In this Issue

Beaver Creek Wetlands Association

The Spotted TurtleVolume 25, No. 1 Winter 2010-11

www.beavercreekwetlands.org

Fairborn Marsh received some much needed attention on Make A Dif-ference Day, Saturday, October 23, 2010 as more than 20 teens and their advisors from the Beavercreek Youth Council (BYC) and Beavercreek High School’s community service group DIRTT (Dedicated Individuals Rebuilding Tomorrow Today) joined BCWA volunteers in prairie and native plant restoration.

The young people, ranging from grades nine through twelve, helped collect buckets of seeds from exist-ing native plants within the previ-ously reclaimed areas of the prairie. Afterwards they helped to spread and stomp those seeds and others into sec-tions where invasive plants had been recently removed.

Dr. Jim Amon, BCWA trustee and professor emeritus in biology from Wright State University, who has been overseeing the restoration of the reserve, directed the work. He was assisted by Rob Evans, BCWA presi-dent who also served as liaison with the BYC, and Debbie Karr, BCWA secretary and volunteer coordinator.

In addition to the collecting and planting, the teens were given a tour of the adjacent marsh and introduced to its diversity of rare plants and the wildlife dependent on that diversity. According to Evans many of the teens commented about not knowing about the reserve previously but much inter-est was expressed in collaborating on future volunteer projects.

Earlier that morning the group also spent about an hour picking up trash at the Koogler Wetland and Prairie Reserve, collecting about a pick-up truck load of debris to be removed from the park.—Deb Adams

Top: Teen volunteers participate in prairie restoration reseeding after briefing from Dr. Jim Amon (below) and collection of seeds for planting. Photos by Deb Adams

BCWA Partners with Beavercreek Youth Council for Make a

Difference Day

President’s Message ....................2News ...........................................3Save The World ...........................4Kids Change The World ..............5

Volunteer Activity Summary ... 6-7Season of Wonder ................. 8-10Endowment tops $100K ............11

2 Spotted Turtle—Winter 2010-11

President’s Message

A Sense of Accomplishment

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The weather is getting colder and the field work is winding down for the season. So, it is time to take stock of what has been accomplished this past year. As I look at the snow flurries outside my window, all the projects and events seem to blend together.

I have been around the Beaver Creek Wetlands Association long enough to know that the work is never done and the tasks for the next year are already being planned and prepared. But for now I just want to relax and think about what has been accomplished.

Some projects are very, very noticeable. The new boardwalk at Koogler Wetland/Prairie Reserve is a wonderful achievement that is so vis-ible for every visitor to that reserve. Many other tasks that weren’t as noticeable but just as essential were planting trees, shrubs and seeding

barren ground. We also removed prairie invasive plants and mountains of honeysuckle.

At Creekside Reserve, truckload after truckload of shrubs and trees were off-loaded in the reserve and planted every weekend by the dedicat-ed weekly volunteers. This work has completely transformed the excavated stream banks and hillsides after the major stream restoration of the Little Beaver Creek.

Events! Boy, seems like we had a lot this year. We led hikes, searched for the beaver dams, collected and ignited swamp gas, set up at festi-vals and collected purple loosestrife beetles. The butterfly survey and Monarch tagging were attended well beyond expectations. We had educa-tional programs at the libraries and at The Greene where we were able to reach out to younger folks (and some of the older folks as well).

There were many small projects from treating stands of Purple Loose-strife, Reed Canary Grass and Sweet Flag to putting up signs and repairing gates. We raised the boardwalk and repaired the tower at the Siebenthaler Fen (okay, those weren’t exactly small

projects). This fall we collected bags and bags of seed to be spread in the prairie at Fairborn Marsh.

As president, volunteer and member of the Beaver Creek Wet-lands Association, I can look back at everything that BCWA has done this past year with a great sense of ac-complishment. I am thankful for our incredible volunteers who spend so much of their valuable time working in our wetlands. We have wonderful partner organizations and govern-ment agencies with which we work hand in hand every day to protect this beautiful ecosystem. Finally, a big heartfelt thanks to all the mem-bers of the Beaver Creek Wetlands Association for your continued sup-port—we couldn’t make any of this happen without you! Keep an eye on our web calendar and see what we can accomplish in the coming year.

See you in the wetlands!

