Vote for a Turkey!

I often see bald eagles while driving to and from work. While spotting our national emblem sitting in a cornfield always gives me a thrill, I have to admit that eagles do not top my list of favorite birds. Could have something to do with the fact that the ones I see are usually gnawing on a mangled carcass. 

No, if I had been around when our forefathers were choosing the country’s emblem, I would have stood firmly in the wild turkey camp. I believe that turkeys, though not very attractive (a trait shared by many of our former presidents), are far more American than the regal eagle. Consider this: the male turkey’s head can turn a shade of blue, while his wattle can quickly switch from red to white. Red, white, and blue…need I say more?

              

In these trying economic times, our great nation is surely in need of inspiration. Again, America need look no further than Meleagris gallopavo. When necessary, the wild turkey can sprint up to 18 miles per hour—faster than an Olympic runner. And despite its rotund appearance, the turkey is a good flyer, shooting straight up to the sky helicopter-style (I kid you not) and clocking nearly 55 miles per hour. With the turkey for a model, our sluggish economy would speed to recovery in no time.

              

So the next time you are feeling particularly patriotic, visit the Arboretum. There, along scenic woodland paths, you might just spot the noble bird that fed the pilgrims. And exactly what was the bald eagle doing when the early settlers were starving in the wilderness? You have but to refer to the first paragraph for your answer.

by Jenny Houghton

Youth Program Coordinator 

                

              

The Art of Volunteering

For more than a decade, visitors have marveled at the art created in the Arboretum forest by Howard and Mary McCoy. Composed primarily of elements found naturally in the landscape, and drawing attention to the inextricable connection between nature and art, the artists’ work is in harmony with the Arboretum’s conservation mission. 

Few may know, though, of this husband-and-wife team’s work behind the scenes. From coordinating invitational shows to hanging countless exhibits to arranging the annual Art Competition, they are the very lifeblood of the Arboretum’s thriving arts program.

Introduced to the Arboretum by Marion Price, the late artist and gallery owner who initiated the Arboretum’s art program, Mary and Howard exhibited their first Arboretum show in 1999. They brought the idea of outdoor art to the Arboretum, creating installations in the forest and meadows and curating an every-other-year outdoor sculpture invitational that draws artists from around the country. The McCoys also serve on (and Mary chairs) the Arboretum Art Committee, the panel that selects artists for future exhibits.

“Talented artists in their own right, Howard and Mary have been involved in curating the Arboretum’s art exhibits for more than a decade and have been involved in attracting more than 100 of our region’s most creative artists to exhibit at the Arboretum,” says Executive Director Ellie Altman. “They are a constant at the Arboretum. Without them, the art program would not exist.”

As the Arboretum values Howard and Mary’s involvement in the art program, so do the artists benefit from the opportunity to work and create at the Arboretum. “We get to work outside and have the freedom to do what we want,” says Mary. “We can go out into the woods and experiment. Over the years we have gotten to know the forest and many individual trees. The Arboretum gives us the chance not only to bring art to people but to interact with other artists who exhibit at the Arboretum. We’ve made some wonderful friendships that way.”

“Working in the woods has been a golden opportunity for us,” says Howard. He tells of his interest in the evolution and deterioration of subject matter and how that interest led him from working with industrial materials to working in and of nature. “One of the things that fascinates us is how nature reclaims our sculptures. You see the cycles of nature, and we like how the sculptures change as nature changes.”

This natural progression is one of the reasons the McCoys created their most recent sculpture installation (Second Sitings, June–September 2011) entirely with materials found at the Arboretum. “Creating with materials on the site and of the site makes people stop and consider what is natural and what is art,” says Mary.

“One thing that we really enjoy is when people tell us the thing they found interesting about an area where we do a sculpture at the Arboretum,” adds Howard. “It gives them the opportunity to pay closer attention to what’s going on in that area around the sculpture. That resonates for us, to have that response. It’s really quite wonderful.”

And so are the McCoys. Their creativity, their vision, and their kind and gentle nature make them assets to the Arboretum community. This lovely couple has truly mastered the art of volunteering.

Howard and Mary McCoy live near Centreville in a house designed in the 1930s by Mary’s grandmother on the banks of the Chester River. They will be honored at the Arboretum’s annual Volunteer Recognition Brunch on January 21.

