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https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/these-creative-wind-turbines-will-have-you-rethinking-what-you-know-about-wind-power-180957767/

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- https://designbuild.nridigital.com/design_build_review_feb20/cork_architecture_sustainable_alternative_wood

- https://www.treehugger.com/yurts-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-but-were-afraid-to-4868435

- https://criticalconcrete.com/building-with-mushrooms/

- https://constructionblog.autodesk.com/top-sustainable-construction-materials/

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Cork in Architecture: A Sustainable Alternative to Wood - Design & Build Review | Issue 54 | February 2020

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There is a growing move to use sustainable materials in building construction, with wood in particular seeing a dramatic surge in popularity. But cork is increasingly emerging as a durable, environmentally friendly option. We look at some of the projects to showcase cork in the built environment

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https://sibleynaturecenter.org/photo-essays/keystone-species

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https://www.cedarhillstatepark.org/nature/animals/oakprariebirdlist.pdf

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keystone species: https://www.nwf.org/-/media/Documents/PDFs/Garden-for-Wildlife/Keystone-Plants/NWF-GFW-keystone-plant-list-ecoregion-9-great-plains.ashx?la=en&hash=D93EC537B17AF4BEA41B4CC0149413C15A46CC29

- https://sites.google.com/a/g.coppellisd.com/blackland-prairie/native-species

- https://www.oneearth.org/plains-bison/#:~:text=Plains%20bison%20are%20the%20flagship,%26%20Blackland%20Prairies%20(%20NA28%20).

- https://www.humanesociety.org/animals/bees#:~:text=A%20keystone%20species%2C%20bees%20are,pesticides%2C%20habitat%20loss%20and%20disease.

- https://www.environmentbuddy.com/environment/10-examples-of-keystone-species/

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A keystone species, bees are responsible for sustaining ecosystems and billions of dollars in agricultural crops each year.

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- https://www.dezeen.com/2021/07/17/ten-tactile-biomaterials-interiors-lookbook/

- https://www.dezeen.com/2020/09/12/ten-eco-friendly-off-grid-homes-architecture-roundup/

- https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/designing-for-typologies/a2660-10-great-examples-of-architecture-for-the-blind-around-the-world/

- https://www.msbarchitects.com/blog/architecture-pop-culture-lotrs-rivendell

- https://www.architecturelab.net/underground-homes/

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These 10 off-grid homes allow residents to live in more remote locations, or were designed by eco-minded designers to facilitate low-impact lifestyles.

The Hut, USA, by Midland Architecture
This treehouse-like house on a cattle farm in rural Ohio and was designed by Midland Architecture as a sensitive, self-sufficient addition to its natural setting.

With no access to mains electricity or water, it is powered entirely by solar energy and has been orientated on the site to maximise solar heat gain and enable natural ventilation.
Find out more about The Hut ›

The Edifice, USA, by Marc Thorpe
The Edifice is a low-impact dwelling that Marc Thorpe created in the Catskill Mountains to serve as a sustainable model for a 12-hectare nature retreat that has been proposed nearby.

To prevent reliance on public utilities, it is fitted out with a composting toilet, a rainwater collection system and a wood-burning stove. It also has rooftop solar panels, though lighting is intended to be provided solely by candles.
Find out more about Edifice ›

Catuçaba, Brazil, by Studio MK27
The prefabricated Catuçaba house in Brazil is elevated on stilts and fronted by floor-to-ceiling glazing that offers views out to its remote setting in a rugged, agricultural landscape.

A nearby wind turbine provides the home's electricity in tandem with rooftop solar panels, with any excess energy stored in batteries beneath the structure. It also features rainwater treatment systems that are used for irrigation, while a nearby spring is used for drinking water.
Find out more about Catuçaba ›

ZeroCabin, Chile, by Felipe Lüer, Hector Becker, Luis Valladares, Andrés Lüer, Oscar Villalon and Ian Burbulis

This self-sufficient dwelling, named ZeroCabin, was conceived as a replicable "kit of parts" that can be customised based on a user's needs and the local climate and topography.

