This squirt of hormones also creates some rapid changes in the reproductive parts. In the lower part of the crown the male flowers burst their pollen sacs and spread their tiny reproductive dust into the wind.  The female cones, which are above the male cones will open for about 20 days starting in the second week of April, spreading their scales wide in the hope that one bit of reproductive dust will fertilize the small embryonic seed.  A medium sized fir will release billions of grains of pollen into the wind. The protein rich green dust will cover the ground with over 5,000 bits of pollen per square inch. This reproductive excess is immediately noticed by allergy sufferers and every little swirl of breeze carries and loops and tosses this dust around such that it can completely coat both the top and undersides of surrounding plants.

Conifer trees developed millions of years before there were insects and so this excessive pollen production was the only way to get genetic exchange.  Besides allergy headaches and dusty windshields, this pollen extravaganza also gives us a record of the trees of the past.  Each year vast amounts of pollen will fallout all over the place, including landing on lakes. Although pollen is light, it is still heavy enough to eventually sink, where it forms a layer on the bottom of the pond.  Every year, a new layer is formed, and each conifer present adds its distinctively shaped grains.  Using a large tube-like drill, scientists can bore into the bottoms of lakes and extract cylindrical cores. By examining the pollen grains and counting a layer for each year, the cores give a historical record of what kinds of trees were around over the course of thousands of years. So from this work, we know that as the giant continental glaciers receded the first trees to return  were alpine species such as Mountain hemlock and Lodgepole pines, and our current assembly of trees arrived about 4500 years ago.

From the edges of the forest a shining beacon glows in the afternoon sun. The Red Flowering Currant has opened its nectar filled storehouse and is attracting the attention of hummingbirds and bumble bee queens, eager to fill up on sweet nectar.  Unlike the conifers that rely on mass dispersal, flowers like this are conservative with their reproductive matter and utilize animals to pass the pollen from plant to plant.  This plant caught the eye of an early botanist on our shore, David Douglas, for whom the Douglas fir is named. He saw the potential of this and collected several which sold for high prices to English nobility as exotic garden plants from the new world.  It is still a popular plant in European gardens to this day.  The Flowers turn into powder blue berries which are ignored by most people but quite edible and quickly scarfed up by Robins, Waxwings and chipmunks.

Under the tangle of ferns at the base of a clump of Red-flowering currant is a treasure chest made of grass.  It is the next generation of Dark-eyed Juncos hidden away from prying eyes. Mrs Junco spends all her time here these last few days, covering and warming these precious assets and Mr. Junco nervously flits about the yard. A dark shadow appeared in the tree directly above the nest, a crow on a scout mission. Mr. Junco was surprisingly calm and pretending to forage in sight of, but not near where Mrs Junco lay still as a stone.  The calm was broken by the neighboring Robin pair, who would have none of this egg and baby bird stealing intruder and began harshly scolding the crow. Within a minute three more Robins joined the fray, and when a big and loud Steller’s Jay joined the ruckus, it was more than the crow was willing to endure and it cruised over to the other side of the road. Within a minute the loud chips of another set of Robin alarms sounded, and for the next several minutes the crow could be tracked by following the sound of robins down the street.  Mr. Junco flew up to the highest point of the tree to survey that the crow was gone, then he fluttered down and hopped under the fern perhaps to reassure Mrs Robin that all was well. The crow will be back again, looking and listening so all the yard nesters must be vigilant.

Spring is the season of surprises and changes. Each day new flowers open, the roadsides are draped in Spring green mist that creeps over the landscape, transforming the browns and grays of winter into the multicolored fabric of the season of growth.  This year we were graced with a Mourning Cloak Butterfly, the first ever in our yard.  This butterfly with its rich brown wings with cream trim on the edges is named for the dark cloak that mourning widows wore in Elizabethan England. This butterfly is a hibernator, and early spring dancers will lay a batch of eggs on a Willow or Alder tree. By May the larva are busy, often in groups, munching away on their host. They pupate over summer and emerge, fresh and bright from late June to August, sometimes feeding on fallen fruit before finding a quiet, dry spot to spent the cold wet winter.  They are most common along rivers but can be found anywhere there are Willows or Alders.  The one that graced our yard was noticed by the resident towhee who gave a brief chase, but was totally outclassed as the butterfly easily hopped over the birds clumsy lunges.

