Baltimore Woods Nature Center

Nature in your hands

Overlook
the
Summer 2 011 Vo l u m e 2 5 Number 2

For many years, Baltimore Woods has been embracing the many benefits of childhood nature interactions. These benefits cannot be overestimated.

Play with a Purpose

By Tom Meier
Play is work for her. This is what my mother said to my older sister when she had her first baby. Julia, my niece, was putting blocks in a box, dumping them out, putting them back in again. A few years later, she plays make believe with her princess dolls, coming up with fascinating stories that really only make sense to a five year old. I remember going for a walk with my sister and her family through the woods the game Julia and I were playing was a primitive version of house. We were looking for trees that would make good homes, and every one that we found had to be climbed on (or in, if possible) and thoroughly inspected. Our favorite was a giant old oak, long dead, that was hollowed out inside with enough room for the two of us to sit down to dinner. That was a few years ago, and still we look for good tree homes whenever we go walking. Play is work. This idea fascinates mereally, who wouldnt rather play than work? For adults, play is something we do to take a break from work, to get away from desks and responsibilities. For children, it is completely different. Children learn through play. A simple activity like building a rock dam in a creek, for no other reason than to see what happens, can teach a child a lifetime of lessons, build neural connections, teach them problem solving and creative thinking, physics, simple machines, the nature of water, teamwork. All of this without teachers, tests, lesson plans, goals and objectives, curricula standards, or time limitssimply through play. At Baltimore Woods we have recognized these benefits that come from nature play. Our camps are designed to allow children the freedom to explore the woods at their own pace, through whatever sparks their interests, and with few limitations. Certainly we endeavor to keep them safe, but we also strive to keep them unencumbered by structure. This is not an easy balance to achieve, and it requires a special quality in a counselor to recognize the difference between what children truly need and what an adult thinks they need. To what end? We can aid a childs mental, physical, and social development, certainly. But there is more. This idea of nature play, of allowing children to have frequent, positive experiences in natureof creating an emotional attachment to natureis the first step toward fostering a sense of stewardship for the environment as they grow into adults. Better wordsmiths than I have said it this way: just as children need good nutrition and adequate sleep, they may very well need contact with nature. Richard Louv Teach less, share and experience more: let nature be the teacher as much as possible. Resist the urge to spout off facts and everything you know about what you see. Focus first on helping children experience nature through their senses and their feelings. Joseph Cornell We will not fight to save what we do not love. Stephen J. Gould Let them play. Tom Meier

Every child should have mud pies, grasshoppers, waterbugs, tadpoles, frogs, mud-turtles, elderberries, wild strawberries, acorns, chestnuts, trees to climb, brooks to wade in, waterlilies, woodchucks, bats, bees, sand, snakes, huckleberries, and hornets; and any child who has been deprived of these has been deprived of the best part of his education. - Luther Burbank

4007 Bishop Hill Road PO Box 133 Marcellus, NY 13108-0133 315.673.1350 www.baltimorewoods.org

The Overlook
The Overlook is a membership benefit of Baltimore Woods Nature Center. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Baltimore Woods is a not-for-profit organization that offers people of all ages opportunities to enjoy and learn about nature first-hand in a positive environment that encourages lifelong respect for nature, for others, and for self. The Interpretive Center is open Monday through Friday 9am to 4pm, and Saturday 10am to 4pm. Closed Sunday. The Center will be closed Monday July 4th. Hiking trails are open every day dawn to dusk. Hiking and parking are free.