Rob EvansBCWA President

See this newsletter in full color online at www.beavercreekwetlands.org 3

Annual meeting to feature naturalist Tom Hissong as speakerWe are excited to announce that a local naturalist and world traveler will be our speaker at our May 17th annual meeting. Please mark your calendars now for a wonderful evening with Tom Hissong.

Tom’s program will feature The World of Native Plants and Birds. Birds use native plants for food re-sources, nesting materials, nest place-ment, year-round habitats to live in and much, much more. In turn, birds provide plants with a means to spread their seeds, protection from hungry caterpillars and insects, and other factors of ecological importance. The many interesting connections between plants and birds are strong and well developed. Tom Hissong, Education Coordinator at the Aullwood Audu-bon Center and Farm, will present a colorful PowerPoint program on the fascinating relationships between native plants and birds and how often one group could not exist without the other. A special discussion will focus on the use of native plants to enhance our home landscapes for birds.

For those of you who don’t know Tom here is his short biography. Tom

Hissong has followed an exciting career path working as an Interpretive Naturalist/Environmental Educator in the Dayton, Ohio area for nearly 34 years. He is currently employed as the Education Coordinator at the Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm north of Dayton. Prior to his position at Aullwood, Tom served as a natural-ist for two years with the Five Rivers MetroParks, which followed 16 years in the position of Curator of Education with the Dayton Museum of Natural History. Tom graduated from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio with a B.S. degree in Environmental Education/Field Biology in 1976. He is well known throughout the Dayton area for his expertise as an avid orni-thology instructor/bird watcher and for his enthusiasm in teaching many children and adult classes on natural history topics each year.

Tom has been the planner, or-ganizer and leader of eight different nine-day expeditions to south Florida and the Everglades for bird study and has led many three-day weekend trips to Pt. Pelee, Canada to watch birds and to northern Michigan to observe the endangered Kirtland’s Warbler over the past thirty years. Listed among his international expeditions are Austra-lia, the Peruvian Amazon and Andes, Kenya, Panama, High Arctic Norway,

2011 Schedule of Events

WinterWinter Hike. February 12, 10am to about noon. Meet at Division of Wildlife Parking lot on New Ger-many Trebein Road and we will go north to Fairborn Marsh (or depend-ing on conditions several other places nearby are possible). Dress for mud and whatever temperature Mother Nature hands us. All trails are pretty easy but often wet.

SpringKnollwood Garden Party. April 16. We need people to run the food booth—its fun!

Birdathon. April 29 & 30. Practice your skills, learn about birds and raise money. Teams forming in early April to cover ALL of wetland cor-ridor. Checklists may be available on line— check website in April.

SummerGreene County Fair. July 31–August 6. Our new display will be there.

BCWA Annual Meeting. May 17. See article in this issue.

Fairborn Sweet Corn Festival. August 20 & 21. We always need volunteers at the booth.

Beavercreek Popcorn Festival. September 10 & 11. We always need volunteers at the booth.

FallCombined Federal Campaign Kick-off. Oct. TBA

Please check our website frequently for special events or volunteer op-portunities.

News

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4 Spotted Turtle—Winter 2010-11

Take some time to enjoy a visit to places that you helped save.

Besides those shown below there are a few other neighborhood wetland preserves without public parking or trails but open to various housing areas.

Winter observations

Have we saved the world yet?

There is a running joke at my house that greets me every time I come from one of the many wetland-based meetings I attend. My family says: ”Well have you saved the world yet?” The short answer is no. The better answer is yes, with the help of all of the wetlands members and volunteers, WE have saved a really important part of it.

In the mid 1980s the land along the Beaver Creek was essentially farmland too wet to farm and devel-opers were looking at it for building golf courses and homes. Before that there was even a proposal to build a dam about where Dayton Xenia Road crosses the creek and turn it all into Beaver Creek Lake. (Note: Because of local geology that was actually not possible!) The opening of I-675 and building of the Mall at North Fairfield and New Germany-Trebein Road made land in the valley of Beaver Creek insanely valuable. Fortunately, wetlands were protected by the Clean Water Act and in 1987 key guidance from the US Army Corps of Engineers allowed us to identify wetlands pro-tected by that act of Congress. So, that should have been all we needed, right? Not really! The Beaver Creek Wet-lands Association was formed because without their eyes and ears much wetland would have been destroyed before anyone knew that our awesome ecological gem actually existed. We contacted landowners, talked to regu-latory officials, met with state, county, township and city officials to point out how important these wetlands were to all of them. We vowed to work with them, not by fighting with them but by working together to develop win-win situations protecting wetlands and

