Nature on the Trail

At the bottom of the slope is a vernal pool.  The pools only have water in the spring, so fish cannot survive in it.  This creates a safe environment for salamanders, wood frogs and “peepers” to use the pool to lay their eggs; the young need the aquatic environment to survive until they develop into … Continue reading Vernal Pool

This tree is a red maple; unlike the sugar maple it does not mind “wet feet,” so we find it here along the wetland.  Notice the red color of the new stems that attach this year’s leaves to the twig.  One of the first signs of spring are the red flowers on this type of … Continue reading Red Maple

Nature on the Trail The large tree directly in front of you is a Red Oak. Oaks are important as "mast" producers' mast is the edible seeds of a tree. Their acorns are used as a food source by wildlife, both animals and birds. Red Oak is dense. which makes it very good firewood. Its … Continue reading Red Oak

This wetland grew when debris partially blocked one of the culverts under the rail trail.  As the water rose, the roots of the dead trees you see could no longer exchange oxygen in the soil—they suffocated and the trees died.  This is the same natural process that occurs when beavers build a dam on a … Continue reading Growing Wetland