EducationEducation is a large part of what we do! If you have a group (adults or children) who would like to hear more on a conservation subject contact us to set up a date and time! The following page highlights a conservation or nature related topic we feel the need to share!
|
Fall: Colors, Colors, and More Colors!
Autumn, or fall, is a favorite season for many: pumpkin patches, cooler temperatures, camp fires, apple cider, pumpkin spice lattes. What people typically most love about fall, though, is the beautiful color change we get to see in our deciduous trees. It's well known that trees drop their leaves and become dormant during our winter months but not before they give us a spectacular color show. But do you know the science behind the color change? Or how about the most environmental way to handle the fallen leaves? Let's explore both of these questions!
Reach back--for adults--to middle school and high school science for a minute. Hopefully, you were taught about photosynthesis, the process by which plants produce their sugars using water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight. You might recall the term chlorophyll being used when discussing photosynthesis because it is the primary pigment responsible for capturing light's energy, as well as the green color we see in the spring and summer. However, leaves contain varying amounts of other pigments as well, like carotenes or xanthopyll which are high in carrots. When trees stop their food production in preparation for winter the chlorophyll begins to break down so we start seeing the other pigments the leaves contain. The varying degree of colors we see is dependent on the amount of each secondary pigment, how those pigments interact with the degrading chlorophyll, and the weather conditions. This is why we can see a range of colors from the less vibrant browns and purples to the stunning oranges, reds, and yellows. We all love to look at a forest across the way when the fall colors are in full swing. But once the show is over and fall is almost over, what do we do with the leaves lying in our yards?
Answer: Leave them there! Don't worry about raking all of the leaves up into a pile, although jumping in them is a fun past time. Leaves make a great natural mulch for your yard. All you need to do is go over them a couple times with your mower to keep the pieces small then let our decomposers do the rest! This will also cut down on your fertilizer costs in the spring because as the leaves are broken down the nutrients they held will be released back into the soil. So you can save time and money this way! Sounds like a win-win! Mulched leaves will also provide some protection for beneficial fungi and other soil wildlife during the brutal winter months. Like when mowing grass, though, be sure to keep the mulched leaves in the yard and sweep them out of the road or sidewalk. This is necessary because we don't want leaves (or grass clippings) going into the storm sewers and into our waterways. Rivers and creeks are getting plenty of leaves of their own to breakdown for nutrients and don't need our yard waste contributing to that. This helps our waterways avoid algal blooms which cause a whole set of problems of their own. While on the storm sewer subject, be sure to keep them clear. Full sized leaves can often clog a storm sewer drain causing flooding in the neighborhood which no one wants. So do your best to keep our storm sewers clean and clear for them to provide the best drainage possible! Fall is a wonderful time of year, be sure to head out and enjoy all it has to offer!
More detailed information on trees changing color: https://www.esf.edu/pubprog/brochure/leaves/leaves.htm
Information on leaves in lawns: https://www.treehugger.com/lawn-garden/skip-rake-and-leave-leaves-healthier-greener-yard.html
Reach back--for adults--to middle school and high school science for a minute. Hopefully, you were taught about photosynthesis, the process by which plants produce their sugars using water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight. You might recall the term chlorophyll being used when discussing photosynthesis because it is the primary pigment responsible for capturing light's energy, as well as the green color we see in the spring and summer. However, leaves contain varying amounts of other pigments as well, like carotenes or xanthopyll which are high in carrots. When trees stop their food production in preparation for winter the chlorophyll begins to break down so we start seeing the other pigments the leaves contain. The varying degree of colors we see is dependent on the amount of each secondary pigment, how those pigments interact with the degrading chlorophyll, and the weather conditions. This is why we can see a range of colors from the less vibrant browns and purples to the stunning oranges, reds, and yellows. We all love to look at a forest across the way when the fall colors are in full swing. But once the show is over and fall is almost over, what do we do with the leaves lying in our yards?
Answer: Leave them there! Don't worry about raking all of the leaves up into a pile, although jumping in them is a fun past time. Leaves make a great natural mulch for your yard. All you need to do is go over them a couple times with your mower to keep the pieces small then let our decomposers do the rest! This will also cut down on your fertilizer costs in the spring because as the leaves are broken down the nutrients they held will be released back into the soil. So you can save time and money this way! Sounds like a win-win! Mulched leaves will also provide some protection for beneficial fungi and other soil wildlife during the brutal winter months. Like when mowing grass, though, be sure to keep the mulched leaves in the yard and sweep them out of the road or sidewalk. This is necessary because we don't want leaves (or grass clippings) going into the storm sewers and into our waterways. Rivers and creeks are getting plenty of leaves of their own to breakdown for nutrients and don't need our yard waste contributing to that. This helps our waterways avoid algal blooms which cause a whole set of problems of their own. While on the storm sewer subject, be sure to keep them clear. Full sized leaves can often clog a storm sewer drain causing flooding in the neighborhood which no one wants. So do your best to keep our storm sewers clean and clear for them to provide the best drainage possible! Fall is a wonderful time of year, be sure to head out and enjoy all it has to offer!
More detailed information on trees changing color: https://www.esf.edu/pubprog/brochure/leaves/leaves.htm
Information on leaves in lawns: https://www.treehugger.com/lawn-garden/skip-rake-and-leave-leaves-healthier-greener-yard.html
This image shows the varying colors across several different types of trees. Sadly, Ash trees are no longer common due to the Ash borer infestation we had recently.