insuring landowners that they could realize the full value of their land. It worked. We formed partnerships with the Nature Conservancy, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, County and City Parks and an array of conservation minded folks. We applied for and obtained grants and volunteers donated money and hard labor to improve parts of the wetlands that needed help. We built boardwalks and trails so the public could see what we were so excited about. We formed many partnerships with whomever demonstrated an interest in the project.

Although we are still involved in restoration and land acquisition, we are moving toward a new phase where we are concerned more with long-term management. Invasive species are an ongoing challenge and we will never totally solve that problem but we are making headway. New trails have been recently completed and signs that help the public understand the totality of our accomplishments and educate them about the values of these wetlands will soon be seen throughout the Beaver Creek corridor. Stronger bonds between the various partners in the conservation of these wetlands are being forged and will take our efforts far into the future.

All of us now deeply involved once said we did not know how to help but we got involved and you can too. A simple email to admin@beavercreekwetlands.org just needs to say you want to help. Together, we can save the world.”—Jim Amon

✁

Cut out for a pocket guide to your wetland locations (see events on back)

See this newsletter in full color online at www.beavercreekwetlands.org 5

BCWA encourages kids to change the world

The Beaver Creek Wetlands Asso-ciation hosted an interactive informa-tion booth at the Kids Can Change the World event in the quad at The Greene on Saturday, October 16, 2010.

The booth, coordinated by trust-ees Lorie Burger and Ann Byrd, uses photos and maps focused to introduce children and families to the local wetlands and their habitat diversity, as important ecosystems to protect for the future.

The children, along with some of the adults, were able to make spinning “dragonfly” noisemakers to remind them about some of the interesting things that live in the wetlands. The quad was filled with various buzz-ing sounds as kids darted through the fountains with their “dragonflies.” About 120 “dragonflies” were distrib-uted during the five hour event and about 70-80 adults inquired about how to find various publicly accessible wetlands parks.

Assisting Lori and Ann were Rob Evans, president, Sue Rytel, vice president, as well as a number of other BCWA trustees and volunteers who stopped by throughout the event to offer support and assistance.—Deb Adams

Trustees Lorie Burger (top) and Ann Byrd (below) spread the word on wetlandsPhotos by Deb Adams

Costa Rica, Galapagos Islands, and Canadian Rockies. Awards received include Dayton Tripod Camera Club’s 1984 Nature Photographer of the Year, the EarthWatch/Timken Founda-tion Research for Renewal –Teacher Fellowship, the National Audubon Society ACE Group Award – Fla-mingo Watch, 1999 Garden Club of Ohio, Inc. – Citation, inducted into Northmont Schools Roll of Honor 2006, 2007 Tamar Chotzen – National Audubon Society Educator of the Year, and 2008 TogetherGreen Leadership Fellow.

> Hissong continued from page 3

6 Spotted Turtle—Winter 2010-11

It is customary to include a year-end summary of volunteer activity in the winter edition of The Spotted Turtle, acknowledging all the volunteers who have generously donated their time, describing their efforts and accom-plishments, and providing a total for hours donated for the year. Normally, volunteer activity in field projects has wound down by the newsletter dead-line. But this year, with the deadline looming, volunteers are still planning, working, and accumulating additional hours!

Creekside/Hershner Reserves The Creekside crew has been kept busy under the direction of Don Geiger, work-ing 30 Saturday mornings from mid-March through mid-November. Seven-teen individuals and three groups of students have invested a total of 765 hours in habitat restoration and invasive plant control. The main focus in 2010 has been replanting three areas disturbed by the 2009 Little Beaver Creek restoration project in Creekside Reserve. Over 250 tree saplings and TRUCKLOADS of shrubs and forbs have been planted in these areas. Tree species planted include bur oak, swamp white oak, walnut, tulip poplar, sycamore, and cottonwood; woodland and wetland shrubs include bladdernut, spicebush, gray dogwood, wafer ash, swamp rose, buttonbush, and shrubby cinquefoil; wetland forbs include meadowsweet, cardinal flower, Ohio goldenrod, golden alexanders, boneset, and swamp milkweed. There were a few breaks in planting activity to work on invasive plant control—removal of sweet flag and teasel at