Baltimore Woods Nature Center

Nature in your hands

Direct contributions and inquiries to: Baltimore Woods Nature Center Box 133 Marcellus, NY 13108 Website: www.baltimorewoods.org Telephone (315) 673-1350

Staff Emma Anderson Environmental Educator Linda Bonnell Business Manager Jeff Devine Land Manager Becky Lynch Environmental Educator Tom Meier Camp Director Katie Mulverhill Environmental Educator Thea Reidy Marketing/Executive Assistant Misty Schwab Graphic Designer Patty Weisse Executive Director Volunteer Karen Smith Volunteer Coordinator Board of Directors 2011 Phil Mazza, President Nikki Shrimpton, Vice President David Brown, Treasurer Guy Swenson, Secretary Linda Achimore Lynn Cleary Marvin Druger Tim Dudley Dave Eichorn Gary Germain Janet Heinrich Terry Horst Glen Lewis David Liddell Lisa D. Miller Jacqueline Orzell Camille Tisdel

In Remembrance of Jean Graham

Words from the memorial service by Patty Weisse
My introduction to Jean came through my daughter, Elizabeth who was among the luckiest of children to have Jean for a third grade teacher. Her homework took us outside to the field with nets and field guides in search of butterflies. As we swept the field Elizabeth was full of facts and relationships she had learned in class. The only way to describe her excitement as she spoke about the miraculous transformation from egg to larvae to chrysalis to butterfly was that she was on fire. I knew right then that I had to get to know this teacher and Im so glad I did. At Baltimore Woods we have a Meet the Staff and Volunteers bulletin board. Under Jeans picture it reads, I have been a passionate environmentalist since the 1950s. As our first week at The Woods without Jean unfolded, the myriad things she did for us came out, one after another.From helping with the Plant Sale, running the raffle, cooking volunteer lunches, editing grants and on and on. I ran out of fingers and toes to count all the different people it would take to replace what one woman did for our organization. And then the reason we are all here started to sink in. Our human bodies are finite.Whether we consider the number of digits or the number of days we are here on this earth.We are all here together because our grief at losing Jean is so great, so overwhelming that none of us can handle it alone. More importantly, however, I realized that the human spirit is not finite. What drove Jeans actions came from something without limita very deep, heartfelt commitment that our families, our community, and our world is a better place when our children spend time outside exploring the natural world. And so we are here in awe of Jeans infinite spirit, her gentle determination and generosity. We thank you Jean, well miss you Jean, we love you Jean.

Passing the Torch

Jane Hastead, Baltimore Woods Volunteer and Database Coordinator is leaving The Woods to meet other obligations. We will miss her greatly! She is seen here passing the torch to volunteer Karen Smith, who is taking over the volunteer coordination duties. Welcome, Karen!

Calendar of Events

June

10 Star Party: Moon & Saturn 8:30 10:30pm June is the month with the latest sunsets, but we dont have to wait for it to get pitch dark to get good views of the moon and planets. The moon will be a beautiful crescent, with craters and mountains in bold relief due to the low angle of sunlight, and Saturn is still giving some of the best views for the year as the rings are opening up a bit more each time we see it. $5 for members, $15/family; $8 for nonmembers, $25/family. Back-up date: June 11. 15 Volunteer Lunch Noon Baltimore Woods greatly appreciates all the volunteers who give their time and efforts to help further our mission. So on the third Wednesday of the month we offer volunteers a lunch of locally harvested foods at the Interpretive Center. All volunteers are welcome!
We appreciate your registering for all programs. Low registration can cause programs to be cancelled.

25 Frog Catching Party 1 3pm Frogs! Where? Down at Phillips Pond of course! Join our Naturalists for a celebration of all things frogs as we engage in this classic childhood activity. Space is limited to 30 people, so register early. $5 for members; $15/family; $8 for nonmembers, $25/family.

27 Natures Little Explorers Frog Frenzy 10 11:30am Join us for every childs favorite nature activity catching frogs! We will supply the nets and you supply the child. Wear clothes and shoes that will get MUDDY! Meet at the lower parking lot. Children should be accompanied by an adult. Registration deadline is June 26. $5/child (member); $8/ child (nonmember); adults free. 27 Home School Expeditions Stream Stomp 1 2:30pm Get into exploring a stream literally! Students will wade in our stream searching for invertebrates and other animals to help us determine Baltimore Brooks water quality. Wear sturdy water shoes and shorts, and get ready to get wet! Meet at the lower parking lot. Registration deadline is June 26. $5/child (member); $8/child (nonmember); adults free.

