Summer Photo Feature

Summer is here! Walk the woods, fields or wetlands at Chippewa Nature Center and you'll discover abundant life whichever way you turn. Be sure to watch your step, as slow-moving critters such as snails might be using the path. Bees are buzzing, flowers are blooming and green leaves are coming into their prime. Be sure to check our program calendar for our next guided hike or paddling trip, and also enjoy our trails on your own from dawn to dark every day of the year. Check us out on Facebook to let us know what you find and post your own favorite pictures from your adventures at CNC!

Snail Eyes

Young American Basswood leaves

Spiderwort

Widow Skimmer Dragonfly (immature male)

Green Frog (female)

Michigan Lily

Christmas Trees - Real or Artificial?

Going to get a Christmas normally brings up thoughts of peace, joy and family. Our ancestors would hitch up the one horse open sleigh, gather the family (and maybe the dog) and go off into the woods in search of the perfect Christmas tree. Now-a-days we might borrow a friend’s truck and land at the neighborhood fundraiser tree sale only to find out that everyone’s idea of the right tree is different and soon the holiday spirit is crushed and we settle for what the baby wants just to keep him quiet.

At this point we begin to think an artificial tree is the way to go. Perhaps the cat won’t be as intrigued by one that smells so piney-fresh and it probably won't shed needles into the carpet. There is also a lower fire hazard with an artificial tree coated with flame-retardant. Just think of the time saved by using an artificial tree. You'll only have to select one every fifteen years, and year after year all you have to do is unpack it and set it up.

If you’re the more traditional type, you'll want the ambiance of a live tree. The aroma alone is almost worth the stab between the toes when you find that last needle stuck in the carpet in late February. One of the best things about using a live tree is that when the holidays are through, your tree becomes an instant shelter for the birds at the bird feeder. There is no need to save a chunk of space to store this baby, out the door it goes!

For every reason to buy a live tree there is one to support using an artificial tree. Burning fossil fuels to go get a live tree each year, plus fuel used to transport the tree to the consumer -- is that really any better than whatever impact the production of an artificial tree has on the environment? The tree factory probably causes some pollution of the air and water. Tree growers use pesticides in order to provide and un-blemished tree and protect their investment. The theory that tree farms displace the natural habitat is countered by the idea that they have only created a different habitat that is now conducive to owls, for instance.

Christmas tree growers are a fairly large industry in Michigan. This gives us the advantage of a fresher tree that will retain needles longer than trees shipped from distant places. Trees are also a renewable resource and are replanted at tree farms year after year. If you buy a pre-cut tree, about two inches should be cut off the bottom of the trunk before you set it in the tree stand. This will expose fresh “straws” for the tree to take up water. There are several commercial so called preservatives on the market that claim to prolong needle retention. A number of scientific studies indicate you should save your money, or spend more on your wife’s gift, because they are simply ineffective or do not perform as well as plain water. Also, home remedies such as aspirin, 7-up or bleach can cause needles to drop sooner than if plain water is used. The most important thing for encouraging needle retention is to make sure it always has plenty of water.

Even if an artificial tree lasts for a decade, it will eventually end up in a landfill. Some people go the opposite extreme and purchase a living, plantable "bulb tree" which is taken out into the back yard and planted after it's done sheltering presents. Or, don't bring a tree into the house at all and decorate a living tree outdoors with garlands of seeds, nuts and berries that will become food for wildlife.

For more information about choosing a tree, visit The Daily Green.

start your landscape inventory now

A good starting point in landscaping is to inventory what is already there, and why not start in the winter months? Pay attention now to where the wildlife hangs out in your yard, and what plants are providing winter shelter or winter food. And notice, too, which plants are good for you – are there plants that have an attractive shape in the winter, or colorful fruits?

Gray Dogwood has lovely white berries
that fall migrant birds love!

Do this same inventory each season, from top to bottom. Are there trees with small flowers you hadn’t noticed before, such as willows, which provide an important nectar source for early-arriving orioles? Is there an open spot where you could plant an attractive (unmown) native grass, such as Little Bluestem, that would provide shelter and food for small ground birds?

Black Gum provides blue berries that
this Gray Catbird loves, and a wonderful
shape and fall colors for you.

Ideally, your yard is providing food year-round, with seeds, berries, insects, leaves, etc., for a wide variety of wildlife. For example, raspberries and serviceberry are excellent summer fruits, strawberry puts a fruit down-low for turtles and ground-feeding birds, dogwood berries are favorites of fall migrants, and winterberry (Michigan holly) is an excellent winter fruit.

Don’t fight what you have, but find plants that will enhance your property. Whether you have wet soil or dry, sun or shade, there are hundreds of native plants that can enhance your yard for both you and wildlife.