The air seems richer on these warming days, and in the early evening before the frog chorus swells, a lone Robin clucks and chuckles,  and then there is a hush, just the wind gently moving the trees into a slow dance, before they too, call it a day.  In this magic hour of almost too dark to see, the bats return and their smaller landed cousins stir in the undergrowth.  The day stage turns over to the night crew, the busy Douglas squirrel nestles down as the flying squirrel launches off on a night of foraging.  Spend some time outside on  a spring night with a flashlight and tell me what you find there.

Rob Sandelin
Naturalist, Writer, Teacher
Snohomish

The 30-Day Sit Spot Challenge is a powerful way for you to connect with the natural world through one spot in nature. The Sit Spot is the core routine of the Kamana Naturalist Training Program. You do not have to be a Kamana student or a member of Kamana.org to participate. Anyone can join and it’s free to participate! We want as many people as possible to experience this amazing routine.

During the challenge you will receive daily emails with questions, challenges, and inspirational support. There will be optional activities designed to increase your awareness and hone your senses. The synergy of hundreds of people going to their Sit Spots will be phenomenal!

What is a Sit Spot?

The Sit Spot is the practice of going to one spot in nature over a period of time. You make observations, connect with nature and self, and learn to see with Native Eyes. There are 2 basic requirements that every sit spot should have 1) It needs to be close to your house and 2) you need to feel safe while there. It is ideal for it to be wild, have a water source, be abundant with wildlife, have a view, and a whole slew of other things. While those are nice to have, they are not essential. The best sit spot is one that you go to!

How Does it Work?

Starting May 1st, go to your Sit Spot for at least 20 minutes every day. Your challenge is to do this for 30 days straight!

How can I meet other people interested in learning about nature?

This year Kamana.org will be using our Facebook page as a place where folks can come, connect with others, and post their Sit Spot stories. Make sure to “Like” us on Facebook!

Why Should I Sign Up? Can’t I Just Do it On My Own?

You can do it on your own, but when you commit to something with other people involved, it changes your perception. In our experience, those who sign up are MUCH more likely to finish the challenge. You will also receive daily reminders and inspiration. You’ll be able to communicate with others through our forums, as well.

Want more information about the sit spot?

How to Find a Sit Spot

Jon Young Video: Top 3 Reasons to go to your Sit Spot

Sit Spot – What Can Go Wrong

Click here to download a flyer that you can send to your friends!

Want to see more Free content on Kamana.org?

Cindy Ruprecht

This is Cindy Ruprecht, mother, designer, and yurt owner, amongst many other things. “I started the program because it was everything I was interested in wrapped in a nice bundle. I was already studying native plants, ethnobotany, survival skills, and native lore. I couldn’t believe there was a program out there that combined them all.”

Cindy has an open invite to any Kamana student who wants to meet, “I want to share this beautiful place I call home with other Kamana students. I have an open invitation to my home for anyone who wants to come explore the Leavenworth area. Our yard is open for camping/exploring…we have 6 acres a yurt & cabin along the Chumstick drainage.”

Cindy has one piece of advice for those of you still out there working through the program:
“Keep the big picture. Don’t forget to look up…and then look up to the stars!”
Cindy’s Blog

Hesley Cox

This is Hesley. Kamana has greatly influenced him as a hunter and helped him to realize his greater connection to all of life. When asked about how Kamana has changed his life, Hesley said, “Having a graduate degree and being “long in the tooth”, I have had a lot of theory and information pushed my way.  What Kamana has given me is a new way of learning.  By asking the questions and then showing me different ways to solve the problem, I have discovered many different ways to learn.

What I have also discovered are new ways to experience my time in the woods.  As a hunter, I have spent many hours alone, being still to the degree possible.  Kamana has shown me ways to enhance and expand this experience.  Kamana has also taken me into nature outside of those times devoted to hunting.  For me, this has been enlightenment!  Another by product is I now hunt from a different perspective.  By hunting in a sacred manner, I feel a greater connection to the animal and a much greater responsibility in the act.  I can truly say I am not the same person I was before beginning Kamana.”