It has a predominantly timber structure and its energy needs are met by photovoltaic panels, while heat is provided by sunlight and a wood-powered stove. If the cabin was to be built in other locales, the designers claim it can also be fitted with other power-generating devices such as micro water turbines.
Find out more about ZeroCabin ›

Ashen Cabin, USA, by Hannah
This tiny off-grid cabin by US studio Hannah has no power or running water and is reliant on foam insulation and the wood-burning fireplace to regulate the temperature inside.

It sits on 3D-printed concrete stilts and is wrapped in infested ash wood that would have otherwise been burned or left to rot, chosen by Hannah to demonstrate alternative and sustainable methods of construction.
Find out more about Ashen Cabin ›

House of the Big Arch, South Africa, by Frankie Pappas
The off-grid House of the Big Arch by architecture collective Frankie Pappas nestles within Bushveld nature reserve in South Africa, which is an hour-and-a-half drive from the nearest town.

To reduce its impact on this setting, it was built around existing trees on the site and functions completely off-grid using technologies such as solar panels for electricity and a rainwater collection and filtration system for the building's plumbing.
Find out more about House of the Big Arch ›

Bruny Island Cabin, Australia, by Maguire + Devine
Bruny Island Cabin was designed by Maguire + Devine for a client who desired a minimalist, off-grid home in Tasmania that had everything she needed built-in.

Alongside rainwater collection and solar panels, it relies on a wood-fired burner for warmth and bottled gas for heating water. Both its firewood and gas bottles are stored in a timber shelter adjacent to the house that doubles as a privacy screen.
Find out more about Bruny Island Cabin ›

Heva, France, by A6A
Heva is a 22-square-metre timber cabin owned by A6A co-founder Michel Hardoin that is intended to be taken anywhere and allow his family to live self-sufficiently.

Electricity is generated using rooftop photovoltaic panels, while a wood stove is used for heating. It also has a dry toilet and a wastewater treatment system, though drinking water is provided from a tank that has to be refilled.
Find out more about Heva ›

The Olive Houses, Spain, by Mar Plus Ask
The Olive Houses are a pair of dwellings that Mar Plus Ask has nestled into the mountains of Mallorca as a peaceful getaway for architects, writers and artists.

They are built around a dense grove of thousand-year-old olive trees and large craggy boulders that jut through some of the walls. Among the utilities that help the modest structures function off-grid is a wood-fire oven and a water supply from a nearby spring.
Find out more about The Olive Houses ›

Boar Shoat, USA, by Imbue Design
Imbue Design created this off-grid retreat in Idaho for a family looking for an isolated place to connect with nature and "distance themselves from social stresses".

It relies on photovoltaic panels for electricity and passive building designs to regulate its internal temperature. This includes glazed areas that bring sunlight in to warm the interiors in winter, while an overhanging roof provides shade from solar heat in the summer.
Find out more about Boar Shoat ›

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Ten eco-friendly dwellings where residents live off the grid

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These 10 off-grid homes allow residents to live in more remote locations, or were designed by eco-minded designers to facilitate low-impact lifestyles. The Hut, USA, by Midland Architecture This treehouse-like house on a cattle farm in rural Ohio and was designed by Midland Architecture as a sensitive, self-sufficient addition to its natural setting.

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Most common: wildfires

- Ice damage
- Slight wind damage from southern hurricanes
- Floods
- Drought

also not weather-related but poor farming/agriculture practices damage the vegetation

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Just by skimming it looks like the park has a majority of clear skies

https://www.cleardarksky.com/c/LBJGrssldTXkey.html?1

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It's the astronomer's forecast. At a glance, it shows when it will be cloudy or clear for the next few days. It's a prediction of when Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands, TX, will have good weather for astronomical observing.

The data comes from a forecast model developed by Allan Rahill of the Canadian Meteorological Centre. CMC's numerical weather forecasts are unique because they are specifically designed for astronomers. But they have 1180 forecast maps. It can be a chore to find the one map that tells you if you can observe tonight.

