Dunes
Delicate, Ever Changing
Marram grass, Seagulls, Wolf Spiders
Beach, Foredune, Trough, and Backdune, we must preserve these precious sands
No plants, No animals, No ecosystem
Destroyed, Gone
Dunes
-Kyler Scott
-Kyler Scott
Unfortunately, I was not able to go to Rosy Mound with the class but I did get the wonderful opportunity to go with my mom and brothers. We had a great time and saw a good amount of wildlife. It was also very peaceful. I noticed that they were doing experiments with deer and trees. They were seeing how deer's eating habits effect the forest. I thought this was very interesting.
I also noticed that they built the path with the dune so it followed the dune. This made different elevations. They also had some wonderful views where you could see the beach, foredune, and trough while you were still in the backdune.
It was a very pretty park. I also noticed that there was a blowout where there was little to no plant life.
I would guess that this is where plant life was destroyed and that was the coincidence. As a government and people people have now set up national parks, national areas, and notices and walking trails to help protect the dune. I think they should protect these wonderful dunes to help animals, plants, and ecosystem. Without the dunes many animals and plants would die out. I never knew any of these or any reasons to help the dunes before this activity. This has made me a better person.
-Kyler Scott
Unlike Kyler, I was able to go with the class. When we arrived, the class walked the trail from the parking lot to the benches constructed at the trough area of the dune. While we waited for the ecologists, we spotted a bald eagle and a couple of monarch butterflies. We also looked around the area and took in the views.
We didn't have to wait long. The ecologists came in about 7 minutes after our arrival, and led us down the left board walk. We stopped at a slightly elevated platform and looked out at the lake. The ecologists pointed out a flock of sea gulls just flying above the lake, trying to get their lunch. One of us students pointed out a red-tailed hawk, suspiciously "suspended" in the air. We learned that it was riding an air current, one that spun around in a tornado like motion. We then left for the beach.
I'd say that was the best time for our class. Probably because we found a washed up fedora, also know as an Indiana Jones hat, and started to "track" down mince tracks. We also saw what marram rhizomes look like, described to us as a mat of yarn, which holds the sand in place.
To make this tour easier on the ecologists, we split up into two groups. My group took the lead. The first stop, we talked about marram grass. "If the plant is thriving, it"ll develop a 'sea head'" It sort of looks like wheat on the leaves of the marram.
The next few stops were in the trough. We had climbed a little hill, also known as the foredune, and that was dipping back down. We now saw other smaller plants start to creep in among the marram grass, and found a new favorite fungi, the earth star.
We walked a bit, and now we started seeing juniper trees and other shrubs. A few more steps, and we reached the backdune. We waited for everyone else to catch up, and then we went on to talk about the soil, trees, and other things about the backdune. We learned how long it took to get from the beach area to were we were standing.
That concluded the tour. The class went back to the parking lot to take our lunch break. After that, we went back to the dune to sketch different areas. We had about 15 minutes before the rain hit us and we left, but we all got at least 1 picture.
The class learned much, from going to funny names and plants to the seriousness of endangering the dunes. All in all, I felt it was a trip worth taking, even with the rain!
------Karl Heindlmeyer
Deer experiment~ Picture from Kyler Scott's camera- 9/23/11 |
View from backdune lookout~ Picture from Kyler Scott's Camera-9/23/11 |
It was a very pretty park. I also noticed that there was a blowout where there was little to no plant life.
Blowout~ Picture from Kyler Scott's Camera~ 9/23/11 |
I would guess that this is where plant life was destroyed and that was the coincidence. As a government and people people have now set up national parks, national areas, and notices and walking trails to help protect the dune. I think they should protect these wonderful dunes to help animals, plants, and ecosystem. Without the dunes many animals and plants would die out. I never knew any of these or any reasons to help the dunes before this activity. This has made me a better person.
-Kyler Scott
Unlike Kyler, I was able to go with the class. When we arrived, the class walked the trail from the parking lot to the benches constructed at the trough area of the dune. While we waited for the ecologists, we spotted a bald eagle and a couple of monarch butterflies. We also looked around the area and took in the views.
We didn't have to wait long. The ecologists came in about 7 minutes after our arrival, and led us down the left board walk. We stopped at a slightly elevated platform and looked out at the lake. The ecologists pointed out a flock of sea gulls just flying above the lake, trying to get their lunch. One of us students pointed out a red-tailed hawk, suspiciously "suspended" in the air. We learned that it was riding an air current, one that spun around in a tornado like motion. We then left for the beach.
I'd say that was the best time for our class. Probably because we found a washed up fedora, also know as an Indiana Jones hat, and started to "track" down mince tracks. We also saw what marram rhizomes look like, described to us as a mat of yarn, which holds the sand in place.
To make this tour easier on the ecologists, we split up into two groups. My group took the lead. The first stop, we talked about marram grass. "If the plant is thriving, it"ll develop a 'sea head'" It sort of looks like wheat on the leaves of the marram.
The next few stops were in the trough. We had climbed a little hill, also known as the foredune, and that was dipping back down. We now saw other smaller plants start to creep in among the marram grass, and found a new favorite fungi, the earth star.
By R. Ree on October 29, 2010~ http://arboretum.harvard.edu/tibet/pages/fungus.html |
We walked a bit, and now we started seeing juniper trees and other shrubs. A few more steps, and we reached the backdune. We waited for everyone else to catch up, and then we went on to talk about the soil, trees, and other things about the backdune. We learned how long it took to get from the beach area to were we were standing.
That concluded the tour. The class went back to the parking lot to take our lunch break. After that, we went back to the dune to sketch different areas. We had about 15 minutes before the rain hit us and we left, but we all got at least 1 picture.
The class learned much, from going to funny names and plants to the seriousness of endangering the dunes. All in all, I felt it was a trip worth taking, even with the rain!
------Karl Heindlmeyer