October 6, 2010
- Autumn Changes
- Family Fun
- Upcoming DEC Events
- Long Island
- Hudson Valley - Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center
- Capital District - Five Rivers Environmental Education Center and Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center
- Central New York - Rogers Environmental Education Center
- Western New York - Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center
Autumn Changes
Autumn brings with it many changes-days get shorter, the weather turns colder, and nature begins to prepare for winter. Some of the changes are obvious, like the leaves turning from green to red, gold, orange or brown. But what other changes are happening during the months before the first snowfall?
Trees
Trees must have protection against the freezing temperatures of winter. Stems, twigs and buds are equipped to endure the snow, ice and wind. Leaves would freeze in winter, so plants must either protect them or dispose of them. Most evergreens protect their foliage with a heavy wax coating. Most deciduous trees have thin leaves that freeze easily. Those trees begin to drop their leaves every autumn. To learn more about why leaves change color, read the "Fall Foliage" issue of Outdoor Discovery.
Insects
As leaves fall to the ground each autumn, they collect into carpets called "leaf litter." The area is damp and protected from ice and snow. Many insects, including slugs, snails, millipedes and spiders, spend winter under leaf litter.
Birds
Birds rely on berries, nuts and seeds that ripen in the fall. In turn, some trees rely on birds to disperse the seeds and nuts they produce, encouraging the growth of new trees in the spring. If you look at bare trees, you may be able to see where birds built their nests.
Mammals
While some mammals hibernate, many change their behavior to "stick it out" during the long winter. Many grow thicker coats of fur for added insulation. The white-tailed deer grows hollow hair in winter that retains heat. The snowshoe hare grows a white coat to blend into the snow and protect it from predators as it hunts for scarce food. Most mammals eat more in autumn to put on fat to survive the months when there is less food. Squirrels store or "cache" acorns and maple seeds to eat during winter. White-tailed deer modify their diet, relying more on stems and trees than grasses and crops. Some animals like mice den together for shared warmth. Outdoor Discovery covered other ways that animals deal with our cold winters in the "Winter Survival" issue.
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Family Fun
Little by Little, Bit by Bit
The changes that happen each autumn don't take place overnight. They occur little by little every day. Pick a habitat (your backyard, a park, the woods), and take field notes for one week during the fall. Get a notebook, and record the following:
-Date and Time
-Habitat location
-Conditions: season, temperature, wind
-Physical Environment: soil type, rocks, vegetation
-Organisms: plants and animals present
Now spend some time looking around at the habitat, and record any daily changes and activities. Are squirrels scurrying around looking for nuts? Are birds more active? Are there animals that you don't usually see around? Are there animals missing from their usual location? Look at two of the same species of tree, and record when each changes color and their leaves begin to fall.
Leaf Litter
Life doesn't change much for insects living under leaf litter. Find a pile of leaf litter under a big shrub or tree. Carefully move aside the surface layer of leaves. The next layer is made up of crumpled leaves, and the under layer has remains of leaves that look like dirt. Use a magnifying glass to examine each layer. Beetles may be eating dead leaves in the upper layer, while centipedes eat the crumpled leaves of the middle layer. Earthworms eat the soil and decay in the bottom layer. Record your observations in a notebook.
Read Conservationist for Kids for more information and activities!
Upcoming DEC Events
Long Island
Fall Family Fishing Festival and Children's Festival at Hempstead Lake State Park (tentative)
Saturday, October 16 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Cost: $5 for participants 12 years and older, plus $6 parking fee.
For more information, visit the I FishNY website.
Hudson Valley
Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center
Saturday Morning Guided Nature Walks
Saturdays, October 9 and 16 at 10:00 AM
Family Program: Open Barn
Saturdays, October 9 and 16 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Nature Discovery After-School Program
Thursday, October 7 and 14 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
For school-aged children and their caregivers.
Family Fun: Leaf Art
Saturday, October 9 at 2:00 PM
Autumn Ablaze
Saturday, October 16 at 2:00 PM
Event Descriptions at Stony Kill
Capital Region
Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Girl Scout Outing: The Ways of Water
Saturday, October 9 at 2:00 PM
Registration is through the Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York at www.gsneny.org, or call 518-489-8110. A materials fee applies.
Wild About Apples
Saturday, October 16 at 10:00
Reptiles You Should Know
Saturday, October 16 at 2:00 PM
Event Descriptions at Five Rivers
Albany Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center
Bats: Designed for Darkness
Friday, October 8 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Call 518-456-0655 to register. Cost: $2.00/person, $5.00/family, children under 5 free.
More events at Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center
Central New York
Rogers Environmental Education Center
Advance registration is required. Call 607-674-4017.
Fungi, Fun-gal: Mushrooms at Adams Farm
Saturday, October 9 at 10:00 AM
Watchable Wildlife: Familiar Birds
Saturday, October 9 at 1:30 PM
Rogers on the Road: Columbus Community Celebration
Saturday, October 9 from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Rogers on the Road: Berry Hill Finger Lakes Trail Hike
Saturday, October 16 from 9:00 AM to Noon
Fall Fruits: Winter Food
Saturday, October 16 at 1:30 PM
Western New York
Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center
Advance registration is required. Call 716-683-5959.
After-School Escape
Thursdays,October 7 and 14 at 4:30 PM
For children in grades K-5.
Fall Tree ID
Saturday, October 16 at 10:30 AM