So, I (Attilla Danko) wrote a script to generate the images like the one above which summarizes CMC's forecast images just for Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands and the surroundings out to about 10 miles.

There are charts for 6210 locations.
Summary: In the rows labeled "Sky", find a column of blue blocks. You can probably observe then.
Details: Read the image from left to right. Each column represents a different hour. The colors of the blocks are the colors from CMC's forecast maps for that hour. The two numbers at the top of a column is the time. A digit 1 on top of a 3 means 13:00 or 1pm. It's local time, in 24hr format. (Local time for Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands is -6.0 hours from GMT.) Single blocks mean separate forecast data for each hour. Connected blocks mean one forecast calculation for several hours.
The line, labeled Cloud Cover forecasts total cloud cover. The colors are picked from what color the sky is likely to be, with Dark blue being clear. Lighter shades of blue are increasing cloudiness and white is overcast. This forecast may miss low cloud and afternoon thunderstorms. When the forecast is clear, the sky may still be hazy, if the transparency forecast is poor.
Accuracy averaged over North America for a 30 day period: when the forecast is predicting less than 12 hours into the future, mostly-clear forecasts (cloud<25%) have been right 80% of the time. Mostly-cloudy forecasts (cloud>75%) have been right 91% of the time. When the forecast is predicting 36 to 48 hours into the future, the mostly-clear accuracy is 76% and the mostly-cloudy accuracy is 89%. Accuracy beyond 48 hours in unknown.

It's always wise to click on a colored block for the hour you want to observe and see if your location is close to a cloud edge.

CMC's text page explaining this forecast is here.

Too cloudy to forecast

Poor

Below Average

Average

Above average

Transparent

The line, labeled Transparency, forecasts the transparency of the air. Here 'transparency' means just what astronomers mean by the word: the total transparency of the atmosphere from ground to space. It's calculated from the total amount of water vapor in the air. It is somewhat independant of the cloud cover forecast in that there can be isolated clouds in a transparent air mass, and poor transparency can occur when there is very little cloud.

Above average transparency is necessary for good observation of low contrast objects like galaxies and nebulae. However, open clusters and planetary nebulae are quite observable in below average transparency. Large globulars and planets can be observed in poor transparency.

A forecast color of white formally means that CMC didn't compute the transparency forecast because the cloud cover was over 30%. So it may be possible to observe during a white transparency forecast, but the real transparency is usually yucky. This forecast does not consider smoke. So see the separate smoke forecast line on this chart.

CMC's text page explaining the transparency forecast is here.

Too cloudy to forecast

Bad 1/5

Poor 2/5

Average 3/5

Good 4/5

Excellent 5/5

The line, labeled Seeing, forecasts astronomical seeing. Excellent seeing means at high magnification you will see fine detail on planets. In bad seeing, planets might look like they are under a layer of rippling water and show little detail at any magnification, but the view of galaxies is probably undiminished. Bad seeing is caused by turbulence combined with temperature differences in the atmosphere. This forecast attempts to predict turbulence and temperature differences that affect seeing for all altitudes.
Bad seeing can occur during perfectly clear weather. Often good seeing occurs during poor transparency. It's because seeing is not very related to the water vapor content of the air.

The excellent-to-bad seeing scale is calibrated for instruments in the 11 to 14 inch range. There are some more details in CMC's seeing forecast page.

No computer model forecasts convective heating well, so consider the seeing forecasts for daytime hours to be less accurate. Seeing is forecast for 3-hour blocks, so triples of seeing blocks will show the same color. Those triplet boxes for the same forecast map are showen linked as a reminder. A white block on the seeing line means that there was too much cloud (>80% cover) to calculate it.

Note also that you may observe worse seeing though your telescope than what a perfect seeing forecast would predict. That is because tube currents and ground seeing mimic true atmospheric seeing. You may also observe better seeing than predicted here when observing with an instrument smaller than 11 inches.