Hesley’s advice for you? “Don’t let the lists overwhelm you.  Eat the elephant one bite at a time and live in the moment as you complete each species.”

Lee Wilson

This is Lee. And a squirrel. We here at Kamana don’t know the story of their relationship, but we can tell that something interesting is afoot! The Kamana Program helped Lee not only learn more about the natural world it also clarified his life path. “I saw how many of my interests from tracking to mythology all fit together. I also found myself discovering a great deal of hope in humanities potential role as caretakers. The final project in Wrapping the Bundle really expanded and clarified this vision. It caused me to look at the ways in which people are rediscovering this role in the context of the modern world, in the permaculture movement for example. This renewed sense of hope also brought with it a fresh enthusiasm that drives my own activities and that I can share with others. Especially with concerned and empathetic folks who are mired in the idea that humans are inherently destructive organisms and in the “Nothing I can do….” feeling.” Boy would Ingwe be glad to hear this!

So, what are Lee’s last words for you? “I can easily say that choosing to do the Kamana program is one of the best things I’ve done and I am very grateful that it exists. My best wishes to all current students, may you find the enthusiasm to carry you through, it’s well worth the journey!”

Kevin O'Malley

This is Kevin. He graduated from the Anake Outdoor School in 2009 and has now finished the Kamana Program in 2011. Kevin is a man of few words. He discovered the program through Mark Elbroch’s “Mammal Tracks & Sign” and it took him 3 years from start to finish to graduate.

Kevin’s advice is simple: “Go to your sit spot!”

We here at Kamana couldn’t agree more. The more you go outside the more you will learn. And the more you take your experiences and do some research and sharing, the more you will integrate your learning. Good luck to all current students out there. And let these graduates inspire you to take your Kamana to the next level!

Last October the Pink Salmon hid a treasure trove of bright orange eggs in the gravel of the local rivers. During the winter the eggs hatched and slowly the young fish, hidden in the protective embrace of river rocks, have slowly absorbed their yolk and now they have begun to emerge from the gravel in search of small insects.  Within a day or two of being fully out in the world, they turn downstream and head to the ocean which calls to them from thousands of years of instinct.  How do they know there is such a thing as an ocean, and why are they so certain they must go there? They have no doubts, and without delay they follow their internal instructions and by the end of April will be in salt water to start the next phase of their lives.

Along the edge of  the stream the willows are coming into bloom. Willows have gender, each tree is either male or female and the abundant pollen of the male attracts a wide variety of early emerging insects.  If you look closely you may find a gangly-legged fly with a huge bird-like beak that is several times longer than the head wide.  This is the Dance Fly.  It gets its name from its mating strategy.  Males will gather in particular places and they will begin a mating flight, a dance move with lots of ups and downs. However what gets the attention of the females is not his dance, but a mating gift, sort of like a wedding present.  These flies are predators and so each male will be carrying a dead bug. The female chooses her mate by the size of his bug, so in this case, size matters. Sometimes  a male will try to steal another males bug and they will go into an aerial dogfight which often disrupts the other dancers.  Dance sites seem to be consistent, there is a place in my front garden where these insects have danced for past 4 years.  Since each year it is a new generation, how they know to dance in that location is, like the salmon fingerling, another natural mystery.

Further down the stream, in a cozy undercut bank that is well covered by a log jam, 2 new born river otter pups have just opened their eyes to see the world for the first time. Mama otter is out catching a meal in the river but she is does not go far, nor does she have to. Otters are remarkably agile in the water, their long narrow bodies and strong tail make catching a meal relatively easy.  Otters, and the others of their family have a remarkable reproductive trick. This otter mated almost 10 months ago, and the embryos inside her went into a sort of hibernation, growing  very slowly. Then 8 weeks ago the embryos implanted in the uterus and begin to divide and grow.  This is called delayed implantation, and it’s an adaptation allowing mothers to time the birth of their young when conditions are best.  However, exactly how this process works is yet another mystery of nature.

