Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Soup 'n Walk, February 23, 2013


The sun and the snow were not visible today, but we had a lovely mystical walk in the mist. The greens we searched for were very special. There were 15 guests and 5 volunteers on the walk, and the temperature was in the 40s with no wind. We saw many shades of green and blue on the tree trunks in the form of lichen. The mosses along the trail and Blockston Branch were lovely even in the absence of sunlight. Obviously they had been soaking up the sun on other sunny days. These moss plants with no vascular system tend to do well in the summer months. Some of the mossy paths cushioned our footsteps, and we enjoyed the silence. Blockston Branch's flowing water had many lovely circles from the raindrops hitting the surface.

The grasses in the meadow held droplets of water that glistened in the mist. More droplets were visible at eye level in the woods on the slender twigs of the ironwood trees. At the first bridge, we enjoyed spotting the purple and green skunk cabbage buds. Some green leaves were starting to appear. The skunk cabbage and the netted chain fern, which are visible in late spring, are earmarks of healthy wetlands. At the Visitor's Center, we had the projector set up to show a continuous loop of skunk cabbage blooms that Lynn L. and I had paired with some beautiful poetry about skunk cabbage.

Some commented on the number of trees that were down, and a few trunks that had been uprooted gave us a view of how shallow these root systems are of even very large trees in the wetlands. Nature was treating us to her artwork. There were green holly leaves, green stems of hearts-a-bursting, and green thorny stems of greenbrier. Green leaves of the cranefly orchid with the purple undersides were also visible. All of this green represents chlorophyll that is active during the winter months when the trees are barren of leaves.

Further along the very mossy side trail were lots of green ebony spleenwort. The rain was getting a little more noticeable now, so we started walking a little faster in anticipation of hot soup and a dry, beautifully decorated lunch room. There was lots of tree bark that we could identify, and the black fungus on the black cherry was also evident.

The luncheon featured Caldo Verde (green) soup with kale, roasted vegetables with red beets (as purple as the skunk cabbage and underside of the cranefly orchid leaf). We had  quinoa salad with green broccoli and red peppers and finally an almond cupcake with lemon frosting decorated with a green lime slice. We discussed the recipes and the valuable nutrients in the ingredients. Our volunteers were most helpful. They included Mickey B. (decorator), Alice M., Ruth M., Pat B., Shirley B., Zaida W., Mary A. H., and Mary J. K. Many thanks were heard from the guests, and we are looking forward to the next Soup 'n Walk on March 23, which will include one- and two-hour walks to see the first of our ephemerals. We hope to see many of you. My thanks to all the volunteers and staff who make this event so worthwhile.

by Julianna Pax
Arboretum docent

Monday, February 25, 2013

Uncommon knowledge



Having recently attended a Maryland Bee and Wasp workshop at the 2013 Maryland Environmental and Outdoor Educator conference, I came to the conclusion that the nest I identified in a previous post as a paper wasp nest might actually be the nest of a bald-faced hornet. If any of my readers can make a positive identification, please let me know!

Other facts I learned at the MAEOE conference:

  • In their fall migration, monarchs will travel 1,000 to 3,000 miles.
  • Hydraulic fracturing, also known as "fracking," is the second driver of climate change in our country.
  • The United States produces 300 million tons of dry animal waste annually as compared to 7 million tons of dry human waste.
  • The order Hymenoptera, which includes wasps, bees, sawflies, horntails, and ants, is the second largest order of insects and makes up half the biomass of insects in the world.
  • 75% of flowering plants depend on animal pollinators.
  • 30% of amphibians and 21% of reptiles are threatened globally due to habitat loss, climate change, pollution, invasive species, pathogens, and commercial harvest.
  • The call of a pickerel frog sounds like an old man snoring.