This video discusses the difference bettween tube currents and seeing from 24:23 to 34.06: on youtube.
The line labeled darkness is not a weather forecast. It shows when the sky will be dark, assuming no light pollution and a clear sky. Black is a dark sky. Deep blue means a partially illuminated moon or moon at low altitude. Light blue is full moon. Turquoise is twilight. Yellow is dusk and white is daylight. For those who prefer numbers, the scale is also calibrated. The numbers are the visual limiting magnitude at the zenith. (The brightness of the faintest star a standard observer can see straight up.) Mouse over a darkness block for details.
It is based on Ben Sugerman's Limiting Magnitude calculations page. It takes into account the sun's and moon's position, moon phase, solar cycle and contains a scattering model of the atmosphere. It doesn't consider light pollution, dust, clouds, snow cover or the observer's visual acuity. So your actual limiting magnitude will often be different.
This forecasts the amount of wildfire smoke. I havent yet calibrated the effect on transparency. So far the forecast appears to be overly optimistic with observers reporting considerable smoke when this forecast reports "no smoke". However, the forecasts other than "no smoke" really do mean enough smoke to affect transparency. I suggest people also check the near-realtime smoke map produced by the NOAA. Assume a reduction of transparency if either shows smoke for your location.
A note about CMC's smoke forecast colors: The chart shows different colors than the corresponding maps because the maps use white to mean "no smoke" but the cloud and transparency forecasts use white to mean "opaque sky". I've chosen colors for the smoke line on the chart that might better represent the color of a smokey sky -- except for the highest levels which, when forecast, means people should stay indoors.

The data comes from Environment Canada's Canada's Wildfire Smoke Prediction System.

>45 mph

29 to 45 mph

17 to 28 mph

12 to 16 mph

6 to 11 mph

0 to 5 mph

This forecasts wind speed at about tree-top level. The wind forecast won't determine whether or not you can observe, but it may affect your comfort and the type observing you might be limited to. In particular, long-focal length astrophotography, or observing with large dobsonians require light wind conditions. High wind may be particularly dangerous for larger truss-tube dobsonians which must be disassembled in the vertical position.This forecasts ground-level relative humidity.
Humidity variations can indicate the likelihood of optics and eyepieces dewing.

But dewing is not simply correlated to relative humidity. Dewing tends to happen when the sky is clear, the temperature is dropping and there isn't much wind. Being on a hilltop or in a small valley can make the difference between no dew and dripping telescopes. Unfortunately, the humidity forecast does not have the spatial resolution to know about small hills, valleys, or observatory walls. All of which can reduce dewing.

A sudden spike in the humidity forecast, an hour or so after the cloud forecast predicts a sudden transition from cloudy to clear, when there is no wind, means that ground fog will form.

Also, when the cloud forecast is opaque and the humidity forecast is 95%, rain is likely: a good time to cover the telescopes.

Since there are many different levels in this forecast, with similar looking colors, it's best to activate the "explain colors when you mouse over" to interpret the colors.
This forecasts temperatures near the ground. While temperature variations won't determine if you can observe, the forecast can be handy choosing clothing for cold observing conditions. (In general, dress as if it were 20 degrees F or 10 degrees C colder than the forecast.) Observers with thick primary mirrors should take note of falling temperature conditions because their mirrors may require additional cooling to reach equilibrium and so prevent tube currents.
Cold temperatures also mean reduced battery capacity, stiffer lubricants, stiffer electrical cables and slower LCD displays. Camera sensors will have reduced noise. But, in general, electronics have a lowest temperature at which they will work.

To see CMC's full map for a particular hour, click on a colored block. The CMC map your browser will load will be the map closest to the hour you picked. The time on the CMC map might look odd because it's in GMT, while the blocks on the chart are in local time.

It's worth checking a few of the full maps before committing to a long drive out to an observing site.
If your website does not make money from ads, does not charge admission and does not sell anything, then yes. Use a "dumb" text editor, one that does not understand html, to insert this: <a href="https://www.cleardarksky.com/c/LBJGrssldTXkey.html"> <img src="https://www.cleardarksky.com/c/LBJGrssldTXcsk.gif?c=2376015"></a>
Or, if you would prefer a simplified thumbnail:
<a href="https://www.cleardarksky.com/c/LBJGrssldTXkey.html"> <img src="https://www.cleardarksky.com/c/LBJGrssldTXcs0.gif?1"></a>
But please don't copy other html or text from this page.