Hershner Reserve, and honeysuckle, Callery pear, and autumn olive con-trol at Creekside Reserve. Seeds of wetland plants were collected in early autumn from both reserves, and then sown at Hershner Reserve in the area cleared of sweet flag last year. Also planted here were plugs of buttonbush, swamp rose, ninebark, meadowsweet, shrubby cinquefoil, Frank’s sedge, and porcupine sedge. Hopefully, this area will experience a transformation similar to that of the restored wetland at Creekside Reserve that was high-lighted in the summer 2010 edition of The Spotted Turtle. Creekside volun-teers September through November:

Deb Adams, Skip Beehler, Jim & Ann Byrd, Bill Byrd, Aaron Deckard, Rob Evans, Debbie Karr, Jim Schneider, and Richard Swigart.

Fairborn Marsh Volunteers working under the direction of Jim Amon have invested over 230 hours performing various tasks—collect-ing and sowing prairie seed, clearing around the bur oaks in the prairie, transplanting a couple of oaks from the nursery, planting spicebushes, and watering newly planted shrubs, but the primary emphasis has been honeysuckle control. The efforts of the past few years are paying off—the few remaining large honeysuckle shrubs have been felled and the remaining small sprouts have been treated the entire length of wooded slope between the prairie and the marsh. Honey-suckle removal is now underway in the woods north of the parking area. Volunteers: Deb Adams, Skip Beehler,

Ashleigh Davis, Rob Evans, Aaron Gooley, Bill Gruner, Jeremy Heath, Luci Herrick, Debbie Karr, Mitch Keadle, Cecil Ogg, Jim Schneider, Nick Seiker, Judith Streiff, Richard Swigart, plus a group of students from Beavercreek High School.

Koogler Wetland/Prairie Reserve Phase 1 of boardwalk construction is now complete! About 270 hours were spent on trail and boardwalk construction, with most of the work taking place in September and October. Not satisfied with being “weekend warriors,” a core group of retirees continued building during the week to ensure completion of this sec-

tion in 2010. In ad-dition to time spent on construction activity, 74 hours

were spent removing invasive plants from the prairie and picking up trash. Under the direction of Rob Evans, volunteers included Deb Adams, Jim Amon, Skip Beehler, Lorie Burger, Bill Byrd, Monique Byrd, Aaron Gool-ey, Jeremy Heath, Debbie Karr, John Leiber, Jim Schneider, Dave Scott, and Richard Swigart.

Siebenthaler Fen The resident beavers at this location have been determined to convert the fen into a beaver pond! The resulting high water has kept volunteers battling all year to keep the boardwalk above water to ensure visitors continued access to the fen. Several sections of the loop boardwalk were raised, as was the partially submerged bridge, while temporary boards were placed on other sections, requiring visitors to “walk the plank” to keep their feet dry. A bypass tube was installed at the

2010 Volunteer Activity Summary

See this newsletter in full color online at www.beavercreekwetlands.org 7

beaver dam in an attempt to control the water level; unfortunately, it was unsuccessful. In fact, the beavers eventually chewed it up and spit it out downstream! A couple of determined volunteers have been controlling the height of the beaver dam to prevent the water level from exceeding a certain threshold. Other activities included invasive plant control and clearing encroaching lush vegetation away from the boardwalk. Over 233 volunteer hours have been reported from this site. Volunteers under direc-tion of Jim Amon: Deb Adams, Skip Beehler, Bill Byrd, Debbie Karr, Jim Schneider, and Richard Swigart.

Other Sites Volunteers have invested an additional 250 hours in invasive plant control at various other sites in the wetland corridor, including implementing a bio-control project using beetles to manage purple loosestrife.

Volunteer Hours SummaryA monetary value is placed on vol-

unteer hours for non-profit organiza-tions; at the 2009 rate of $20.85/hour, the time invested by BCWA volunteers for the projects detailed at page bot-tom has a value of over $38,000!*

And so much more In addition to participating in habitat restoration, invasive plant control, and boardwalk construction projects detailed above, volunteers also participate in local festivals and events and assist with mailings. BCWA trustees and advisors, volunteers all, continue conservation efforts by pursuing land acquisition/conservation easement opportuni-ties, working on special projects with partner organizations, presenting educational programs, and leading

public hikes showcasing the different sites in the Beaver Creek Wetlands, all to ensure the success of BCWA’s mission. If you would like to become an active participant in any of these activities, please contact Bob Limbert, Administrative Coordinator at ad-min@beavercreekwetlands.org.