As of 2010, scientists have described over 1.7 million of the world's species of animals plants, and algae. While the enormous variety of life on our plant poses a huge learning curve for environmental educators, it's also what makes the job so inspiring.

by Jenny Houghton
Youth Program Coordinator




Friday, February 22, 2013

Experiencing Adkins' Habitats in Silence


The Stream

The chilly February morning air settles over me as I stealthily take my place beneath the towering, moss-covered tulip tree overlooking the lazily winding stream. A truncated wooden stub, the remnant of an ambitious beaver's travail, provides support for an algae-covered conk. Above the quiet trickling created in the shallows left by the uprooted tree dams comes the soulful call of a lone goose traversing the sky high above. Upon closer observation, the seemingly lifeless brown forest slowly gives way to a diverse palette of green mosses, grasses, lichens, and hollies, euonymus stems seared by the browse of a white-tailed deer, and skunk cabbage pushing their lobster claw-like shoots through the barren earth. The red, swollen flower buds of the red maple trees punctuate the winter scene. A tiny white spider skitters around the flare of my tulip outpost, ignoring the icy air.



Wetlands

Beech leaves cling to their delicate branches in the early morning air, a slight breeze sending them dancing. The colors seem dull until one wakes up to the deeper hues and tones the wetlands offer up. Surprise! In the clear, tannin-stained standing water, surrounded by the dark, decaying leaves of tulip tree, red oak, and sweet gum, a hardy harbinger of spring is emerging, an unfurling skunk cabbage!










Meadow

As I settle into my seat among the sleeping grasses and vines, the openness of the meadow fades. I find myself face to face with field birds as they pop up and down looking for food among the freeze-dried seed heads. At my feet, I see green grass covered with ice crystals and above the blue jays sound the alarm of my presence.

Slowly the blue jays accept me as part of the meadow and low clouds of black birds fly overhead, flowing back and forth. I look closely at the burgundy vines lightly touched with frost. I raise my head and peer across the meadow, scanning the horizon. I notice the rise and fall of the forest's treetops. The trees are grouped together, blending branches into one large shape. One tree stands alone with bare branches breaking up the baby blue winter sky.

I shift in my chair to keep the heavy frozen winter air from settling down on me. I notice spots of white snow nestled in bowls made of tufts of grass. The entire time, more and more birds are calling to spread the morning news.


Upland Forest
At 30 degrees and low barometric pressure, all the energy of the ridge is buttoned up tight, with rare, distant bird calls the only obvious signs of life.

But the life inside the giant oaks glows faintly green through the gray-brown bark, and occasional overt greenery can be seen, like this florid lichen.

submitted by Wendy Jacobs




"Experiencing Adkins' Habitats in Silence" is a project conducted by a team of students in the Maryland Master Naturalist program currently underway at the Arboretum. The team will observe each of these four ecosystems monthly and record what they experience. This post encompasses their observations for February.
  

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Discovering Native Landscapes—A Fresh Look


"Getting Down" by Diane Savoie of Columbia, MD

"Beach Grass" by Fran Saunders of Cambridge, MD

"Am Lotus" by Karen Amelia Brown of Westminster, MD
Saturday afternoon, 50 and counting gathered in the Visitor's Center gallery to celebrate the works of 21 artists selected to exhibit in Adkins Arboretum's 2013 annual art competition. This is the fourteenth year since artist Marion Price took the helm as the Arboretum volunteer art curator to arrange for this show heralding interest among artists from Philadelphia to Salisbury, Western Maryland to Lewes, and many points in between. The theme, Discovering the Native Landscapes of Maryland's Eastern Shore, is interpreted through seed pods and expansive landscapes, as well as fish and prey, quilting, mosaics, and our beloved trees, fields, and water. An eclectic collection? Maybe, but not the motivating factor. Juror (and Washington College Adjunct Professor of Art) Alex Castro's modus operandi in selecting the show was "fresh," and he succeeded. As the artists attending Saturday's reception shared the path to creating their work, whether printmaking, photography, carving, or painting, it was a spontaneous unfolding and discovery that resulted in the "fresh" that Castro was looking to recognize. 