Just keep using it. I intend to keep updating this image for as long as CMC is willing to generate the underlying maps. But there are ways that you can help:

If you find this clear sky chart, or CMC maps linked by the colored blocks, useful please send Allan Rahill of the CMC an email (and feel free to copy me). Allan needs to show his boss that his astronomy forecasts are actually being used.

You can also help keep clear sky charts free for everyone by being a sponsor. Please feel free to tell sponsors that they're cool.

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Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands Clear Sky Chart

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It's the astronomer's forecast. At a glance, it shows when it will be cloudy or clear for the next few days. It's a prediction of when Lyndon B. Johnson National Grasslands, TX, will have good weather for astronomical observing. The data comes from a forecast model developed by Allan Rahill of the Canadian Meteorological Centre.

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Highest: June, 14.35 hours
Lowest: December, 9.95 hours

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Highest: May, 3.55 inches
Lowest: August, 2.4 inches

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Highest: 8.9 mph, February
Lowest: 6.45 mph, August

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Jan - 43.5

Feb - 47

March - 55

April - 63

May - 71

June - 78.5

July - 81.5

Aug - 81

Sep - 72

Oct - 63.5

Nov - 54

Dec - 45

Highest: July
Lowest: January

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- Was created in the late ‘40s for conservation efforts
- 20,250 square acres, with a few recreation areas (camping, fishing, hiking, etc.)
- Also used as grazing land for cattle/livestock

https://www.decaturtx.com/life-in-decaturlbj-grasslands-national-forest-service-national-forests-and-grasslands-in-texas

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/texas/about-forest/districts/?cid=fswdev3_008440

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- color is generally dark, black or grey
- known as "cracking clays" bc of how they crack in high heat
- soil used to be the richest west of the Mississippi before the biome became endangered
- cotton, corn, wheat, oats and hay grow best

https://www.texasalmanac.com/articles/soils-of-texas

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https://txmn.org/files/2019/02/Tree-Identification-Techniques-for-TMN.pdf

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https://public.ntmn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/FIELD_GUIDE_web.pdf

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the prairie is made up of sturdy grasses rooted deep in the soil:
- little bluestem - primary grass
- eastern gammagrass
- switchgrass

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Blackland prairie:
- most endangered large ecosystem in North America; most of it has been developed/used for agriculture, or poor farming practices ruined the land
- less than 1% exists

https://www.austincollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/General-PDF-Blackland-Prairie-Background-for-Teachers-2013.pdf

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Native animals:

American beaver

Bobcat

White-tailed deer

Coyote

Rabbits (cottontail and jackrabbit)

Snakes (Copperhead, diamondback watersnake)

Gophers

Non-native: Cattle and other livestock use the land for grazing

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- Cedar Elm
- Pecan
- Hackberry
- Mesquite (farther south)
- Black Walnut
- Sycamore
- Eastern Cottonwood
- Burr Oak
- Shumard Red Oak
- American Elm
- Cedar Elm
- Common Persimmon
- Deciduous Holly
- Red Mulberry
- Carolina Buckthorn
- Huisache
- Red Buckeye
- Eastern Redbud
- Mexican Plum
- American Elderberry
- Eastern Red Cedar

https://txmn.org/files/2019/02/Tree-Identification-Techniques-for-TMN.pdf

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Rainfall:
- ranges annually from 28 to 45 inches, or 1400 to 385 ft of rain

https://tpwd.texas.gov/landwater/water/environconcerns/regions/prairies.phtml#rainfall

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location: LBJ National Grasslands Park - borders Decatur, Cooke County, and Bridgeport (it's in Wise County)

landscape: TX Blackland Prairie - lil shape that looks like Italy; covers Dallas, Waco, Sherman, etc.
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https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/texas/about-forest/districts/?cid=fswdev3_008440

https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4032c.ct011396/?r=-0.517,0.422,2.034,1.27,0