Thanks to the students and ad-visors from the Beavercreek High School community service group DIRTT for their participation in “Make a Difference Day” on October 23. The 22 members of this group picked up a mountain of trash at Koogler Reserve, then collected prairie seed at Fairborn Marsh that was sown on site in areas where the original planting was unsuc-cessful due to equipment malfunction. An additional 95 volunteer hours were accumulated during this event.

As you walk along the path beside the Little Beaver Creek in Creekside Reserve, take notice of the tremendous damage intentionally inflicted by the chainsaw crew to the dense stands of non-native honeysuckle that had overtaken the woodland understory, and then look closely for the small native shrubs (sporting orange, yellow, or pink flagging ribbon) that have been planted to take its place. Just imagine what it will look like in a few years!

Thank You!—Debbie Karr

Thanks to the following people for helping with the Gaining Ground fund raising mailing.

Bruce Ford; Sue Rytel; Ann Byrd; Susie & David Scott; Judith Streiff; Richard Swigart; Jim Amon; Dorothy Bordewisch; Pat Hefner; Debbie Karr; Jim Schneider; Deb Adams; Mike Zimmerman; Bill Byrd.

*Source: Corporation for National & Community Service www.volunteeringinamerica.gov

2010 BCWA Volunteer Hours

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8 Spotted Turtle—Winter 2010-11

I have a book that I purchased about fifteen years ago that affected the way I look at winter. That book is “Season of Promise, Wild Plants in Winter” by June Carver Roberts (Ohio University Press, 1993). Anyone who knows me, knows that I have a love for guide books. I call this one my guide to dead plants. Unlike most guide books, this one wasn’t written by a botanist or a naturalist but by an artist.

This book made me realize just how much I had been missing while on my winter walks. I still appreciate the expansive landscapes that winter offers. The snowscapes, the stark beauty of the leafless, dormant trees and the truly blue skies allow for some really great photographs. What I learned was to look inside those landscapes, to look at those things that I was looking past.

Those bare trees allowed me to see the birds that made their homes there. The leaves were no longer hid-ing what was in the trees, allowing me to discover birds that are only here in winter. Along with the birds, now the fruit, the berries and the seed pods are exposed for viewing.

Season of Wonder Photo essay by

Richard Swigart

Foxtail grass bend to the winter wind; gall shows willow’s reponse to irritant

See this newsletter in full color online at www.beavercreekwetlands.org 9

I personally spend the other seasons looking for and photographing wild flowers, seeking the image that expresses the feeling of being there. In the winter, those same wild flowers are showing the promise of the seasons to come. The cattails turning to fluff, the milkweed pod splitting and sending their seeds into the wind, and Joe Pye weed sending its parasol seed sailing,

these are all wonders of winter. Vining plants, such as dodder and virgins bower (one of my favorites) present their own special shows in winter.

For the last year or so, my fascina-tion with galls has grown. Galls are plant reactions to injury, whether that injury is due to invasion by insects, fungus or other injury. Winter is the time of year to spot these fascinating responses.

Hoarfrost decorates a maple leaf at top; great blue heron, human and other tracks in middle; dodder’s quiet beauy at bottom

10 Spotted Turtle—Winter 2010-11

The seed heads of grasses, sedges and rushes present their own special wonders of the “Season of Promise.” Hoar frost on plants, fallen leaves and rocks, along with the patterns frozen in the ice are another source of beauty and wonder. There is so much to explore and discover during the winter, more than can be discussed in a simple article, that possibly a better or complimentary label might be the “Season of Wonder.”

Common milkweed at left, Riddle’s goldenrod above and Virgin’s Bower (or possibly Wild Climatis).

See this newsletter in full color online at www.beavercreekwetlands.org 11

Spotted Turtle Name and Logo: Noted area wildlife artist Charley Harper generously donated the art for our logo in 1988. His work has been adopted by the National Park Service and is appre-ciated worldwide. Our newsletter recog-nizes the Spotted Turtle as an icon for the many rare animals and plants protected in the Beaver Creek Wetlands.

