Thanksgiving Trees Year Two

With the wind chill near freezing, Native Plants and Animals students planted it forward. They added three trees to our Small Forest. Between the six environmental science classes I teach, we are planting 18 trees on our campus. Last Friday's inch of rain made our task much easier.

Last year Small students planted a dozen trees at Westcave Preserve and thus initiated Thanksgiving Trees, a tradition we hope will adopted by others. The idea is simple. Plant a tree or few around the end of November, reflect on gratitude, and do something positive for the environment.

By 5th period it had warmed up, and we had more trees to plant. This time we added three retamas to the southern end of the Small Forest.

One prominent characteristic of retamas is the long thorns along the trunk and branches. These spikes are perfect for a sated bird to stash a tasty dragonfly for a later meal.

Towards Tree Literacy

Are you tree literate?

Ever spend time up in a tree, been in a real treehouse?
Have you ever planted a tree, taken care of it?
Are you up on your tree anatomy?
Could you explain to someone else the value of native trees?
Do you know the common names of 20 or more local trees?
Could you use a dichotomous key to figure out the names of the ones you don't?

By the time my Taste of Science students have completed the course, they should be able to answer yes to most of these questions. As far as the treehouse goes, they are on their own.

Seeds of Succession

Recent wildfires have grabbed our attention. First, the Oak Hill fire directly affected some of our students and their families. Then subsequent fires in Spicewood, Steiner Ranch, and Bastrop County have triggered concern and prompted many of my students to ask what happens to wildlife when their habitat burns.

In Taste of Science classes this week we have been studying the role fire plays in an ecosystem. As a culminating activity, students combined native wildflower and grass seeds with clay and compost to create seedballs. 

You don't have to make seedballs to sow wildflower and grass seed, but it does improve germination results. Loose scattered seed can blow or wash away. Seeds can also be eaten by wildlife. The clay hardens, but when exposed to sufficient rain, partially dissolves. This keeps the seed in place.

These seedballs will be used in the Lost Pines area to jump start the recovery of the land. Getting native producers established prevents further erosion and is critical for recovering animal populations.

Initially a few students were reluctant to get their hands into the mushy mixtures, but thanks to some intrepid classmates, it didn't take long for everyone else to join in the fun. See for yourself:

Thanks to Meg Inglis for getting Small involved and delivering the seed kits.

Pictures by PhotoGraef.

One Blustery Fall Wednesday

With temperatures in the 40's and 50's and buffeted by wind gusts up to 30 mph, all of the environmental science classes were out in force today. Mr. Brooks's classes tended to the chickens and vegetables, composted, and worked on their new spiral herb bed. Mr. Rosenberg's classes paced out acres by calibrating their strides around the football field and later tending the front flower beds. My classes worked in the gardens, identified trees using a dichotomous key, and hiked down to Williamson Creek to investigate erosion and collect soil samples.  

 

Having just completed their study of monarch butterflies, Native Plants and Animals class prepares their garden area for the winter.

 

We harvested a few suckers and young oaks and put them in the greenhouse. There was a lot to weed and deadhead. Earlier in the week, we collected acorns from white, bur, vase, live, and chinqapin oaks. We will germinate them in shallow, soil filled trays in the greenhouse.

More photos of winterizing our campus:

Thanks to Keep Austin Beautiful for hooking us up with some quality mulch.

 As part of our study of soil, Green Growing students hiked to Williamson Creek.

We journaled focusing on the wind and looked for signs of rill erosion.

Students collected two samples from the creek bed and three from the banks. Next week we will test the soils for pH, friability, and ability to clump.

It was a perfect day for a hike. Many students collected broken glass, flood detritus, and other litter.
See more photos:

Photos by Aylin's Eyes and SouperPix Studios