Treecology: 30 Activities and Observations for Exploring the World of Trees and Forests

Treecology: 30 Activities and Observations for Exploring the World of Trees and Forests — page 4 — xi 6 6 6 6 Introduction Trees can be seen almost everywhere we live in front of our homes and apartments around schools and playgrounds and near libraries They are planted around shopping malls parking lots and office buildings Even if you have never seen a forest or taken a woodland walk you might have enjoyed the cool shade of a tree on a hot day or seen the beauty of a tree in flower Trees also give us visual relief from the city environ ment In neighborhood parks and city centers they provide a greenscape that offers a pleasant relaxed experience Trees are a vital part of a healthy forest ecology supporting a diversity of both plant and animal life They provide homes and food for songbirds and other wildlife even butterflies They can create a windbreak protect watersheds and help prevent soil erosion There are many concerns about forests and trees around the world Drought tornadoes and storms can kill trees or cause severe damage But human activities cause the most concern to botanists and other scientists Deforestation and clear-cutting have become very important topics Large forest areas are cut down to make space for farms buildings or roadways In central Mexico forest trees have been illegally cut down probably for lumber or firewood Some species of trees have become rare or endangered In the mountains of Japan a species of birch tree is nearly extinct in the wild Fortunately some of the trees are safe in arboretums In the tropical habitat of the Amazon in South America the tree that produces Brazil nuts is becoming rare because of deforestation And in Europe coal mining in Germany has destroyed large forested areas but there is a project to plant new trees Trees are symbols of strength and long life They leave us with pleasant memories and are the inspiration for poetry and art around the world Trees are natural time machines revealing the past in fossil evidence and growing with us into the future through storm and wind and into peaceful bright summer days

Treecology: 30 Activities and Observations for Exploring the World of Trees and Forests — page 5 — You can observe trees closely throughout the year and appreciate their enormous variety the difference in the shapes and designs of leaves the texture of bark and the many different types of flowers and seeds they produce You can enjoy the colors of leaves in the fall and the beautiful silhouettes many trees show during the winter And you can have fun with the activities in this book as you learn about trees forests leaves and seeds Important Note Never walk in the woods alone Ask an adult or a few friends to go along Always tell an adult where you are going and when You don’t have to visit a large wooded area to do the activities in this book You can make many discoveries simply by observing trees in your neighbor hood around your school playground or in a park xiixii

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