WCP NEWS Volume 5 October 2017

WINNEBAGO COUNTY PARKS DEPARTMENT & SUNNYVIEW EXPO CENTER MONTHLY NEWSLETTER THEY’RE UP TO SOMETHING... SEEDS SEEK NEW WORLDS IN Still others coat their seeds in a Banner crops of acorns come AUTUMN waterproof jacket that acts like a every three or four years. One PFD, floating the embryo down researcher tracked 15,000 acorns In October, most of the plant river to rest on a shoreline. that were dropped by one prolific world is shutting down ahead of a tree. Deer, squirrels and other an- long winter, but simultaneously, Once in their new world, the imals ate 83 percent of them; six many plants are also seeking new seeds have sensors that will re- percent were attacked by weevils worlds by spond to the right combination of and insect larvae and about 10 sending out temperature, light, oxygen and percent were naturally imperfect their seeds. moisture to initiate growth. If the and failed to germinate. Less than To help the conditions aren’t perfect, the one percent actually sprouted, seeds trav- seeds may not germinate for and more than half of those died el as far as years. The record for patience as seedlings. Fortunately, only possible, may be ten thousand-year-old lu- one acorn needs to survive to re- plants uti- pine seeds, which were found in place the adult tree above it. lize an amazing array of strate- 1954, and then placed on wet fil- gies. Some, like the black cherry, ter paper where six seeds germi- Whatever the strategy employed, put a final gift wrap over the nated within 48 hours. One plant, it’s clear that NASA couldn’t have seeds, something bright, colorful upon reaching 11 months of age, designed better spaceships than and sweet-tasting to encourage and after 10,000 years of dorman- the seeds of most plants. transport by way of digestive sys- cy, bloomed. tems. Other plants like thistle WHAT ABOUT TREES? choose to Timing is everything in the disper- make their sal of seeds. Red oaks, for exam- When someone mentions the seeds sticky ple, typically shed their acorns word forest, we often think of or bristly in just before most leaves drop. huge tracts of land covered with order to hitch Their acorns benefit from the cov- trees, like a national forest. How- a ride to an- er of newly fallen leaves, which ever, most of the nation's forests other town. ensures that some acorns will be are not in remote areas and most Some create hidden from predators, while oth- Americans (over 80%) live in that an aerody- ers will be found and dispersed by forest, the Urban Forest. namic ap- squirrels and chipmunks intent on Urban forestry goes beyond trees. pendage, like hiding their winter stores. The urban forest is a living animal a milkweed’s silk parachute or a and plant community that has sugar maple’s winged helicopter.

Inside this issue: Winnebago County Parks Dept. 625 E. Cty. Rd. Y #500, Oshkosh WI 54901 Parkstock Party lineup 6 (920)232-1960 Spotlight On 8 www.co.winnebago.wi.us/parks Calendar of events 9