A wander away from the stream and into the woods finds all kinds of new stirrings. The bright green leaves and white bangles of the Indian plum are brightening up the forest edges.  This native shrub, like the willows, has gender, and the male flowers appear before the females.  To tell them apart you need to roll a flower between your fingers. A female flower will be lumpy from the ovaries which produce the thin skinned berries covering a large seed.  This plant has some distinctive odors to help identify it, the crushed leaves smell like cucumbers and the flowers smell, according to some people, like cat pee.  If you examine a few of the flowers closely you may find tiny, almost microscopic beetles hanging out munching on the pollen of the male flowers.  A host of other hungry insects also grab some pollen, including the female dance fly. I suppose males might also imbibe here, but in all my collecting I have never found a male on this plant.

Later in the month there will be a buzzing diversion in the garden as the hibernating bumble bees emerge. The huge, fat queens will poke around the garden and forest edge, poking their heads under leaves, hopping from place to place. One of the preferred spots are old abandoned Deer mouse nests, as they are both dry and already insulated and formed.

The Swallows have begun to return, scything loops in the sky like visible exclamation points that spring is here. These are the first wave of thousands of returning birds who will take up residence for the spring and summer and add their voices to the growing symphony of spring.

It’s time to dust off your walking shoes and get out into the sparkling spring air. Life is stirring again after the long winter sleep.  Let me know what you find there.

Enhance your own Sit Spot Challenge adventure — and double your motivation?

Fresh energy may be just the thing to infuse your own…. Invite the young people in your life to join your challenge. Local youth groups, neighbors, cousins or your own kids — sitting in nature is the perfect way to balance high-tech lives and the allure of entertainment media. You never know what kind of transformation a 30-day sit can inspire…

On May 1^st, join the youth program students  and families of Wilderness Awareness School and our extended community in our 4^th annual Sit Spot Challenge!

How Does it Work?

Our Kamana community will be “sitting” for the month of May. May 1^st, go to your Sit Spot for at least 20 minutes every day. Your challenge is to do this for 30 days straight!

What is a Sit Spot?

The 30-Day Sit Spot Challenge is a powerful way for you to connect with the natural world through one spot in nature. The Sit Spot is the core routine of the Kamana Naturalist Training Program, the practice of going to one spot in nature over a period of time. You make observations, connect with nature and self, and learn to see with Native Eyes. There are two basic requirements that every Sit Spot should have: 1) It needs to be close to your house, and 2) you need to feel safe while there. Sure, it is ideal for it to be wild, have a water source, be abundant with wildlife, have an incredible view, and a whole slew of other things. While those things are great to have, they are not essential. The best Sit Spot is one that you go to!

Keep Motivated and Keep Track

Click here for a Sit Spot Calendar that you can print and post on the wall, to encourage your children to do as many sits as possible during the 30 days. Consider printing one for each child, or print a family chart, for all to post on together — you included, if you are up for the challenge!

Share Sit Stories

Your kids are the greatest ambassadors for nature connection we could ever dream of. Please consider also sharing their Sit Spot stories on our Facebook page. Or send them to us and we’ll be happy to post: KylieL@WildernessAwareness.org. Pictures are inspiring; include any great nature shots or Sit pics you have. Make sure to “Like” us on Facebook to help spread the word!

Young Children?

A shared Family Sit is a great way to enjoy the Sit Spot Challenge. Make a game of quietly observing, then have everyone share what they saw, and record your observations in a Sit Spot Journal. Send some highlights our way to inspire others.

Sign Up and Connect Up

If your family would enjoy connecting with community around the world during this 30 days, sign up for free with the adult Sit Spot Challenge, through Kamana.org. You will receive daily emails with questions, challenges and inspirational support. There will be optional activities designed to increase your awareness and hone your senses. Sign up below!

Help Kids Get Outside

The Sit Spot Challenge comes smack dab in the middle of our spring Get Outside! appeal. Consider making this challenge a family fundraiser, to help us reach our goal of 1700 kids in Summer Camp! Post to your own Facebook page or send an email, with a link to donate to Wilderness Awareness School. Kids of all ages will thank you! Here’s that link: http://wildernessawareness.org/support_nature_education.html

Our program staff and office team look forward to joining you in our Sit Spot Challenge. Let the Nature Connection flow!

