We Need Trees.

Trees have been foremost on my mind, and I am pleased to announce Dr. Joan Maloof will be the keynote speaker at Flora-Quest this year.  Go here to learn about the program she recently gave at Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

We need trees, now more than ever.  And not just for lumber.  Trees clean the air and old growth forests hold moisture even during droughts.  Trees just might the the key to saving our planet- or we mere humans living on the planet.

My challenge to you today is to slow down and look, really look at the trees around you today.  Do you see how the bark varies from species to species?  Note the buds, some are skinny and pointy while others are huge honking things. Most leaves have fallen, but some of the oaks and young beech trees hold their leaves into winter.


Look. at. trees.   Birds like them, botanists adore them, and there is much we can learn from them.

It is not a choice of the economy or ecology.   Good ecological practices are good for people, and cheaper in the long run.  There are  no clean up costs to pay! 

Join me in celebrating life- just a little- and go hug a tree!   

Among the Ancients

We humans are are but short lived species, compared to some of the ancients on earth.  The term "Old Growth Forest" has many different meanings, but a general rule of thumb would be a forest that has attained significant age (pre-settlement in America) without significant disruption.  They are filled with ancient trees.

These forests are rare and unique communities, and probably less than 1%  of them remain.  Giant Sequoias certainly come to mind, but there are a few examples in our Eastern deciduous forests as well.

 Recently I have been entranced by this book listing 26 forests in the east.  You can believe I have map-quested my way to the ones within striking distance and have made plans to re-visit Ohio's representative in the book: Johnson Woods.  Yes, it is one of our Ohio State Nature Preserves.

 Joan Maloof, the author, gave a compelling program at last week's "Forest Management" seminar at Cleveland Museum of Natural History.  Not only is she a admirer of these big, bodacious trees, she is working hard to protect the last of our giants in arboreal natural history.

Old Growth Forests are rated as more beautiful.

Old Growth Forests are not only more beautiful, they are quantifiably more diverse and often protect unique organisms.  Is it any wonder some of our extinct or nearly extinct bird species (Ivory-billed Woodpeckers, Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Black-backed Woodpeckers) prefer these- now nearly extinct forests?

But is not just beauty and diversity these forests add.  They are also good for our environment.  They have enhanced hydrology and are excellent at carbon sequestration. Both are huge pluses for a world undergoing climatic change. For a long time we thought young forests were better at carbon sequestration, because young trees take up carbon at a higher rate.  However, now we know due to their additional mass, old growth trees sequester carbon just as well.

Learn more about these forests and the goal to protect our remaining ancient trees.  Joan is quick to say she has “no problem with forests set aside for production.”   However, she also believes some

“public forests should exist for more than fiber and dollars.”  

Let's work to set aside ancient forest for our children's children.  These trees can easily outlive us, but only if we protect them now.  Go here to read more about the Old Growth Forest Network.  It is truly  America's Next Idea.

Healing Trees...

For those of us attuned to nature, there is some magical healing property of a tree.

Not just the physical healing properties of trees, of which there are many; Aspirin is derived from Salix sp.- the willow tree, and Witch Hazel, Hamamelis sp. provides an astringent. These are just two of the many species used in traditional Native American medicine with proven efficacy.

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order." -John Burroughs

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Trees also offer a balm for mental heath, and healing, and we nature-philes seek them out in the most unusual places. I found this digital tree being projected onto a wall in a lobby at the Cleveland Clinic. While waiting, once again, for more tests...more results... I was drawn to this image.

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The tree hypnotically swirls and twists as though it were in a circular wind. It also progresses though the seasons. Pictured in the above photo- the flowers of spring. It continues to full leaf of summer, and on to golden leaves of fall- which eventually are wind swept away to reveal the most stark, bare essence of a tree.

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Maybe we, as humans, relate to a tree's resilience.

Trees endure each year, what we might perceive as a struggle or mini-death, and are beautifully reborn with spring. As basic as breathing in and out: we live, we grow, and hopefully, we see many seasons before we die. It is our nature.