Summer 2011 Nature Day Camp Tee Shirt Pre-Order Form

Camp Tee Shirt color is Garnet. 50/50 blend of cotton and polyester, 5.6 ounce weight, GILDEN brand. Front of shirt features four common frogs found at The Woods. The Baltimore Woods logo is on the back, at the base of the neck. Please return this form with payment to: Baltimore Woods Nature Center P.O. Box 133, Marcellus, NY 13108 or call (315) 673-1350 to pay by Visa or Mastercard. How Many Sub Total

Youth Small Youth Medium Youth Large Adult Small Adult Medium Adult Large other size not listed Shirts are $16 each Tax is included Total Cost

Please register for all programs. When weather, emergencies, or low enrollment causes programs to be cancelled you will be notified at least three hours prior to the program start time. Notice will be posted at Baltimore Woods, the website, and any appropriate offsite locations.

Calendar of Events

July

Baltimore Woods Nature Center (315) 673-1350 email: info@baltimorewoods.org www.baltimorewoods.org

1 Star Party: Saturn & Summer Milky Way 9 11pm The summer Milky Way is the part of the sky with the densest star fields we can see from the northern hemisphere. Come and look for gaseous nebulae and brilliant star clusters in the constellations of Scorpius and Sagittarius. Saturn will also be visible for the entire evening. $5 for members, $15/ family; $8 for nonmembers, $25/family. Back-up date: July 2. 9 Art Gallery Reception 2 4 pm Everyone is invited to visit the art gallery and meet the artists Peggy Manring and Diana Whiting. Enjoy an afternoon of art and good company. Admission and parking are free; this event is open to the public. 20 Volunteer Lunch Noon Baltimore Woods greatly appreciates all the volunteers who give their time

and efforts to help further our mission. Each month Baltimore Woods offers volunteers a lunch of locally harvested foods. All volunteers are welcome! 23 Frog Catching Party 1 3pm Frogs! Where? Down at Phillips Pond of course! Join our Naturalists for a celebration of all things frogs as we engage in this classic childhood activity. Space is limited to 30 people, so register early. $5 for members; $15/family; $8 for nonmembers, $25/family. 28 Night Buggin! 8:30 10pm Ever wonder whats lurking out there once the sun goes down? Ever wonder what you could do with a blacklight and a white bedsheet in the woods? Attract nocturnal insects, of course! Join Emma as she discovers a surprising variety of nocturnal insects and reveals the creatures of the night. Be sure to bring a flashlight and your sense of wonder! $5 for members; $15/ family; $8 for nonmembers, $25/family. To register, call (315) 294-8841, or online at: www.cayuga-cc.edu/xenegrade

Watercolors and Photography: Nature As Our Muse.

July 5th through August 31st, 2011 Reception July 9th, 2-4pm

Peggy Manring
Working in the very different media of watercolor and photography, these two artists take us into the often fascinating and always compelling natural world.

Diana Whiting

and

Cosmos, watercolor by Peggy Manring

Apple Blossoms, oil painting by Ruth Anne Reagan

through June 30th, 2011

IN THE

Ruth Anne Reagan

Pastels, Paint, and an Eye for Nature Works in a variety of media demonstrate this prolific Marcellus resident artists spontaneous response to the world around her.

AT BA LT I MOR E WO OD S

A RT G A L L E RY

Weeks

Autumn Flames, photograph by Diana Whiting. Visit http://www.dianawhitingphotography.com/

Calendar of Events

August

12 Star Party: Perseid Meteor Shower 9 11 pm. The Perseid meteor shower is one of the years best meteor showers and one of our most popular astronomy programs. The bright moon will blot out some of the fainter meteors, but many brighter ones should still be visible. In addition: how about views of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune? Bring a lawn chair or blanket to lie back and gaze for meteors. $5 for members, $15/family; $8 for nonmembers, $25/family. Back-up date: August 13. 17 Volunteer Lunch Noon BWNC greatly appreciates all the volunteers who give their time and efforts to help further our mission. So on the third Wednesday of the month Baltimore Woods provides volunteers a lunch of locally harvested foods at the Interpretive Center. All volunteers are welcome!

