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.