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And so, I sat mesmerized by this tree, and its impact on others. I was surprised as numerous people stopped (like me) to capture its image on their cell phones. The weary-worn individuals, wandering from the parade of people in the main hall, to stop and watch a the tree-of-"light" and a portion the life-drama being played out before their eyes. But most of all, how peaceful I felt while in the midst of great inner turmoil.

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We know nature heals.

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And those of us lucky enough to be aware and connected to this life-drama must care enough to protect and conserve our natural areas. Let's do it for the future generations- before man's greed has drilled, cut and paved over the last tree.

In Which Tree?

If you have ever found yourself birding with friends who are unable to competently state the location of a bird... you might relate to this little animated film by Laura Kammermeier.

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Laura is friend and past OOS Board member with many talents: web design, blogger extraordinaire, travel-meister, and now a cartoonist as well! Awesome.

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Anyway, you will want to see how she addresses the problem of a friend who can only say, "Over there. In that tree."

Do they all look the same to you?

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All the more reason for a little dendrology. Be kind to your botanical friends, and let's start with the basics. Is it an evergreen or deciduous tree? Winter tree with leaves? Probably an oak, or possibly a young beech. White and green flaky bark, growing along a river? Try sycamore.

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Tree identification is not only handy for locating and sharing birds (which are excessively fond of trees, I might add.) Trees greatly enhance our lives, and not just as lumber, paper or mulch.

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Eastern Redbud, Shawnee Forest

Think about the sap flowing in sugar maples this week and the tasty syrup you like to pour on pancakes. Or what about those beautiful spring-flowering trees- like Eastern Redbud?

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If you ever wanted to learn more about trees, especially some of the specialty species in southern Ohio, Jim McCormac has just the program for you. He'll be the kick off speaker for Flora-Quest, with another educational and entertaining program, 'The Forest from the Trees: Woody Players in a Sylvan Sea.'

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Trees won't all seem the same after Jim gives you the low-down. You might even begin to recognize the forest by its trees! Hope to see you there!

Why Trees Matter

Is there anything in nature that is more taken for granted, than the tree?
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People forget to enjoy them for their beauty, the shade they create, increased property values... and of course lumber. But a fascinating program produced by the OSU Extension has discovered tree lined streets are safer, because more people gather in these neighborhoods.

Yes, the beauty of a Tulip Tree, Liriodendren tulipifera in bloom is undeniable.

And consider this Hickory with deep crevasses of bark to hold wintering butterflies and beetles in all forms.

Or the chestnut. A keystone species in America, once the predominate tree of our Ohio forest, wiped out in our parent's generation. Our American variety is all but gone, now only this poor imitation and disease carrying Chinese Chestnut species survives.

Or the mighty Bur Oaks, Quercus macrocarpa growing on a prairie landscape, providing nuts for wildlife and leaves for a host of those butterfly-want-to-be: caterpillars!

.................ReMoRegal Moth larva photo by John Howard

Awesome creations of every imaginable form, some with prickly sticky-out parts, and others with the soft down of a Woolly Bear.

..............photo by Dane Adams

Native woodpeckers, searching for grubs and signing possession of their trees with signature hole. These Red-headed Woodpeckers - now rare enough to be cherished by any bird enthusiast- what would we do without them?

....... .....Flying squirrel photo Warren Uxley

And what of the creatures of the night? The Flying Squirrel, winter serenading woodland owls, and the nearly luminescent Luna moths plying their trade- unseen in the night air.

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These are a few of the reasons why trees matter to me. If you would like to learn more about trees, I encourage you to learn more by joining our local Master Gardeners. There is a tab a the top of this web-site to click on for more details.

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Or, sign up for Flora-Quest to hear about the amazing trees of Shawnee Forest, from none other than Jim McCormac- one of Ohio's best botanists. He will be the kick-off speaker for the botanical/ birding adventure you'll never forget.