Part 1

Part 2

Clearly the message is, Ok partner, this yard ain’t big enough fer the two of us, make your move. Suddenly they are flying into each other in a chest bumping contest which elevates them about a foot off the ground before they separate. Apparently this settled the matter, at least for that moment and one flew off chased by the other.  I assume it was the winner who returned, perched and trilled his victory from the top of the Red-flowering currant. Today the battle was won, but the war has just started.

The mornings are now flowing with Song Sparrow music and any day now the House finches will start up and the annual spring bird band will begin. Before the month is out, the tree frog chorus will be in full swing, grooving loudly on the warmer nights.  In the dark woods behind the house, there is an awful squalling coming from a pair of amorous Barred Owls who are nesting. For the next several weeks their “who, who who cooks for youuuu” calls will ring in the forest, causing nightmares and restless sleep for the small mammals hiding under the ferns.

I turned over an old board and whisk, out shot several small deer mice who had been living in an untidy ball of ripped up rag. I was able to capture one, it was fully furred and seemed perfectly capable of life on its own, although it was a tiny thing. I carefully put the board back, and then checked several times later but they found other, safer housing. Or maybe not, it’s a wild world, and a  young mouse does not get to make very many mistakes.  Deer mice are the most common forest mammal, although rarely seen because they wisely find the night a better time to forage for seeds and plant buds. Since there is an Owl hanging around it is likely there is a healthy mouse population in the area.

The Great blue herons are returning to their bulky nests in Kenmore, looking for all the world like awkward old men hanging around in trees.  There is just something just wrong about this huge gawky bird in a tree. Herons are colony nesters and often dozens of nests are found in one area. This concentration is leading to their decline, both from real estate developers who whack their forest nest sites with impunity, and from Bald eagles, whose numbers have grown and who poach young from the nest sites. Like too many other creatures, their population is dwindling and this decline will possibly set up a conundrum for wildlife policy makers. Now that Eagles have recovered their population, and their predation is causing a serious decline in Herons, which team do we root for?  And how do you keep a hungry eagle from eating  threatened heron babies?

There are fresh bear tracks in the woods as the sleeping bruins are up and about wandering in search of something to eat. Often these early bears strip the bark off smaller coniferous trees to nibble on the tasty sap and cambium layers. What a bear can do to a tree farm in a weeks foraging is a disaster for the growers. One of the other food sources for early bears are the beetle larva inside rotting logs.  The bears use their sturdy claws like a can opener, and rip and shred fallen logs in search of tiny fat morsels.  A local farmer was distressed to find that the favorite horse that had died and was buried deep in the back forty, had been dug up and the remains unceremoniously spread all over. The grave robber was a bear, who probably got pretty excited to find such a huge buried treasure.

While basking in the early February sunshine there was a familiar buzz and two huge bumblebee queens were out, feeding on an early blooming garden shrub. These are probably outliers, early risers who hope to make it through the next couple weeks until the Salmonberry and Red flowering currant flowers open.  For more than a decade my garden has had two January blooming shrubs, both of which have grown quite large. One of the impacts of our suburban landscape decisions is how our plantings supplement the populations of native insects and birds.  A  yard that has a series of blooming plants works well for many kinds of  native bees and other insects. These in turn feed local birds. And  so its not an accident that the Juncos, Robins, Towhees and others are battling for my yard for their territories. If the rising sap of spring makes you want to get out and do some yard work, do a little research and add some wildlife attracting plants to your landscape. And then let me know who shows up.

Please join us on Tuesday February 21st, 2012 for the call. There will be time for Q & A, so bring some questions! Here are the details:

When: Tuesday February 21st, 2012
Time: 5:00pm – 6:00pm PST

Conference Dial-In Number:
(530) 881-1300
Participant Code:
813711

Please call in no more than 5 minutes before the start time. You will be prompted to enter the participant code above and you will be put on hold until the conference begins. We look forward to seeing you there!

Comment below and let us know if you’ll join us!

We will be recording this call so if you can’t make the times check back here for a link!