Winter Wonderings and Wanderings

What is there to look at in the winter at Adkins Arboretum? I hear that a lot, but I love winter interest in the garden and at the Arboretum, and maybe we just have to look a little harder to find that winter beauty.

The majestic structure of the deciduous trees allows a clear view of songbirds and even a few raptors. You may find splashes of color from berry-producing shrubs in the woodland. In winter, there is a visibility of the wetland only seen at this time of year. 

This morning, I had the most beautiful surprise as I walked on the bridge. To my surprise, a graceful great blue heron flew under me and through the wetland. A little snow dusting on the trails would be the only additional component to a walk in the woods on a winter’s day.

by Robyn Affron
Master Gardener, Certified Professional Horticulturist, and Arboretum Receptionist

What Crossed my Desk Today

This very rainy and cool Monday kept me at my desk all day except to jump up occasionally to be sure I could still touch my toes. Mondays seem to bring a flurry across my desk—mostly my cyber desk, messages that fall out of cyberspace and land in my Inbox. Here are two of today’s cyber news that merit sharing:

1. In 2010, Congress directed the Council on Environmental Quality and the Interior Department to prepare a strategy for addressing climate change impacts on fish, wildlife and plants. The draft plan is now available and is open for public comment until March 5, 2012: http://www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov.

2. Not to be missed—the Annapolis Horticulture Society is promoting a special two-day garden excursion to the Shenandoah Valley, April 14-15 at a great price. The tour includes attending a one-day conference, Tomorrow’s Landscapes, at Shenandoah University (www.tomorrowslandscapes.com). Contact the Annapolis Horticulture Society for details and to register: http://www.annapolishorticulture.org/events.html.  

By Ellie Altman

Executive Director

Photo taken on a rainy day at Adkins Arboretum by Charles Riter, Easton, Maryland’s Tidewater Camera Club

Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow...

The word "mighty" is nearly always used to describe the oak tree, and with good reason. It's a dignified tree with a long romantic, economic, and ecological history—all arising from that little acorn. Selecting the white oak (Quercus alba) as the Arboretum's 2012 Native Tree of the Year was a natural choice, as it is already revered as the official state tree of Maryland. Reaching up to 100 feet high and thriving in a wide range of soils, the white oak is a symbol of strength and longevity.

You can read all about the mighty Quercus alba by clicking here, but here are a few facts to tide you over:

• Maryland's Eastern Shore boasts the largest stand of white oaks. 
• White oak acorns feed many animals, and the genus supports hundreds of butterfly and moth species (thus feeding a huge bird population). 
• Ships, furniture, and baskets have a long history of being made from oak. 
• Native Americans processed the acorns of white oak to make a flour for eating. 
• You can purchase your own white oak at the Adkins Arboretum Native Plant Nursery!

by Joanne Healey
Adkins Arboretum Nursery Manager

Foxy Lady

The benefits are great for those of us willing to leave the comforts of home and hot chocolate on a snowy day. Beyond the enjoyment of sledding and snowball fights, there’s always the potential to gain a rare glimpse into the habits of the wild creatures living among us--through their tracks.

 A few years ago, my daughter and I ventured to the Arboretum after an unusually heavy January snowstorm, wading through knee-deep snow to follow a trail of fox tracks. As we walked, a story unraveled before us of a lone fox stopping at the wetland for a drink, tangling with a rabbit, ducking under a log, and finally returning to its den in the middle of Nancy’s Meadow. Though I’ve taught many lessons about animal tracks, it wasn’t until that wintry afternoon that I really earned my “track detective” badge.

 The den we discovered belonged to a red fox, Vulpes vulpes. Red foxes are relatively small members of the canine family, averaging only eleven to thirteen pounds. They enjoy a varied diet, dining on frogs, snakes, mice, berries, rabbits, fruit, birds, eggs, and beetles, to name a few. The fox’s reputation for cleverness might rise from its habit of storing excess food under leaves, in snow, or in the ground. Foxes generally have separate dens for shelter, breeding, and resting. They live in family groups, with an average litter size of four to six kits.

This year’s snowfall has been minimal to non-existent. But as temperatures drop later in the week, I’ll be dusting off my track detective badge just in case.

by Jenny Houghton,Youth Program Coordinator
Drawing by Barbara Bryan