Picture Yourself in Winnebago County Parks! Page 2 WCP NEWS been disturbed, modified or other- living today, the ginkgo was why people do not feel a kinship wise changed. As much as we try, around during the days of the di- with trees: trees can hide crimi- there is no separation between nosaurs. nals who may attack, trees harbor our cities and nature. We live in Trees make up an estimated 80% animals and insects that may in- nature and urban forestry is the by weight of the 49 trillion tons of vade the home, and branches or management, and perpetuation, green plants on the planet. entire trees may fall, causing of the forest ecosystem, in which What kind of tree gets struck by damage, injury or death. we live. lightning more than any other? Do you know that: Urban forestry Oaks, because they tend to grow  Coal is formed from trees that The average life of a street tree taller than most other trees. lived during the prehistoric times? growing in a typical downtown area is only seven years. Due to a  Less than 1% of a tree is lack of root space and poor, com- Trees were used to help for- made up of living cells? pacted soils, most downtown tunetellers divine the meaning of trees are essentially "potted dreams. In medieval Europe,  It takes 30 leaves to grow a plants." dreaming of a green oak tree indi- Jonathan apple and 50 leaves to We need trees to: save energy by cated a long life; a cypress was grow a big Delicious apple? blocking winds and shading; inter- the harbinger of problems in busi- cept rainfall and reduce urban ness. Dreaming of a palm tree  There are over 20,000 differ- runoff; filter air pollution particles was the best of omens, while the ent kinds of trees in the world? from the air; muffle traffic noise; vision of a pine was a dark hint of reduce glare and reflection; define looming problems. (from "Growing  When tree leaves turn upside space; screen undesirable views Greener Cities: A Tree-Planting down in a fresh breeze you can and provide privacy; shelter wild- Handbook" by Gary Moll and expect rain? life; and add color, texture and Stanley Young). beauty to the urban environment. Germans and Slavs often planted (from "What Trees Do For Your a tree in front of a newlywed cou-  Wisconsin celebrates Arbor Community," a University of Wis- ple's house. Many families in Eu- Day on the last Friday in April? consin Extension slideshow). rope would plant a tree upon the And trees need us to: plant a di- birth of a baby, especially an heir,  There are 98 Tree City, USA versity of species; water, fertilize, whose fate was then tied up with communities in Wisconsin? prune and care for them; guard that of the tree's. ("Growing against disease, insects and Greener Cities: A Tree-Planting The pull of gravity or the force of physical damage; and make a Handbook"). the wind can cause a tree to grow community effort to cultivate a Why do we "knock on wood? It more on one side than on the oth- thriving urban forest. ("What comes from a superstition. People er? knocked on wood to thank the tree's spirit for granting Parts of a tree them a favor. About 90% of a tree's roots are in According to research done the top 18 inches of the soil. This by the USDA Forest Service, is why it's important not to com- the value of trees goes be- pact the soil or disturb the ground yond cleaning the air and beneath the tree. beautifying our cities. Trees Roots can extend up to three reduce stress and improve times the height of the tree. The health, help us reflect on notion that the root of a tree mir- Trees Do For Your Community"). change and act as symbols of hu- ror its crown is more artistic than Unusual facts man character, continuity and reli- accurate. The shape of a tree ac- The ginkgo tree is a "living fossil." gion. tually resembles a wineglass set Unlike most other kinds of trees The research also cites reasons on a plate.