How Much Land Does It Take to Feed a Bee Colony? More Than You Think

It's a classic image of summer - busy bees buzzing in the bushes (sorry, I couldn't resist!) But what's really going on when a hive of honeybees take to the air in search of food? How much do bees eat? What flowers do they prefer? And how might their food choices relate to Colony Collapse Disorder of which we've heard so much in recent years?

Kim Flottum, of thedailygreen looks at these questions and more in her blog essay: How Much Land Does It Take to Feed a Bee Colony? More Than You Think. Check it out and next time you see those bees on your bushes or reach for that bottle of honey in the supermarket you'll have a new appreciation for all their hard work!

Green Tips for Every Day

Enjoy these green living tips from CNC Senior Naturalist, Janea Little: 1) Don’t water your lawn -- no need to purchase sprinkler equipment, pay for extra water use, or mow as frequently. 2) Use the savings from #1 to replace 50% of your “lawn” with a landscape of native species. It doesn’t matter whether you want short plants or tall, flowers or trees, fruiting shrubs or intriguing shapes – there are native plants that can satisfy you. 3) Save gas by parking at the far end of the mega parking lot instead of circling for the closest spot. BONUS BENEFIT: If your child is in a biology class and needs to make an insect collection, check the car grills on your way in! 4) Instead of your downspouts shooting water into the already over-loaded storm sewers, let them drain into a rain garden, rain barrel, or just a big wading pool that the family pooch can enjoy. Be careful with the wading pool, though, because birds, butterflies and other wildlife will sometimes try to drink from this “pond”, only to learn too late that there is no way out. You can solve this safety hazard by putting a large rock or a few bricks in one spot, so the struggling animal can crawl out of the water. 5) Other water-saving techniques include collecting water that you usually just send down the drain, such as that first gallon of cold water from the shower head, water from steaming veggies, etc. All of that water (several gallons’ worth for most families) can be used again for the pooch, or for the garden, planter boxes or some of your newly-planted native trees. 6) Compost. It saves water (if you normally use a garbage disposal) and reduces the waste sent to the landfill. It also gets you OUTDOORS – to make use of your new treasure (rich soil!). 7) Step away from the TV now and then to take a walk, or read a book about nature. And of course, make sure your TV, DVD player and other electronic equipment is plugged into a power strip, so you can shut power off to them completely. For other tips on saving energy and living green, check out the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy and The Daily Green.

Meandering down the River

Each year, Chippewa Nature Center offers a variety of programs designed for people to experience our local rivers. When you hop in a kayak or canoe and float down the current, you're quickly reminded how everything is literally connected to one another. Pollution upstream on the Pine River in the 1970s still affects all of us downstream today. Exotic species such as sea lamprey and carp have traveled up waterways and now live in our rivers. Plants such as Eurasian Water Milfoil grow in the river and Dame's Rocket, while beautiful, blankets the riverbanks and chokes out native vegetation. While it can be easy to focus on problems, riding the river gives us a chance to relax and experience nature at its own pace. Birds such as kingfishers, herons, ducks and eagles call our rivers home. Especially at dusk and dawn, mink and muskrat, deer and raccoons are commonly seen by quiet paddlers. Turtles and fish swim beneath you and insects, such as dragonflies and damselflies, alight with gossamer wings on your bow. If you see trash in the river, stop and scoop it up. CNC conducts a River Cleanup Workday each July, but you don't have to wait for us! While we'd love you to join us, every little act of kindness towards Mother Earth benefits all her creatures. Why not plan a river trip today and see how YOU can make a difference!

Native Plant Sale

This post is nothing less than a shameless plug for Chippewa Nature Center's Native Plant Sale, scheduled for this weekend! On Thursday (May 21st) CNC Members will get a chance to shop from 1-8:00pm. The sale opens to the general public on Friday and Saturday (May 22-23), from 9:00am-8:00pm both days. Choosing native plants offers important earth-friendly advantages over exotic nursery stock. Plants propagated from native genotypes are easier to establish in your home landscape than non-native plants. Once established, they require no irrigation and no chemicals, and their natural hardiness makes it less likely that you’ll need to replace them. Also, given a little space of their own, many native plants act a lot differently when "tamed." Plants that would be in serious competition in the wild suddenly become free in your garden to show off their attributes, and can put on a show to rival any cultivated species. Native plants also help keep the ecosystem in balance, providing the food, shelter and cover that wildlife needs to survive. Many exotic plant species not only fall short on this critical function, but can also become harmfully invasive, choking out or hybridizing their native neighbors. That bring us to the diverse beauty that natives provide. If you like exotics, you’d better really like them. Since so many of them are invasive, they may well take over the landscape, leaving you nothing else to enjoy! Once again, you're invited to attend Chippewa Nature Center's Native Plant Sale this weekend. Even if you don’t purchase plants at CNC, it’s a great opportunity to get advice on what you should buy. You’d be surprised to learn how harmful many "common" nursery plants can be—to your garden and to the larger ecosystem. Come discover the beauty and wonder of Michigan's native plants!