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OUTDOOR SURVIVAL TIPS EVERY WINTER SPORTS LOVER SHOULD KNOW
2. Protect your lungs from the cold. Breathe through your nose and cover your mouth with a scarf or other clothing. These steps will warm the air you breathe, prevent shortness of breath, and keep your core temperature up. 3. Melt snow before you eat it. You might be tempted to eat snow if you feel thirsty, but this can have a dangerous effect on your body temperature. Instead, melt the snow into water before consuming it. Ideally, you have a water bottle or canteen with you. Fill it with snow, slide it inside your jacket, and wait for your body heat to melt the snow. These tips aren’t a substitute for the basics like staying home in bad weather, wearing layers, packing survival gear, and learning to build a fire. But they can help you stay warm until help arrives!
Whether you love to hike, ski, snowboard, or simply live in a cold climate, you need to learn how to protect yourself from frostbite and hypothermia. You never know when you might be caught outside in frigid temperatures! Here are a few tips to remember in case you find yourself in a dangerous situation. 1. Find or build a wind shelter. Icy wind can slice through even the warmest winter gear and quickly sap your body heat. If you’re stuck outside in an urban area, you can shelter behind a wall. Some survivalists even recommend emptying a large trash can and climbing inside until the weather dies down because plastic is a great insulator. (Fun fact: Winter cyclists wear plastic “socks” over or under their real socks to protect their feet from the cold.)
Trees can provide a natural wind shelter in the wilderness, or you can build a snow cave in a snowy, treeless area. Pile the snow around you into a drift, then burrow inside to protect yourself from the wind. Dig all the way to the ground if you can, and block most of the entrance to your cave with whatever you have on hand — a backpack, pine boughs, or more snow.
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Cutting damaged pine trees at MDC Farmington ave reservoir Dec. 1
Increased Sunlight Exposure Pruning during the dormant season opens the canopy, allowing more sunlight to reach the lower branches and the ground. This is especially beneficial for grass and other ground cover.
to prune trees for their overall health and recovery and for future structural growth. 4 Benefits of Winter Pruning Removing dead or diseased branches in winter promotes vigorous and healthy spring growth. It’s also easier to spot decay issues without the cover of leaves.
Improved Aesthetic Appeal Pruning in the winter allows you to shape your trees according to your desired look. Prevent Overgrowth Certain species of trees are prone to overgrowth. Winter pruning keeps them in check and ensures they don’t outgrow their designated spaces in your yard.
Enhanced Safety Dead or weak branches are more likely to break and fall during winter storms, posing a safety hazard. Winter pruning reduces this risk by removing these vulnerable branches.
For our best rates on winter pruning, call (860) 888-8472. Happy New Year’s from the Trout Brook Team.
–Andrew Bachman CT Arborist S6222
2 | (860) 888-8472
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