For those of us who have attended the annual show's reception for more than a decade, we noticed new patterns at this reception. The guests were glued to the walls, and sometimes with their noses almost touching the art; they examined each piece of work with awe, fascination, and curiosity. 

The show is on view through March 29. Call 410.634.2847, ext. 0 for gallery hours, and click here to learn about upcoming shows.

by Ellie Altman
Executive Director

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Wild, wild weather


Last Friday afternoon, Dan Satterfield, the weatherman for WBOC (the Salisbury, Maryland, CBS affiliate) was reporting live from Adkins Arboretum. And this time he was reporting on climate, i.e., climate change, not the daily weather forecast. Satterfield readily admits to having been a weather (meteorology) geek since fifth grade. His enthusiasm for the science of meteorology has not waned in his decades of reporting weather patterns. He is a passionate guy, but most importantly a scientist who has dedicated his life to reporting accurate sciencethe tried, the true, the tested, the known and verified facts. His work has taken him to the South Pole and the Arctic.

This 45-minute presentation filled with facts and figures, as well as plenty of humor, was persuasive. Satterfield acknowledges that he is working in a part of the country with many climate skeptics, but he is not deterred in bringing his message that climate change is real and that burning fossil fuels is the most significant culprit, the one piece of the puzzle that humans can control and should control by reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. This sage weatherman revealed the depth and breadth of his knowledge by deftly answering numerous questions from the audience. And as if his carriage was about to turn into a pumpkin, he quickly headed out the door to be on the road in time to report the evening's weather at WBOC.

Dr. Darrin Lowery will speak at Adkins Arboretum from 1 to 2 p.m. on Friday, March 15 about how archaeology and geology reveal weather patterns. To learn more about climate and weather forecasting, click here to register for Dr. Lowery's talk.

by Ellie Altman
Executive Director


Wednesday, February 13, 2013

In tribute to great devotion


Barbara Bryan (center), pictured with her husband,
David Bryan, and daughter, Meredith Damschroder,
is the Arboretum's 2012 Volunteer of the Year.
It was a day about love and community, a functional family holiday! Everywhere I looked, people were laughing, hugging, listening, visiting, and reminiscing. The Arboretum's annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon was held at the Lily Pad Café in Denton on Saturday, February 9, and it was my first time at this event. I'd heard great things about it and really wanted to be part of the celebration for our loyal volunteers, many of whom have become dear friends.

Barbara Bryan speaks to those assembled while
Volunteer Maryland Coordinator Kelli Magaw (left) and
Arboretum Executive Director Ellie Altman look happily on.
I was excited to be in the same room at the same time with all of these wonderful people who so love Adkins Arboretum and to applaud Barbara Bryan, 2012 Volunteer of the Year, whose art graces Native Seed, the award-winning (thanks in part to Barbara) Arboretum newsletter.

2012 Volunteer of the Year Barbara Bryan (right)
and Arboretum volunteer Janet Doehler.
Frankly, I would have had a great time if we'd been in the school cafeteria, but happily we were at the Lily Pad with its historic ambiance and lovely, delicious food. Kelli Magaw and Ginna Tiernan put together a program that was fun and engaging. Ellie Altman read a sweet, witty poem (see below) written by the staff and then paid tribute to volunteers who proudly stood for their five-, ten-, and fifteen-year anniversaries as dedicated Arboretum volunteers. Several staff members shared their favorite volunteer experiences and expressed their gratitude for the time and energy given to the Arboretum by the BEST GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS ON THE EASTERN SHORE!

by Meg Gallagher
Advancement Assistant

photos by Meredith Damschroder, Ann Rohlfing, and Ginna Tiernan



_______________________________

Volunteer Tribute Song
To the tune of “America the Beautiful”

Oh, dedicated volunteers,
For you we raise this cheer,
Your many kind and gracious deeds
Have blessed us all this year.
Oh volunteers, we love your creed
Of doing for each other
To help the Arboretum make
A haven like no other.

Oh, dedicated volunteers
How do you find the time
To share your talents and good will
And make our lives sublime?
With optimism for a future
Embracing heartfelt mission,
Caring for this special place
With passion and with vision.