20 Run for the Woods at Marcellus Park 7:45am Co-sponsored by Marcellus Rotary Club, the run benefits The Woods and community service projects in Marcellus. Runners can choose the 5-mile or 4-kilometer run. Check-in and registration is at 7:45am in Marcellus Park. A 1K funrun for kids starts at 8:30am. Call Phyllis Danks at (315) 463-9993 for more information. 27 Fireflies! 8:30 10pm Fireflies know just what to do on a warm summer night. They have been delighting and mesmerizing people for time beyond measure. Come to The Woods to watch the light show and discover the fascinating and sometimes sneaky world of lightning bugs. Be sure to bring a flashlight. $5 for members, $15/family; $8 for nonmembers, $25/family.

Summer Nature Day Camp at Baltimore Woods!

Summer is time for playing outside at Baltimore Woods! Groups of children led by experienced counselors hike, climb, adventure, and learn about the natural world during these oneweek long camps. From July to early September, camp is for children ages 4-14. Register early to reserve the week you wantcamp fills up quickly! Visit www.baltimorewoods. org for registration packets. For more information call (315) 673-1350.

Season of the Firefly

....continued from back cover

The light is important for fireflies as this is how they find mates, defend their territories and warn off predators. The fireflies flash their light in patterns that are unique to each species. Males are the ones flying about flashing their lights and the females stay perched on vegetation watching the show. If the female sees a male with a nice light she will respond with her own flashes. They continue their flashing dialogue as they male gets closer, and if all goes well, they will mate. Unfortunately, fireflies are slowly fading away as populations continue to decline. Researchers have found that habitat fragmentation and light pollution are to blame. Their habitat is dwindling as more and more fields and forests are paved over for development, also meaning more light at night. Both the male and female fireflies depend on their light to communicate and light pollution is disrupting these patterns. Scientists have observed a fireflys pattern getting out of synch for a few minutes after the headlights of a car pass over; imagine the problems constant lights would cause!

As a result fewer fireflies are finding each other during their small window of opportunity and are not reproducing fast enough to keep up their populations. Fireflies stay in the same areas they were born to lay eggs and reproduce so relocating isnt a viable option. Luckily it is not too late to help preserve the magic of the fireflies. Turning your exterior lights off at night helps fireflies to find each other. Joining Firefly Watch to document populations as a citizen scientist helps scientists track where populations are and are not. There is still much to learn about these tiny wonders, so participating in such projects help scientists a great deal. Visit the website below for more information and keep your eyes out for the lightning show coming to your backyard this summer!
www.mos.org/fireflywatch/how_to_ participate.

Happy campers from previous years.

Ba lt i more Wo o d s (315) 673 -1350 w w w. ba lt i mor ewo o d s.org

Join today!
Share your love of nature
G i ft M embersh i p S available at Baltimore Woods Nature Center

Nature in the City program continues to have a big impact on kids.

Nature in the City has spent the past academic year opening up kids eyes to the world around them, showing students that science is fun, exciting, and attainable all while being outside. Throughout the year, our educators have taught first graders about the 3-states of matter. Second graders discovered the variety of birds that live in their neighborhoods. Third graders were shown how a raindrop travels through Syracuse. Fourth graders found evidence of the animals that have walked through their local green spaces. Fifth graders pieced together the impact of carbon dioxide on our world, and sixth graders unearthed the geologic history of Syracuse. Here are just a few highlights from this past year of Nature in the City (in no particular order):

Call (315)673-1350 to sign your friends up! Baltimore Woods Nature Center offers the best ...

nature observation and enjoyment flower, herb and wildflower gardens adventure nature day camps 6+ miles of hiking trails public programs year-round for seniors, adults, families and children art gallery with Members-Only exhibit bird-watching station Discovery Library for nature study educational exhibits volunteer opportunities in many areas

