Nature Net News
September
2006
Terrific Trees
"The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago.
The second best time is now.”
African Proverb
Dear Reader, Have you ever come across an old family photo and been surprised at how small the tree was in the background? Today that tree might be 15 to 20-feet high! Humans have always had a special relationship with trees – as providers of food, shelter, and markers of time. Enjoy what the trees of Wisconsin have to offer by exploring the trees in your neighborhood and at Nature Net sites. From leaf rubbings and bark castings to learning and becoming parts of a tree, this issue of Nature Net News is sure to bring you closer to understanding and appreciating that now large tree in the background of your photo. Enjoy! Kathe & Betsy |
The rings of a cut tree tell us not only the age of the tree, but under what conditions it has grown? Thick, even rings indicate ample sun, rain and nourishment, while a series of thin rings can occur during years of drought or insect infestation. Learn more from the National Arbor Day Foundation.
What to
Do This Month:
Learn to identify trees in your yard or neighborhood with LEAF's Tree
ID Guide.
Find out if a Champion Tree resides in your neck of the woods.
Get to know the trees around our state capitol building with EEK's Capitol Tree Trek (pdf).
Check out family events at area Nature Net sites!
Tricks of the Trail for
Parents:
Adopt a Tree
Observing trees may be more fun with little ones if they get to know
just one tree. Have your child
“adopt” a tree – come up to it, wrap your arms around it.
Make leaf rubbings (place a piece of paper over the more veined side
of a leaf and rub vigorously with the side of a crayon) to put up on your
child’s bedroom wall. Try this month's Nature
Craft to create an impression of your tree's bark. Have
your child keep a journal and write observations or snap and save pictures
of this adopted tree over the seasons.
Instant Outdoor Expert:
Anatomy of a Tree
If you could peel back the protective armor of a tree (namely its
bark), you would find many layers at work, each with a special task in
maintaining the health of the tree. Just beneath the bark is a layer of
cork, a non-living sheath of moisture and decay-resistant cells (yep,
that's why we use it for stopping up bottles). This cork originates
from previous years phloem cells, the next layer in our tree dissection.
Phloem is responsible for moving food (sugars created during
photosynthesis) from the leaves to the rest of the tree. Beyond the
phloem is a miraculous two-celled layer of the tree - the cambium.
The cambium layer creates new cells in both directions - one growing
outwards (the phloem) and one growing inward: the xylem (pron: zie-lum).
The xylem acts as a transport system for water absorbed at the roots of
the tree; the first 4-20 layers of xylem are known as the sapwood. Old
layers of xylem darken and die, creating the supportive core of the tree,
the heartwood.
See a diagram of the busy inner workings of a tree on the National
Arbor Day Foundation website.
About those rings mentioned earlier, you might have guessed they're
laid down with each years growth at the cambium layer. Find more
details on NOVA
on-line's "Anatomy of a Tree Ring".
And, for fun stories about trees of the world , visit To
The Best of Our Knowledge.
Eco-Exercise:
To Be A Tree
Trees have remarkable transportation systems within them – bringing
up water and nutrients from the soil and bringing the sun’s energy down
from their leaves. Pretend
you are parts of the tree -- Bend down and touch your toes (roots), then
reach up to the sky, bringing water and nutrients from the soil, through
your legs and torso (trunk) and up to your hands (leaves).
With your arms (branches) extended over your head, shake your hands
as the leaves process energy from the sun into food (photosynthesis), then
lower your hands slowly down to your sides as nutrients continue through the
tree’s system. Repeat four
times. Think about how much is going on inside of each tree!
Featured Nature Net Site
UW
Arboretum
Widely recognized as the site of historic research in ecological restoration, the Arboretum includes the oldest and most varied collection of restored ecological communities in the world, including tallgrass prairies, savannas, several forest types and wetlands. It also houses flowering trees, shrubs and a world-famous lilac collection. Educational tours for groups and the general public, science and nature-based classes for all ages and abilities, and a wide variety of volunteer opportunities for groups, families and individuals are available.
Don't miss
the opportunity to discover various tree species and ecosystems in one of
the Arboretum's seven unique woods or in the Longenecker Horticultural
Gardens.
The Visitor Center is open weekdays from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. and weekends from 12:30 to 4 p.m. (excluding holidays). Arboretum trails and the Visitor Center parking lot are open year-round from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Other Arboretum parking lots are open from dawn to dusk.
Bark Casting
To help kids remember there's more to trees than leaves,
this fun bark casting project encourages tactile exploration and
observation of textures.
Flatten a piece of modeling clay into a square about 1/2-inch thick. Find a favorite tree and press the flattened clay into the bark of your tree, pressing hard so all the little cracks are filled with clay. Now carefully peel the clay away from the bark. With the bark impression facing up, roll up the sides of the clay to create a "U" shape. Pin poster board onto the sides of the "U" to close the ends off and create a "bowl". Now, carefully mix a batch of plaster of paris, following the manufacturer's directions and pour it into your clay "bowl". Allow the plaster to dry and then, peel away the clay (and poster board sides) to reveal a perfect impression of your favorite tree!
If you wish, paint your casting to look like the tree - make careful observations and remember to use more than just brown!
(craft adapted from Academy Curricular Exchange)
Suggested Reading:"The Grandpa Tree" by Mike Donahue (ages 1-5)
"A Tree for Me" by Nancy Van Laan (ages 4-8)
"A Tree Is Nice" by Janice May Udry (ages 4-8)
"Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf" by Lois Ehlert (ages 4-8)
"Franklin Plants a Tree" by Paulette Bourgeois (ages 4-8)
"Are Trees Alive?" by Debbie S. Miller (ages 4-8)
"Regarding the Trees: A Splintered Saga Rooted in Secrets" by Kate Klise, M. Sarah Klise (ages 9-12)
"Take a Tree Walk" by Jane Kirkland (ages 9-12)
