Old-Growth Gazette: November 2021
Our mission is to create experiences which connect people with nature, motivate them to lead sustainable lives, and take action to protect wildlife and wild places. We look forward to having you join us on this journey!
As a part of the journey, we want to hear about your experiences.
We are interested in learning more about what people like to see and do at Wesselman Woods. Even if you have not visited Wesselman Woods recently, your views are important. Please help us by answering some survey questions. The deadline to participate in this survey is November 30.
Click any button below for a specific topic OR scroll through the page to read the entire newsletter.
Message from the Associate Executive Director
Zach Garcia, Associate Executive Director
The tulip leaves are turning yellow. The sugar maple leaves are turning brown. The ground is sprinkled with ash and redbud seeds… Fall is here!
Two of the best seasons at Wesselman Woods are upon us. Fall is such a delight with the changing of the leaves. The bright reds, purples, and yellows are so striking. I love talking slow strolls down Newburgh and Boonville Trail – the mixture of sycamore, oak, and pawpaw leaves are truly an ecological masterpiece waiting to be seen.
I love fall here, because it means winter is approaching. I cannot describe how mystical the winter landscape is at Wesselman Woods. I always encourage people to walk Southeast or Toyota Break Trail. It is such a treat to see the landscape blanketed in snow or the vernal ponds filled with iced puddles. It is important to mention the amount of tracks you can find on these trails. I have seen bobcat, coyote, deer, squirrel, opossum, and raccoon. If you have walked through Wesselman Woods in the spring and summer, it is gorgeous, but the fall and winter show off the true majesty of this ancient forest.
We are also fortunate to have a number of programs and events coming this winter and spring.
Beginning in January, our Green Allies Initiative will take place. This course introduces environmental sustainability and touches on the science, concepts, and strategies used to green businesses, organizations, and individuals’ lifestyles. This course is completely informed by the most recent Evansville Climate Action Plan, a plan developed for and by the citizens of Evansville. By the end of this course, partners will be able to think critically about the environmental, societal, and economic impacts of human activities and systems.
We are proud to announce our 44th annual Maple Sugarbush Festival, happening March 5 and 6. This spring celebration will offer attendees the opportunity to wander through the largest urban old-growth forest in the United States while learning about maple tapping, enjoying pancakes and local syrup, and meeting our animal residents. We are excited to welcome the community back to enjoy this magical and delicious experience.
Our yearly Indiana Master Naturalist program will be gearing up in late March. This intensive introductory course offers adults the chance to discover nature and service learning with the support from local researchers, professors, and environmental practitioners. This year’s topics will include geology, arthropods, trees and wildflower identification, and Indiana ecology.
With all of these events and programs, we have one large announcement about 2022.
2022 is our 50th anniversary as a not-for-profit entity!
We will have a number of projects online and in-person to see the long history of this organization. We could not have done this without this eco-centric community. We want to thank everyone who has been involved with Wesselman Woods. In addition, we want to thank this forest. Let us all celebrate the past, present, and future of Wesselman Woods!
‘Tis the Season!
As you begin your holiday shopping, keep Wesselman Woods in mind!
We have many ways that you can give back and support our mission through your holiday purchases.
Amazon fan? Make your purchases through Amazon Smile!
By selecting “Wesselman Park Nature Society Inc.” as your charity on Amazon Smile, Amazon donates a portion of your purchases to your favorite old-growth forest, at no cost to you!
Gift certificates are also available!
Consider giving friends and family the gift of the forest! 🌳🌲 Whether it's for a family membership, educational programs, or merchandise... this gift certificate is bound to get your loved ones on their way back to nature. Stop by the Nature Center to buy one today!
Events & Updates
November
Thursday, November 11・Veteran’s Day
As our way of showing appreciation, we would like to invite those who have served in the Armed Forces to visit Wesselman Woods for free on Veteran’s Day this year.
Friday, November 12・Library Day
The Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library (EVPL) and Wesselman Woods are teaming up for another celebration of learning about nature! Flash any county library card at the front desk to get into the Nature Center and on the trails for free.
No library card? No problem! Sign up for a card with the EVPL Outreach Team inside of the Nature Center. They will also have nature-themed books and storytime kits that you can check out with your new card.
November 27・Off-Site Recycling from 8 AM to Noon at the 4H Center
Throughout the month: Pot of Dough Program Continues! Every purchase at Azzip can benefit Wesselman Woods - check out our blog post about how you can give back and help us raise some dough!
November 22-30 is a 20% Gift Card Giveback Week!
