public to learn about the candidates and t... 4.1K - Sep. 8, 2005
The drums pounded like the heartbeat of the Earth. The dancers, dressed in astonishingly elaborate, colorful, and intricate regalia, whirled around the arena like a kaleidoscope. They were participating in the National Museum of the American Indian... 4.3K - Aug. 24, 2005
It's tough being a tree in the city. Your branches get pruned so they don't snap utility wires. People stomp on your roots. Cars spew toxic fumes and make your leaves turn yellow. Life as a tree in a city would be miserable without friends like u... 4.4K - Jul. 26, 2005
What do wolves, mountain lions, bison, and elk have to do with northern Virginia? If you guessed that they all once roamed here, you're right. But the coming of the European settlers caused their populations to decline to the point that they no lon... 4.5K - Jun. 29, 2005
I'm not a musician. But when it comes to worms, I sure can fiddle. Give me a hand-powered driveway edger, and I'll give you half a dozen wrigglers in ten minutes. I'll have edged the driveway, too. I discovered my musical powers one day when I was... 4.2K - May. 26, 2005
Nothing says "spring is here" like the blooming of native wildflowers. We see greenhouse flowers all winter, but the delicate blossoms of the bloodroot, spring beauty, and Virginia bluebell on the forest floor in April are a sure sign of warming wea... 4.4K - Apr. 27, 2005
The faces around the room resembled those at a United Nations meeting. Rick Gonzalez, the program chair for the Springfield Civic Association, noticed this as soon as he took the floor to introduce the workshop. Gonzalez, aided by community volunte... 4.6K - Mar. 30, 2005
Everyone knows that plants grow on land. But did you know that plants grow underwater, too? And did you know that aquatic and marine creatures graze on them, like deer and woodchucks graze in meadows? These submerged plants are important for the h... 4.5K - Feb. 10, 2005
The wind whistles through the branches. Leaves tumble on the ground around the trunk. The tree looks dead, but we don't mourn. We know it will burst into life again next April. But what is it doing now? All summer we enjoy the benefits of the tre...
4.1K - Dec. 8, 2004; scored 249.0
Our suburbs are sprawling, and to meet the need, utilities are expanding their infrastructures in surrounding counties. In January of this year, the Washington Gas Light Company applied for a license to install a 12-inch pipeline through Fountainhea...
4.8K - Nov. 5, 2004; scored 249.0
A month from now, a piece of the wild Old West could prance into your pasture and hang around the farm for a decade or two. October 2-3, the Bureau of Land Management will hold its second auction of wild horses and burros at Meadowood Special Recrea...
4.3K - Sep. 2, 2004; scored 249.0
"Private Property." "Do Not Enter." "No Trespassing." These are not signs you want to see if you are seeking a place to relax away from the commotion of the city. And you won't see them on thousands of public lands across the country that exist to... 4.3K - Aug. 31, 2004
"Is everything okay?" calls Coast Guard Auxiliarist Joe Cirone from the helm of his 24-foot Sea Ray as he idles the boat toward a Bayliner anchored in Belmont Bay. "Yes, we're fine," comes the answer from the other deck. Cirone replies, "Then I'll ... 4.2K - Jul. 28, 2004
With swarms of cicadas flying around our yards now, it is hard to imagine that some insects could become endangered. But that is the plight of some of the cicada's relatives. In April, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services ad... 4.3K - Jun. 30, 2004
Fairfax County Park Authority has big plans for its parks, especially its newest major addition, Laurel Hill Park. The park is part of the former D.C. correctional facility in Lorton that was turned over to Fairfax County in July 2002. The county i...
4.6K - Jun. 3, 2004
Twenty years from now, will Fairfax County be the rolling hills of landfills? Not if the new Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) works. The county is required to submit the 20-year integrated plan to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality ... 4.3K - Jun. 3, 2004
May is American Wetlands Month. You might wonder why we honor our bottomlands for a whole month. After all, much of this country's history has been spent draining wetlands, until we're left with a fraction of the historical acreage. But it wasn't ... 4.6K - May. 11, 2004
More than three decades have passed since former Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson organized the first national recognition of the declining health of the Earth. During the 1960s, he observed that air and water quality around the country were appalli... 4.5K - Apr. 2, 2004
Spring-cleaning time is here. Time to clean out the closets, the basement, the garage, and the river. The river? That's right, the Potomac River needs cleaning, too. Over the winter, when snow covers the banks and few people stroll along the shor... 4.7K - Mar. 19, 2004
Ever dream of becoming a writer, but don't know where to start? Have a passion to write your memoirs but don't know how to harness it? Need a mentor to help you through the publishing process? One solution for amateur writers is to join a local wr... 4.1K - Mar. 19, 2004
Anthony Cavallaro lives in a rural part of Fairfax City within the Popes Head Creek Watershed. On January 13, he joined residents of Clifton, Manassas, Reston, Alexandria, Woodbridge, and Annandale at the Clifton Community Center to discuss watershe... 4.5K - Feb. 27, 2004
Christmas bird counts in northern Virginia are supposed to be cold. The decision to rise before dawn for an all-day outing is usually something to carefully deliberate. But this year the record-tying warm temperatures make the birders glad to be ou.. 4.0K - Feb. 27, 2004
Ask someone where his water comes from and where it goes to and he might answer, "It comes from the tap and goes into the drain." Okay, it does, but let's look at the larger picture. Why should we? As residents of this or any county, we have a res... 4.6K - Jan. 6, 2004
Seeing snakes in my Springfield yard twice in one day was twice as many as I had ever seen. Yesterday, while doing a little fall yard work, I spied a garter snake sunning itself on the warm brick walkway. An hour later, my eyes lit on a baby brown ... 3.9K - Nov. 24, 2003
