*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ NATURE NOTEBOOK ----Issue 4 The Newsletter written for parents with kids in mind. September 2, 1999 Linda M. Watson, lmwatson@naturely.com *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Welcome to Nature Notebook. This newsletter is by subscription only. If this edition was forwarded to you by a friend, see the bottom of the newsletter to receive your own, personal subscription or visit our website at http://www.naturely.com
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Index: 1. Sponsorship 2. Feature Activity 3. Nature in the news 4. The Spotlight 5. Q & A 6. Guest Column 7. Classified Ads 8. How to be featured as our guest columnist 9. Subscribe/unsubscribe information
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 1. Sponsorship Notice *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ for Kids Naturely and Nature Notebook is owned and sponsored by T. L. Creations http://www.tlcreations.com
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 2. Feature Activity *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ This week's activity is a Nature Scavenger Hunt. It can be used in any location and with all age groups. I work at several camps in the area and although I had one hike that was specific for one camp, I felt it would be beneficial (on my time and energy) to make up a generic scavenger hunt. It was really designed for early elementary age children who would get frustrated trying to find a very specific item.
The items to be found range from something soft, to an animal home, to a pine cone. I always tell the girls that they do not have to find everything. There may be some things that can only be found at a particular time of the year.
My experience with this hunt has always been very good. One year I was working with a group of first graders. They spotted some pine trees that were barely two feet tall. An item on the list is "a tree that is shorter than you". They squealed with delight as they ran into the forest, each one hugging a different tiny pine tree.
Another year a group of middle elementary students brought me a "mystery item". I looked at it carefully and determined that it was - deer scat.
It is a fun activity. You never know what they will come up with!..Link to http:www.naturely.com/scavenger.htm for the entire activity.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 3. Nature in the News *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ Exotics. Threat or treasure?
In my area of the country (Southeast Michigan), Purple Loosestrife is a threat to our wetlands.
Once sold as a decorative plant, it has spread throughout the wetlands. Loosestrife has no has no natural enemies in the United States. It is an aggressive plant that can kill off native plants as it spreads. As native plants die out, the fish, duck, muskrats and other wetland wildlife would also disappear. Those that couldn't find another suitable habitat would die.
This year, a Eupropean beetle "Galerucella calmariensis", has been introduced into the area. According to research, this beetle is a natural enemy of the loosestrife and will feed on the loosestrife.
The balance of nature can be easily upset with the introduction of just one new plant or insect.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 4. The Spotlight *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Turtles
Even though we have laws preserving our wetlands, turtles, especially the wood turtle, are having a difficult time.
Most freshwater turtles need some upland to live. Most use the land as a nest site. Some turtles may travel up to two miles from their riparian habitat. I can't think of very many areas in Southeast Michigan that do not have roads within two miles of a stream or pond. If you do see a turtle trying to cross a road, gently pick it up and move it across the road in the direction it was traveling. (I would not try to pick up a snapping turtle.)
It takes some turtles 15 years to reach adulthood and reproduce. Some turtles lay as few as 3 eggs; snapping turtles lay as many as 12. Most eggs do not survive. Even with a life span of up to 120 years, automobile accidents, diminished nesting areas and natural predators, like raccoons, have put our turtle population at risk.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 5. Questions and Answers *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
If you have a nature question, send it to question@naturely.com We will answer the questions in the next issue of Nature Notebook.
This week's question: Q. What should I do if I find an injured bird?
A. First and foremost, don't touch it. Observe the bird to make sure that it is injured. Killdeer, for instance, will put down one wing to make it look like it is broken, to draw a predator away from its nest. The bird may think that you are a danger to its young.
Next, call your Humane Society, Nature Preserve, or an animal rehabilitation center. They have the training or know of someone who can care for the bird. They have the training and, for some birds, you need to be licensed, to keep the bird on your property. Each type of bird had its own special diet. Some prefer seeds to insects; others eat only insects. Young chicks need to be fed hourly.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 6. Guest Column *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
If you have information to share that would be of interest to our subscribers, consider writing an article for our Guest Column.
See 8. How to be featured as our guest columnist
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 7. Classified *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
*** We reserve the right to limit sponsors to 5 per issue on a first come, first serve basis upon approval of the editorial staff.
All ads must be family and nature friendly.***
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 8. How to be featured as our guest columnist *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Nature Notebook is always looking for articles pertaining to nature, activities that adults and children can participate in together and ways that we can work together to sustain the balance of nature.
Articles should be no more than 700 words long. Submit to editor@naturely.com. No attachments please. The article should be part of the body of the e-mail.
Articles should not be advertisements disguised as information.
Do not query. Submitted articles will be reviewed and responded to within 2 working days.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 9. Subscribe/unsubscribe information *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
Send a blank e-mail to one of the following addressed:
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