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Winter trees bare all
 | | John Wright (right) points out different ways to identify trees in the winter. |
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Have you ever been out in the woods, looked up at a leafless tree and wondered what kind of tree it was? Without leaves, trees can be challenging to correctly identify. As it turns out, there are plenty of clues on a bare tree - if you know where and how to look.
Recently nine graduates of the Allegheny Highlands Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalist program took to the woods with an expert teacher.
John Wright, with the Virginia Department of Forestry, spent the afternoon pointing out the clues, teasing the answers out of students and providing a running commentary on the condition of local forests. Habitat, growth patterns, bark color and texture, seeds or nuts underneath and even the smell of a broken twig can help to properly put the correct name to the mystery tree.
The outdoor class was an educational opportunity for a group of naturalists who are constantly expanding their knowledge to share with their community. Community education is one of the important features of the Master Naturalist Program and each region develops its corps of volunteers to serve in their respective locales.
Once the initial classroom and field work is completed for master naturalist certification, advanced training, such as this class, keep participants expanding their knowledge of the natural world. They then use their training to help educate the community through various projects of the sponsoring agencies.
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