Submissions, Questions, or Comments: We rely on members likeyou to make this newsletter the product of several diverse voices. If you have an idea for an article or a picture to include, please send them to admin@beavercree-kwetlands.org. Also, we welcome any comments or questions. For submissions, questions, or comments, please include “newsletter” in the subject line of your e-mail. We reserve the right to edit for content or clarity.

Donations of Land/Easements: If you are interested in donating land, placing an easement on property, or re-membering the BCWA in your will, please don’t hesitate to call the Beaver Creek Wetlands Association at (937) 320-9042.

BCWA Annual Report: Copies are available by request. E-mail the office at admin@beavercreekwetlands.org or call (937) 320-9042.

Founded in 1988, the Mission of the Beaver Creek Wetlands Association is to protect the wetland ecosystem in the Beaver Creek watershed through partnerships, community networks, and public education.

Join the BCWA Today!

Choose your member level: $5 Student $10 Senior (60+) $15 Individual $25 Family

Please make your check payable to BCWA andmail to: BCWA, P.O. Box 42, Alpha, OH 45301

Name

Address

Phone

Email

Help reclaim our local wetlands corridor and restore it’s natural beauty and function. Your member dues fund land acquisition, education programs, habitat restoration and management of our preserve.

$35 Contributing $50 Supporting $100 Patron $1,000 Life

A 501(c)(3) land trust organization. Your donation is tax deductible.

Our Endowment Fund has grown to over $120,000 in little over two years. A recent bequest was left in the form of a life annuity. Such planned giv-ing can result in tax savings and/or income to you, while leaving a legacy of conservation. The BCWA Endowment Fund is a permanent savings plan to help en-sure that BCWA continues to protect wetlands for future generations. The BCWA Endowment Fund may accept many types of planned, deferred, and outright gifts that can actually increase the value of your estate, enabling you to do more with what you leave for others. Spotted Turtle Society members include anyone who has made a gift to the Beaver Creek Wetlands Asso-ciation Endowment Fund.

I would like to learn more about gift options to help grow the Beaver Creek Wetlands Endowment Fund. Please contact me about planned giving.

I have already included BCWA in my estate planning. I would like to become a member of the Spotted Turtle Society.

I wish to make an outright gift payable to ‘”BCWA Endowment Fund”.

Please return to:Beaver Creek Wetlands AssociationAttn: Endowment CommitteeP.O.Box 42, Alpha, Ohio 45301

Endowment surpasses $100K benchmark

For information on a variety of planned giving options, call or write to us, or contact The Dayton Foundation directly.

Name

Address

Phone

Email

See this in living color

You can read the newsletter online in full color. Help us save paper and mailing costs by letting us know if you wish to receive your newsletter electronically. Email Bob at admin@beavercreekwetlands.org

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Moving? New e-mail address?Don’t miss an issue! Call 937-320-9042

or email: admin@beavercreekwetlands.org

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U.S. POSTAGE PAIDALPHA, OHIO 45301PERMIT NUMBER 76

The Spotted Turtle | Volume 25, No. 1 | Winter 2010-11

P.O. BOX 42ALPHA, OH 45301Return Service Requested

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PublisherOregon Printingwww.oregonprinting.com

WebmasterRob Evans

Contact UsAdministrative Coordinatoradmin@beavercreekwetlands.orgPresidentpresident@beavercreekwetlands.orgTechnical Advisortechnical@beavercreekwetlands.orgWebmasterwebmaster@beavercreekwetlands.orgMediamedia@beavercreekwetlands.orgNewsletternewsletter@beavercreekwetlands.org

Visit us Onlinewww.beavercreekwetlands.org

OfficersRob Evans, PresidentSue Rytel, Vice PresidentDeborah Karr, SecretaryDoug Hull, Treasurer

TrusteesDeborah KarrEd PhillipsSusie ScottRichard SwigartSue RytelMike ZimmermanJim AmonLorie BurgerRob EvansMark MartelChristina SimmonsDeborrah Adams Ann Byrd Jim SchneiderSpotted Turtle EditorsJim and Carol AmonMark Martel

Brown creeper and other wildlife become visible through winter’s bare branches. See photo essay on page 8.

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