Picture Yourself in Winnebago County Parks! VOLUME 5 Page 3

Root growth can occur any time the top of the soil ball in a B&B $75 in controlling erosion and the soil temperature is above tree. storm water, $75 in wildlife shel- 32° F. To test for proper soil drainage ter and $50 in controlling air pol- A large leafy tree may take up before planting, dig a hole the lution. Trees are an extremely as much as a ton of water from depth of the root ball that you valuable part of a community's the soil every day. envision planting. Fill the hole infrastructure. Did you know that the cambium with water, let it drain, and then On the average, cities are five to is the only part of a tree trunk fill it again. Come back in 24 nine degrees warmer than the that is alive. The cambium is a hours and if no water is present rural areas that surround them, a thin layer of growing cells, just in the hole, then drainage is phenomenon known as the under the bark. good. If water exists, move to "urban heat island effect." In the Bark can be very thin or very another site. summer, the urban heat island is thick. The bark of a birch tree A two to three inch layer of or- more than just uncomfortable. may be only 1/4 inch thick, while ganic mulch (wood chips) placed Nationally, it amounts to $1 mil- the bark of a giant sequoia can around a tree can reduce soil lion per hour in additional cool- be as much as 2 feet thick. compaction, protect the trunk ing costs while producing mil- Managing and care from lawnmowers, improve soil lions of tons of carbon dioxide, Nature can't take care of the ur- moisture retention, control the major greenhouse gas, and ban forest as she does the rural weeds and grass, improve plant increases the likelihood of un- forest. The science of managing growth and recycle waste. healthy smog levels. the urban ecosystem consists of It is not necessary to paint a tree "Growing Greener Cities" calls many factors, often with success wound after you remove a tree planting and care the least dependent on citizen interest branch. In fact, research shows expensive ways to slow build-up and involvement. that painting wounds actually of carbon dioxide and reduce the Did you know that you can kill a may do more harm than good to threat of global warming. tree by: a tree. The only exception is if  Over fertilizing it an oak tree is pruned or other- wise wounded from bud break  Not watering it up to two or three weeks past  Planting it too deep full leaf development (generally  Banging a lawnmower into it April 15 to July 1). Oak trees are  Changing the soil grade as most vulnerable to oak wilt dur- ing this time. little as two inches Eight good reasons not to top:  Trenching near it starvation, shock, insects and  Never removing stakes and disease, weak limbs, rapid new strapping growth, tree death, ugliness and  Planting the wrong tree in cost (according to the National Arbor Day Foundation – Tree the wrong site City USA Bulletin 8).  Compacting the soil around A shade tree positioned on the it West Side of a home can keep it  Over-watering it 20% cooler that a home without When planting a tree with the a tree. Trees are nature's air roots balled and burlapped conditioners. The cooling effect (B&B), it is necessary to remove of one tree is equal to that of five to the burlap and locate the root room air conditioners running 20 collar. The root collar (where the hours a day. ("What Trees Do trunk and roots meet) should be For Your Community"). even with the final grade. Roots In one year, a single city tree Picture Yourselfprovides in $73 Winnebago in air conditioning, County Parks! collars’ are frequently 4-6" below Page 4 WCP NEWS

Spotlight

On ECONOMIC IMPACT SURVEY PHASE 2 Winnebago County Community Park A big thank you to everyone who completed our Park Survey! Here’s a taste of some of the results.

Age / Gender The 46-60 age group was the largest of the survey takers at 38% with 70% being female versus 30% being male. This is reflective of families with small children utilizing the park.

Age / Gender The 46-60 age group was the largest of the survey takers at 38% with 70% being female versus 30% beingThe male.amount This of use is reflective a park gets of families is directly with related small to the right facilities and the type of facilities available. childrenCommunity utilizing Park the is park. a popular destination for families but also for couples and singles of all ages. The variety of activities offered shows that the park is very well suited for the diversity of the community.

VOLUME 5 Page 5 Amenities

Survey takers were asked to select what activities brought them to the park. The results showed trails to be very important at 38%. The breakdown of the top five are as follows: Trails = 38% Dog Park = 34% Picnic Area = 31% Event / Party = 30% Playground = 15%

When looking at the favorite part of the park, trails were also rated high along with nature areas, the dog park, pond, and picnic areas. These complement each other with the most popular activ- ity vs. favorite part of Community Park. For example, walking and biking brought the person to the park and the favorite part was the trails.

Respondents stated that this was their first visit and they would return, 49%. Many visitors were repeat users of the park and have had many visits 48%.

From the analysis, we can hypothesize, 72% of Community Park visitors spend

between $25-$50 a day with another 28% spending higher amounts.

Picture Yourself in Winnebago County Parks! Picture Yourself in Winnebago County Parks! Page 6 WCP NEWS

hallmarks of autumn. Really, make grits. Indian corn can be the fall harvest season would- ground to make flour, or the n't be complete without ears of whole kernel can be reserved