Annual Membership Level $15 Senior age 60+/Student $25 Individual $40 Family $75 Sustaining $100 Patron $250 Benefactor $500 Philanthropist $1000 Life Donation Amount
(in addition to membership)

Dr Robert Michael Pyle, a premier lepidopterist (butterfly specialist), joined a second grade bird walk to Lincoln Park in early fall. This is real science! Keyshawn, an eager fourth grader from Dr Weeks Elementary, called out during a program on predator/prey relationship as Katie Mulverhill showed an owl pellet to the class. If we change the sewer system would that be green infrastructure? A third grader at Roberts asked after learning about green and grey infrastructure and the problem of combined sewer overflows in the city of Syracuse.

Volunteers from Lockheed Martin helped with third grade programming at Blodgett and Lemoyne Elementary School this past spring.

A sixth grader, when asked where Baltimore Woods is, responded, It is out there in them bushes, pointing out the classroom window. While our Interpretive Center is located in Marcellus, Baltimore Woods is all the moments of nature and science one can have anywhere, including in the bushes outside the classroom window truly, nature is all around us all the time.

Thank You, Billy B

Billy B, the Natural Science Song and Dance Man, came to Syracuse in May to give his annual capstone concert for the Nature in the City program. Performing in local parks and greens spaces, Billy B gets kids singing and dancing about science. Billy B collaborated with Baltimore Woods Nature Center to create his Nature in the City show, available on CD. Science learning through hands-on experiences beats learning from a book or worksheet any day. Nature in the Citys walking field trips turn Syracuse neighborhoods into living laboratories for learning. The goal for the concert was to help students and teachers realize we are
Billy B uses movement and music to engage children in learning.

Name Address

Make checks payable to: Baltimore Woods Nature Center Visa and Mastercard accepted. Return this coupon with payment to: Baltimore Woods Nature Center P.O. Box 133 Marcellus, NY 13108

directly involved in the natural cycles that surround us. Understanding these cycles helps promote sustainable behaviors.

KIDS PAGE
Water Maze!
Only Rain Down the Drain!
Did you know that Baltimore Woods is partnered with Save the Rain? We want to keep ourknow water clean. What can you do to keep pollution out of Onondaga Creek Did you that Baltimore Woods is partnered with Save the Rain? We want to and Onondaga Lake? keep our water clean. What can you do to keep pollution out of Onondaga Creek and
Onondaga Lake? Can you make itthe through the maze? Can you make it through maze? Hint: Make sure to pass each raindrop dropalong alongyour yourway wayto tothe the finish! finish! Hint: Make sure to pass each rain

Only Rain in the Drain!

Dear Miss Hiss, Do you eat frogs? Rory (2 years old)

Dear Miss Hiss

Start

Finish

Dear Rory, Thank you for your delicious question. Yes, I would eat a frog if such an opportunity presented itself. In my native habitat of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, I would most likely have more encounters with toads than frogs as it is a mostly dry environment. Frogs though, are definitely easier to swallow with their smooth and slimy skin. Do you know the difference between frogs and toads? If not, then I will tell you. Frogs spend most of their adult life in the water and have smooth skin whereas toads only live in the water as tadpoles, spending their adult lives on land. Their skin is rough, dry and bumpy and they are usually brown to better camouflage themselves on land. Toads more closely resemble reptiles, but dont be fooled! Both toads and frogs are amphibians. Now back to how I eat these delectable toads! I am a nonvenomous constrictor which means I kill by coiling myself around the animal in order to suffocate it and then I swallow it whole. I dont mean to brag, but I could eat an animal as large as a rabbit! Here at Baltimore Woods my diet consists of rats they are already dead which isnt as fun, though I still pretend theyre alive and constrict them nonetheless! Thank you again for you mouthwatering question, and make sure to come visit me soon! Love, Miss Hiss

Make sure to properly dispose of litter! Always pick up your pet's waste! Only water can go down the storm drain!