Here’s the link: http://kamana.org/?p=3387

There’s a rule of thumb in tree planting: “Plant a $10 tree in a $100 hole, not the other way around.”  Planting and establishment are often the hardest periods of a tree’s life.  Many trees die within their first two years, so let’s talk about how to give a tree a good start.  I’m going to talk about seedlings first, and then larger nursery trees.  First, though, I want to mention an obstacle that you might run into.

Urban planting problems

If you live in an urban area, one thing that you need to be aware of is that your soil conditions might have drastically changed from their native state.  Since the end of World War II (when a lot of heavy machinery used in war was brought home), heavy excavators and grading equipment has increasingly been used in the development of new homes.  This causes soil compaction and a change in drainage. It turns out that soil is made from clumps of aggregated material (both organic and inorganic) and the spaces between these clumps ensure the flow of water and oxygen through the soil.  When you drive a heavy excavator over soil many times, or scrape the surface with a grader, this soil can be crushed, and water and air can no longer effectively penetrate the soil.  If this describes your soil, you’ll have to spend extra time digging.

Planting Seedlings:

Most nurseries in your bioregion will sell native seedlings.  They will be available in sizes from a couple of inches to a few feet in height.  Alternately, you could transplant a seedling if you live in the woods, or who have a friend who does.  If you choose to transplant, try to keep as much of the root system as possible.  This may mean careful digging several inches away from the trunk, and trying to keep an intact root-ball.

● Dig

This is a key step in the process, especially if your soil is compacted as I described above.  Get a shovel, and start digging!  Loosen up as much soil around the tree planting area as you can.  No need to go more than 12-18 inches deep, as most of the absorbing roots of the tree will stay close to the surface.  Loosen up the soil, so that the roots of the tree can easily penetrate and establish.

● Plant

If your tree has been in a container and the roots have circled around, break up these roots with your hands and spread them out (like spokes coming from the hub of a bicycle wheel) before planting.  It is really important to do this, as later these roots can become girdling roots, and they will actually interfere with the tree’s growth, sometimes completely strangling other roots and the trunk.

Planting depth is also very important.  Plant your tree too shallow or too deep, and you’ll reduce the chance that it will survive.  There is a visible transition where the trunk/stem curves outward and becomes the roots.  The soil should come up to this transition, but not beyond.

● Mulch

You’re not done yet!  If you leave bare soil around your tree, it will dry out in the summer, and die before its roots establish.  The best kind of mulch to use is “Arborist chips” which are the chipped up remains of trees that have been removed.  Put 3-5 inches of this in a 1-2ft diameter circle around your tree.  Pull the mulch a couple of inches away from the trunk of the tree.  Too much moisture there can cause problems.  If you can’t get Arborist chips, try leaf mulch, or the native duff in your local forest. One warning: Don’t use “Beauty Bark”, it can actually repel water away from your tree.

● Water

Last step, which may need to be repeated:  Right after you have planted and mulched your tree, water it in thoroughly.  If you really want to help your tree survive, consider watering it through the first summer.  The best way to water it is slowly, infrequently and deeply.  A gushing garden hose can actually compact the soil, and wash it from around the roots, which you don’t want.  Let a tiny trickle come out of the hose close to the trunk, and leave it for a couple of hours.

Planting Larger Trees:

Often, nurseries sell larger trees in various sizes, ranging from 1 to 6 inch diameter (this measurement is taken on the trunk 4 ½ ft above ground).  If you want to plant one of these trees you’ll pay more, but you’ll get a head start on growing your tree.  You’ll also have the choice to select a non-native species, which might work better for your particular planting location.  Just as an example, London plane trees (Platanus acerifolia) are famous for being able to grow in poor, compacted soils.

You’ll take the same planting steps, but you’ll have to dig a wider area, and spend more time breaking up the circling roots, if there are any.  You may also need to stake your tree, to make sure it stays upright

Good luck. I believe that planting a tree is a gift to the future generations (because we may not be around to watch it mature), and to the health of the planet.  For more information, go to this website:

http://www.treepeople.org/plant-right-way

Phil Bennett is an Anake School Graduate, Kamana Student, Arborist, and Poet. In the summer/fall of 2004 he cycled all the way from Washington State to New Jersey to raise money for Wilderness Awareness School.