Indian corn embellishing the for popcorn. Ears with larger Which corn is decor in homes and business- kernels are typically used for which! es. From wreaths to center- flour or cornmeal production, pieces, Indian corn seems to while those with small, pointy be everywhere in October and kernels are perfect for pop- November. Everywhere, that corn. Everything You is, except on a dinner plate. But Indian corn's texture and It's corn, but can you actually Ever Wanted to composition aren't the most eat it? And where did it come unusual things about it -- its Know About from? color is. Most of us are used According to folklore, these Indian Corn to seeing bright yellow or colorful ears were named after by Victoria Vogt golden ears of corn. How the indigenous people of could blue, red, gold and yel- North America. They'd been low kernels co-exist on the cultivating it for years when same cob? The Indian corn they introduced it to the Euro- you commonly find at the gro- peans who arrived in the cery store is one of several Western Hemisphere in the hybrid varieties developed 15th century. But "Indian corn" within the last 50 years. These isn't exclusive to the North calico-patterned or speckled American continent. Experts varieties of Indian corn result say that it grew in China, India from cross-pollination of single and South America for centu- -shaded plants. In addition to ries. And our ancestors didn't the multicolored ears, there decorate with it -- they ate it. are solid ears in shades of Unlike the typical niblets or white, ruby, blue and black. Cornucopia Image Gallery corn on the cob that you serve Our ancestors didn't deco- With names like Strawberry at mealtime, Indian corn isn't rate with Indian corn -- they Popcorn and Blue Corn, who sweet. It's also got a pretty ate it. could resist trying to plant In- starchy texture when it's The sound of rustling leaves dian corn in their own garden? cooked. You could compare it and the aroma of smoke from Luckily, it's pretty easy to grow to hominy, which is used to wood-burning fireplaces are -- both the big ears and minia- Page 7 WCP NEWS ture 2- and 4-inch varieties. billion individual kernels of You can buy the seeds at gar- What is candy corn. den supply centers or get them corn and how Candy corn are the small piec- through mail-order. Pay close es of triangular candy made attention to planting instruc- is it made? tions; planting rows of solid- by Stephanie Watson primarily from corn syrup, hon- colored corn too closely will ey and sugar (it is usually fat- produce calico-colored ears. free) and is traditionally colored But if you're the adventurous in a specific pattern of three type, let the seeds fall where stripes. It is recognized by the they may. white tip, orange in the center, If you're growing Indian corn and yellow at the widest end. for ornamental use, be sure to wait until the husks are no Candy corn has been remarka- longer green to pick them, then bly popular in America for well let the ears dry for about a over a century. The amount of week. Once that's done, you these sweet kernels consumed can store them at room tem- in a single year is staggering. perature for four to six months. One candy company alone es- Some people like to coat Indi- What exactly is candy corn? an corn with lacquer to give it a timates it produces 4.3 billion Every Halloween, bags of trian- shiny appearance while others pieces a year and that Ameri- gle-shaped, yellow, orange and prefer the plant's natural look. cans eat about 20 million lb white candies fill trick-or-treat And if you want to have anoth- (9.1 million kg), or about 8.3 bags all over the country. And er Indian corn harvest next there are many bags to fill: Ac- billion kernels. year, at the end of the season, cording to the National Confec- pick the largest, healthiest Candy corn is considered a tioners Association, candy seeds from each cob and store "mellow creme," a candy that companies them in metal, animal-proof has virtually no oils or fats in it will produce containers. nearly 35 but has a marshmallow flavor. DID YOU KNOW? million It is also of a variety of candies pounds of that are made using the pro- Raw Indian corn is as hard the corny as nails, so attempting to eat cess confectioners refer to as candy this year. That's about 9 it could damage your teeth. starch casting, in which the