Mr. T

Thank you to everyone who suggested a name for our adult male box turtle. We enjoyed all your suggestions! After a lot of discussion, the votes are in: Mr. T is his new name, submitted by Jonathan K. Thanks, Jonathan!

Wish List

Season of the Firefly

By Becky Lynch
Summer is fast approaching and the event I look forward to most is the return of the fireflies. These diminutive creatures have held me in awe since I was a child growing up in the foothills of the Adirondacks. Thousands would light the fields as if strewn with stars every night during the summer. They looked like something out of myth and legend, but the only myth is that fireflies are flies when in fact they are beetles of the family Lampyridae. There are over 2,000 species of fireflies around the world, preferring warm, moist environments for their brief lives. The female deposits the eggs in the ground around July. This is where the larvae develop and can live for up to 2 years before becoming adults. The larvae have sickle-shaped mandibles with which they can inject a kind of chemical that paralyzes their prey and helps digest it. Several larvae have been observed attacking large prey together! After becoming adults the fireflies feed on nectar or pollen, with some species not eating at all during their short lives. Now for the most noteworthy feature fireflies possess: the ability to create light. Fireflies have dedicated light organs that are located under their abdomen they can glow as larvae too. They take in oxygen and combine it inside special cells with a substance called luciferin (from the Latin, Lucifer meaning light-bringer) to produce light with almost no heat. Different variations of luciferin cause bioluminescence in other organisms like squid.

an off-road 4WD utility vehicle (such as a Gator) portable water coolers in good condition volunteers for our reception desk

Firefly

continued on page 5 ... Season

of the

Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Marcellus, New York Permit Number 9

Baltimore Woods Nature Center

Nature in your hands

address service requested

June
Sunday

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Star Party: Moon & Saturn 8:3010:30pm
Beginning of firefly displays.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Volunteer Lunch Noon

Strawberry Moon

Snapping turtles have been around for over 60 million years.

Wood frog tadpoles transform into half-inch-long subadults and head off into the woods.

Frog Catching Party 1-3pm

Natures Little Explorers Frog Frenzy 1011:30am Home School Expeditions Stream Stomp 12:30pm

Star Party: Saturn & Summer Milky Way 911pm

Art Gallery Reception 24pm

Great horned owls catch skunks, rats, rabbits, and muskrats, as well as birds to feed their growing chicks.

Thunder Moon

Toads end their three- to six-week tadpole stage and venture onto land.

Volunteer Lunch Noon

Frog Catching Party 13pm

Gray tree frogs change color to green or light brown at some light levels or temperatures, or to match the bark they are on.

Night Buggin! 8:3010pm

Monarch butterflies start to return as milkweed flowers begin to open. Theyll lay their eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves.

4 0 07 Bishop H i l l Roa d P O Box 133 Ma rc el lus, N Y 13108 - 0133 315. 673.1350 w w w. ba lt i mor ewo o d s.org

August
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Jewelweed seeds are propelled up to four feet when their capsules explode.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Second batch of flying squirrels are being born, often in tree cavities excavated and formerly occupied by sapsuckers.

Star Party: Perseid Meteor Shower 911 pm The Perseid meteor shower is an amazing sight, producing about 60 meteors per hour. Volunteer Lunch Noon

Sturgeon Moon

Green frogs are a food source for many birds such as black ducks, mallards, herons, bitterns, crows, and northern harriers.

Run for the Woods at Marcellus Park 7:45am Fireflies! 8:3010pm

S AV E T H E D A T E

September 18th, 2011, 4 6:30 pm

envIRONmental Chef/Homegrown

First Annual

Planning is underway for the EnvIRONmental Chef / Homegrown event at Baltimore Woods Nature Center.Jennifer BaskervilleBurrows, renown for her Cooking in the Cuse blog and Edible Finger Lakes work will be the Emcee of this fun event, with 100% local focus. Local celebrity chefs will work with local foodie gourmets to illustrate the many delicious ways to eat local.There will be lots of local food, wine, beer and opportunities to learn how eating can be good for Central New York and our economy. Reservations are required and space is limited.