Oh, dedicated volunteers
We sing to you today
We owe you so much gratitude
For help along the way
A big thank you is overdue
You help us stay in motion
Forest, meadow, field, and creek
All thrive with your devotion.

by Ellie Altman and Jenny Houghton


First Saturday Walk - February 2


We walked this morning, two participants, wanting to see birds along the walk. Since we had some snow to permit us to get a glimpse of what had happened out there overnight, we chose to follow the narrower trails. These are trails that were made by the animals, trails that are not very recognizable in the summer but that show themselves and are easily followed in the snow. We spent most of the time in the South Meadow, where we were able to see that there had been a bit of "tag" going on. The tracks were, in order of their prevalence, from red fox, deer, rabbits, birds (not identified by species), and squirrel. Funny how often the rabbit tracks were mixed with more than one fox. We did not see any rabbit hair, but off the paths there are lots of obstacles for the fox to negotiate and it was obviously easier for the rabbits to get through. Oh, we saw mouse tracks too, which were accompanied by the fox as well; those places had been worked over pretty well.

The air was calm, the sun was bright and warming, so we did not move real fast. But with those conditions we could hear in the distance the sounds of woodpeckers. Were they feeding or just playing their drums? In that calm air, we could hear drumming several at a time from different directions. It is nice to hear that they make such good use of those dead limbs. What a nice recital.

So, in summary, we had a walk in the sun surrounded by a very welcoming environment. What a pleasure.

by Al Moored
Arboretum Docent


photo by Ann Rohlfing



Monday, February 11, 2013

Nature in focus



On a nature walk today, a fourth grade homeschool student stopped to examine beads of water clinging to a bare winter branch. "That's so cool," he said. "I've only seen that in photos before, never in real life."

In a recent presentation, I shared this quote from Randy White of the White Hutchinson Leisure and Learning Group: "As virtual is replacing the real, TV documentaries are conditioning children to think that nature is exotic...in faraway places that they will never experience. Children are losing the understanding that nature exists in their own backyards, which further disconnects them from knowledge and appreciation of the natural world."

Thank goodness for places like Adkins Arboretum, where the natural world continues to amaze.

by Jenny Houghton
Youth Program Coordinator

photo by Michelle Dolan Lawrence





Friday, February 8, 2013

Among the winter branches

At the entrance to the Arboretum's woodland paths, bare winter branches reveal a silvery paper wasp nest. Paper wasps gather fibers from dead plant stems and wood, mixing them with their saliva to construct water-resistant nests. Cells are used for brood rearing. Unlike more aggressive yellow jackets or hornets, paper wasps generally only attack when threatened. They are extremely beneficial in their natural habitat, providing biological pest control welcomed by many gardeners.

The paper wasp nest pictured here hangs from a Liquidambar styraciflua, or sweetgum, tree. The resin of this tree was traditionally chewed by Native Americans, giving rise to its common name. Sweetgums are also known as red gums, gumtrees, alligator-wood, and star-leaved gum. They grow in wet, acidic soil and are recognizable by their five-pointed star-shaped leaves, as well as by their prickly ball-like fruit. Each capsule of the fruit contains two sees. Sweetgum seeds are a favorite of birds and small mammals, such as squirrels and chipmunks.

by Jenny Houghton
Youth Program Coordinator


Monday, February 4, 2013

A day for the birds

Two female purple finches were seen over the weekend at the bird feeder near the Arboretum Visitor's Center bridge. Last week, pine siskins were sighted. In this video, you'll see a red breasted nuthatch on the suet feeder and hear the sounds of a white breasted nuthatch. Songbirds are plentiful now and are enjoying their winter habitat at the Arboretum as well as some supplemental feeding of suet and black oil sunflower seed. Come out for a walk and to see the birds...it's always a good day to get outside and enjoy nature.




by Robyn Affron
Visitor Services Coordinator
Certified Professional Horticulturist