Picture Yourself in Winnebago County Parks! WCP NEWS Page 8 candy is formed in a machine and poured, from large ladles using cornstarch as the mold- or buckets, into separate trian- ing agent. This particular kind gular-shaped molds. Each col- of cooked candy must set for at or was poured into the mold least a day before it may be separately. The colorful kernels packaged for sale. were allowed to dry before packaging. Now, however, the Candy Corn was homemade at process is entirely mecha- one point, but others think that nized. it has largely been mass- produced since its invention in Major recent changes have in- the late nineteenth century. No cluded the broadening of the one is quite sure who invented use of candy corn to other these little morsels. However, it times of the year. Thus, these is believed that Americans candy kernels take on color knew of the candies in the combinations suited to the time 1880s. By the turn of the cen- of year they are slated for con- tury, the Goelitz Candy Com- sumption—red, pink, and white pany in Illinois, run by German for Valentine's Day, and green immigrants, was making signifi- and white for St. Patrick's Day, cant quantities of the confec- for example. Green and red tion. candy corn is referred to as reindeer corn and is becoming In the early twentieth century, a popular Christmas treat. candy corn became the com- A candy- pany's single best seller. Goe- making litz is now not the sole candy machine called a corn producer in the country, Mogul nor is it the largest. No matter deposits the slurry who makes candy corn, the in com process has remained largely starch molds. Each colored section of candy com is deposited at different stages—first, the unchanged. Originally, candy white tip, then, the orange stripe; and finally, slurry was cooked as a fondant the yellow stripe at the wide end. Page 9 WCP NEWS

SPONSORS CORNER

The Oshkosh Independent, which has been publishing as an online magazine since 2015, will produce a companion print publication starting in November. The Oshkosh Independent Magazine (or Oshkosh IM) is based on the idea that Oshkosh is a city on the rise and that local residents and businesses deserve to have a locally owned and operated media company bringing them news and information. It will initially appear five times a year and will be available through free distribution at local drop-off points and through targeted mailing. Readers will also be able to purchase an annual subscription for just $22. The new magazine will be published in the months of February, April, June, August and Novem- ber, with a publication date for the inaugural issue planned for November 17, 2017.

This and That— October is National Sarcastic Awareness Month: October is a month for us to pause and be aware of the growing trend of sarcasm. Really!? Good to know!

Welcome to our newest Official Trail Ambassador!

Picture Yourself in Winnebago County Parks! Page 10 WCP NEWS

ROCKTOBERFEST FOR HURRICANE RELIEF OCTOBER 28 @ Sunnyview Expo Center

“Eddie Money has it all…not only can he sing, write and play, but he is a natural performer.” After signing a recording contract with Columbia Records, Money burst onto the scene with his eponymous debut album in 1977. Fans immediately fell in love with Money’s sound, and the al- bum, which went double platinum, featured hits like “Baby Hold On” and “Two Tickets to Paradise.” Money followed the success of his de- but album with a stream of Top 40 hits, as well as some of the era’s most creative videos for songs like “Think I’m in Love” and “Shakin.” In 1986, Money released Can’t Hold Back, which featured the classic, Grammy-Nominated duet with Ronnie Spector, “Take Me Home Tonight.” The song reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album went platinum and also featured the hit “I Wan- na Go Back.” These days, Money continues to delight new and old fans alike at venues throughout the country. Having opened the summer concert season at the famous DTE Energy Music Theatre in Detroit for nearly 20 years, Money draws fans from all over who are eager to see the legendary musician. Ask any concert attendee and they’ll tell you he retains his signature style and performs with the same passion today as he did more than 30 years ago.

After performing for several years in the Austin, Texas, blues scene, the band won a recording contract with Takoma/Chrysalis Records and later signed with Epic Records. In 2011, they signed with Severn Records. The single "Tuff Enuff" was featured in the 1986 film Gung Ho. It was also featured in the film Tough Guys, as was the follow-up single, "Wrap It Up", which went to number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The album Tuff Enuff went gold in several countries and was subsequently certified platinum in the United States, with sales of over 1 million. The band's music was also used in the 1987 movie Hot Pursuit. The Vaughan–Wilson composition "Twist It Off" appears in the 1987 Mi- chael J Fox and Joan Jett film Light of Day and on the issued soundtrack. Following that, their recording of "Powerful Stuff" was a success, based in part on its inclusion in the 1988 film Cocktail. The band then embarked on a long series of lineup changes and albums throughout the 1990s. On the evening of February 16, 2000, the Fabulous Thunderbirds were the first band ever to be broad- cast on the Internet using high-definition cameras. The companion DVD, Invitation Only, is one of the first high-resolution multi-track recordings of a live concert event. The companion CD Live! was released in 2001. In 2016, Kim Wilson announced that the Fabulous Thunderbirds for 2016 will be Steve Gomes on bass, Kevin Anker on keyboards, Wes Watkins on drums, with holdover Johnny Moeller on guitar. This lineup plus drummer Rob Stupka recorded the album Strong Like That released in August 2016. Page 11 WCP NEWS In 2005 Glass Tiger marked 20 years of making music together. In celebra- tion of this achievement, EMI Music released a retrospective DVD contain- ing all of the original hit videos the band released in the 1980's and 90's along with 2 new videos and songs recorded especially for the DVD com- pilation.