Save the Date!
January 2022
January 8・Green Allies Initiative Begins. Sign up for the courses today and become a Green Ally!
February 2022
February 14・Advanced Indiana Master Naturalist Courses Begin
March 2022
March 5 and 6・Maple Sugarbush Pancake Festival
March 14・Indiana Master Naturalist Courses Begin
ECO-LEARNING
After-School Nature Journaling
Our kiddos are having a great time getting to know the woods in a more intimate way. You can still sign up for October sessions!
After-School Nature Journaling Club is an hour long drop-off program for ages 11-14 that meets at 3:30PM on Thursday afternoons. Being fully immersed in the nation’s largest old-growth forest allows us to get up close and personal with the local flora and fauna. This program runs from September 2021 until April 2022.
Education Wishlist
Looking for a way to directly support the education initiatives at Wesselman Woods? Look no further! You can make direct donations through our Amazon Wishlists. The Education Wishlist is live and you can help us make our camps and programs even more special by donating items from Amazon.
Junior Forest League
November wildlife sessions are coming up! If you're interested in becoming a part of these immersive classes, please check out our website for more information.
Junior Forest League (JFL) is a monthly program which focuses on various environmental topics specific to Southern Indiana. League members will have the chance to engage with their local ecosystem, collaborate with like-minded Evansville peers, and most importantly, participate in fun team building activities and games.
Tulip League: Ages 6-9, First Saturday of each month (Dec. 4)
Maple League: Ages 9-12, Second Saturday of each month (Nov. 13, Dec. 11)
Mews News: PHOTOPERIOD
How do animals tell what season it is and what season it will be?
During a year in southern Indiana, days can be as long as 15 hours in the summer to as short as 9.5 hours in the winter. So how do animals know what season it is?
Instead of marking off calendars, birds, mammals, and reptiles have an internal or biological clock in a part of their brain called a hypothalamus. This part of the brain is sensitive to the length of daylight or photoperiod. Subsequently, an animal’s hypothalamus informs them of seasonal changes.
Photoperiod changes cue activities such as migration, hibernation, courtship, and mating. There are even changes in fur and feather color, and gonad sizes! Some of these changes are influenced by temperature, as well. Winter is a time of constant activity for birds while reptiles go into a form of hibernation in winter (brumation). Mammals can take either route; for example, some bats will hibernate whereas squirrels will be awake all season.
Did you know that people can also sense the photoperiod changes? As a result, we may feel sleepier or depressed during the short winter days.
We notice behavioral changes in our education animals throughout the year, too! As we head into fall, the birds sense that it is time for migration to warmer weather so they become more alert and sensitive to weather conditions. The turtles burrow deeper into their substrate and are more sluggish. The snakes burrow and they are less eager to eat.
Nature News
A photo of our Tulip Champion Tree located on the Mini Loop Trail.
What’s the Deal with Champion Trees?
by Wesselman Woods volunteer, Paul H.
It started as a competition to find the biggest one. Today it's considered a sport known as “Big Tree Hunting”.
The Champion Tree Program was created by the American Forest Organization in 1940 to recognize the largest known tree in the United States. Today there are over 750 trees recognized as the biggest of their species which are native or naturalized to the country. Almost every state in the Union and several foreign countries have developed their own Big Tree programs.
The goal of the program is “to preserve and promote the iconic stature of these living monarchs and to educate people about the key role these trees and forests play in sustaining a healthy environment”. To be considered for this prestigious list, one must be nominated by interested members of the public.
Winners are determined by a point system; the tree with the most points for that species taking top honors. Points are awarded in three categories: trunk circumference, height, and the crown spread. These parameters are then used in a formula to give the tree’s estimated total wood volume.
While there are no Indiana Trees currently listed on the 2020 National Registry, the State does have its own Champion Tree program called the “Big Tree Register”. Wesselman Woods is fortunate to have three State Champs Trees that call our Preserve home including…
1. A Biltmore Ash located on the Boonville Trail
2. A Schneck Oak on the corner of the East Trail and Main Trail
3. A Juneberry (a.k.a. Service Berry) near the entrance of the Nature Playscape
A Sweetgum located in Wesselman Park, adjacent to the Nature Preserve, is a fourth Indiana State Champ.
The Preserve also currently hosts two County Champion Trees: a Tulip tree located on the Mini-Loop trail and a Chinquapin Oak on the Boonville Trail.
Wesselman Woods Wildlife Watch: New Photos!
We have a brand new batch of photos! Help us ID the new images on our Zooniverse page.
