Boston Flora

Tag: Bark

  • Sunday, April 26, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Tree Identification at Poet’s Seat

    Have you ever looked at a tree in winter and wondered what it might be? This walk with naturalist Nancy Goodman is a continuation of an ongoing Pioneer Valley Institute series showing trees that can be found in different habitats. Become familiar with the characteristic bark of the different trees in different habitats. This is a dry ridge top with changing habitats and trees from the top of the road to the bottom.

    Poet’s Seat in Greenfield has a road we will be following, going up to the tower and the top of the cliffs; the view is spectacular. Bring binoculars, water, very warm clothes in many layers as we will not be walking much (and this area can be very windy), lunch, warm boots, and the book Bark by Michael Wojtech (past Garden Club of the Back Bay speaker) if you have a copy. There are no facilities at this spot. Please plan accordingly.

    We will meet at the parking area at the base of the cliffs on Sanderson Road next to the tennis courts. We will then walk up the busy road to the tower road. Extreme care must be taken and the road can be steep in spots getting up to the tower. No rain date. Not handicapped accessible. $5 (free to PVI members), checks only, no cash please. For more information email wildeyes@rcn.com.

  • Saturday, June 29, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm – Nasami Farm Perched Swamp Tree Exploration

    Nasami Farm, owned by the New England Wildflower Society, is home to a unique habitat, a Black Gum—Pin Oak—Swamp White Oak “perched” swamp. This is a swamp not directly connected to the water table, but perched above it on layers that prevent draining usually associated with old glacial lake beds. The Great Swamp, of which this property is a part, is one of the largest and best examples of a perched swamp left in Massachusetts. On Saturday, June 29, from 10 – 2, we will be looking mostly at the trees and their bark, but also checking out any wildflowers we might see. The trail is level and the distance covered about 2 to3 miles at an easy pace. Please bring comfortable water-resistant boots, rain gear (depending on the weather), plenty of water, lunch, binoculars and bug spray. We will be using the book Bark by Michael Wojtech, so bring a copy if you have one. We will meet at Nasami Farm, 128 North Street, in Whately (there is a blue sign on routes 5 & 10 at Swamp Road). Parking will be at the barn on the left as you enter. Directions will be sent upon request at pre-registration when you email Nancy Goodman at wildeyes@rcn.com. $5 fee, free for Pioneer Valley Institute members, NEWFS members, and kids under 12. (Please do not use MapQuest for driving directions; they currently take you to North Street in South Deerfield.)

    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_keRo4qD_gWE/TMF-BYMis3I/AAAAAAAAACM/XomqApNkwnk/s1600/Riverwood+Perched+Swamp.jpg

  • Saturday, March 24, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Bark: Get to Know Your Trees

    The traits typically used to describe trees, leaves, twigs, and buds are often not clearly visible or seasonally absent. Join Michael Wojtech, naturalist and writer, at Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Drive, Boylston, Massachusetts on Saturday, March 24, from 1 – 4 for an indoor/outdoor exploration of bark, which is always visible, in any season. You will learn about a system for distinguishing bark characteristics and discover clues to bark ecology. For more details on Michael or his new book, Bark: A Field Guide to Trees of the Northeast, visit: www.knowyourtrees.com.  Tower Hill member price $30, nonmembers $35.  Sign up at www.towerhillbg.org.

  • Sunday, October 9, 2:00 pm – Bark: A Field Guide to Trees of the Northeast

    The Harvard Museum of Natural History will sponsor an author talk by Michael Wojtech on Sunday, October 9, beginning at 2 pm at the Museum, 26 Oxford Street in Cambridge. Many people know how to identify trees by their leaves, but what happens when those leaves that have fallen or are out of reach? With detailed information and illustrations covering each phase of a tree’s life-cycle, author and naturalist Michael Wojtech will explain how to identify trees by their bark—the one tree characteristic that’s visible all year round. Learn about the structure and ecology of tree bark and how its different traits evolved. Free with museum admission.  For directions and more information, log on to www.hmnh.harvard.edu.