Glass Tiger continues to play select dates, only when all members of the band are available to perform. This makes every performance a special one. Alan's vocals are stronger than ever, and the band is tight and rockin'. After 25 years to- gether Glass Tiger has no plans to stop touring anytime soon. There's no doubt the upcoming gigs will be something special.

If you've never seen a GT live show, this is your chance to experience in person why GT has been one of Canada's most enduring bands for three decades. Fans who have enjoyed seeing the band live over the years say they are better now than ever. Find out for yourself!

FEMMES OF ROCK, led by rock violinist and ar- ranger, Nina DiGregorio, has rocked audiences worldwide with their blistering solos, unique ar- rangements—not to mention their beauty and charm. The girls have collectively performed with some of the biggest names in the business.

Recently, the Bella girls were the featured strings (20 BELLA GIRLS!) for a DirecTV special starring Richard Marx, Kenny Loggins and Eric Benet The FEMMES OF ROCK show takes Bella Strings to a whole new level. All-new arrangements, original material, a live rock band, video, lights, choreography, comedy, and more can be expected in this high-energy show that leaves audiences awed. The only one of its kind, there are no other similar string acts operating at this level of production. Be prepared for something that you have not yet seen the likes of. The Girls keep a busy touring sched- ule and are one of the most sought-after “hard rock” violin acts in the world.

For SCHEDULE AND LINE UP info: [email protected] Gates open noon Music starts 2pm Headliners start at 6pm TICKETS AVAILABLE AT EVENTBRITE.COM

Picture Yourself in Winnebago County Parks! Page 12 WCP NEWS The WI State K9 Handlers Assoc. Conference is taking place October 1-3 at Sunnyview Expo Center, Winnebago County Community Park & numerous locations around the area. Check out the permanent display of current and past K9 Officers in the JP Coughlin Center lobby.

BENEFITS WINNEBAGO COUNTY DOG PARKS

Picture Yourself in Winnebago County Parks! Page 11 WCP NEWS

SUNNYVIEW EXPO CENTER EVENTS OCTOBER 2017

Oct. 1-3 - WI K9 Handlers Assoc. Conference Oct. 7—Winnebago Pet Expo Oct. 14 & 15—Cruisin’ Safely Motorcycle Class Oct. 28—Rocktoberfest for Hurricane Relief

WINNEBAGO COUNTY COMMUNITY PARK EVENTS OCTOBER 2017

Oct. 1—Oshkosh CROP Walk Oct. 1—3—Winnebago County Sheriff’s K-9 Convention Shelter restrooms close for the season October 9

WIOUWASH AND MASCOUTIN TRAIL EVENTS OCTOBER 2017

No events scheduled.

VOLUME 4 Page 14

“Parks Picks”

Our Official WI State Champion Trail Ambas- Winnebagoland BMX’s sador Butte President Kevin Kem- des Morts nitz gave a tour of the Conservation tract for the Parks & Club did a Recreation Committee. clean up on Lookin’ good! the WIOUWASH. Thanks for

your help keeping the trail clean!

Funky fungus at Waukau Creek Nature Preserve.

First Monday of Autumn 2017 at Waukau Creek Picture Yourself in Winnebago County Parks With...