Outdoor Elements


SEASON 3

	Episode 313 Hands-On Nature Topic: Making Recycled Musical Instruments Banjo Plans Scott Beam, Interpretive Naturalist Maplewood Nature Center LaGrange County Parks Email: maplwood@ligtel.com Nature Nuggets: People have been making homemade instruments for centuries. To make recycled instruments, you can turn an old shoe box into a shoe box guitar. A clean used pie plate can be made into a tambourine. And a length of PVC pipe can be drilled to make a flute Creatures and Features Topic: Bird Nests Kip Miller, Chief Naturalist Berrien County Parks Website: http://www.berriencounty.org/parks/contact.html Nature Nuggets: Most of our native birds build their nests in spring and summer to accommodate laying eggs. The Great Horned Owl is one species that builds its nest and lays eggs in winter. Begin in Your Backyard Topic: Canoeing for Nature Patrick Sawyer, canoeist Email: pnsawyer@comcast.net Nature Nuggets: North American Indians are responsible for creating the well-known version of the canoe - a frame of wooden ribs covered with the lightweight bark of birch trees, and sometimes elm or cedar trees. The word 'canoe' originated from the word 'kenu' - meaning dugout. back to top Episode 312 Hands-On Nature Topic: Walnut Dye Walnut Dye Amal Farrough, Park Interpreter St. Joseph County Parks, Indiana Website: www.sjcparks.org Nature Nuggets: A chemical found in the black walnut tree roots, leaves, trunk, and nut husks can inhibit the growth of tomatoes, potatoes, alfalfa, blackberry, domestic grape, lilac, hydrangea, chrysanthemum, paper birch, hackberry, basswood, apple, and other plants. Creatures and Features Topic: Canada Geese Linda Byer, District Biologist Kankakee Fish and Wildlife Area N. Judson, IN Website: http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/publications/kank.htm Email: lbyer@dnr.state.in.us To report banded geese: 1-800-327-BAND (2263), or http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/ Nature Nuggets: Flooded or dry harvested cornfields and wheat-fields are choice feeding habitat for Canada Geese during migration and winter. Mechanical corn harvesting methods leave grain in the fields that Canada geese and other waterfowl species utilize. Begin in Your Backyard Topic: Wild About Wetlands Michaele Klingerman, Park Interpreter St. Joseph County Parks, Indiana Website: www.sjcparks.org Nature Nuggets: Hoosier motorists who have purchased Indiana's environmental license plates have helped protect thousands of acres of wetlands in the state. These wetlands filter drinking water, provide wildlife habitat and absorb floodwaters. back to top Episode 311 Hands-On Nature Topic: Making Recycled Paper Making Recycled Paper Ronda DeCaire, Director Elkhart Environmental Center Website: www.elkhartindiana.org/content.php?id=11&c_id=32 Email: ronda.decaire@coelkhartindiana.org Nature Nuggets: The first paper was made from fibers of hemp, cloth and mulberry bark mixed with water and mashed, then pressed into a sheet and allowed to dry in the sun. Creatures and Features Topic: Conifer ID Conifer ID Leslie Witkowski, Park Interpreter Park Interpreter St. Joseph County Parks, Indiana Website: www.sjcparks.org Email: interpnaturalist@datacruz.com Nature Nuggets: Conifer trees have needles or scale-like leaves and cones that hold the trees' seeds. Not all conifers are "evergreen." Some like the tamarack, lose their needles in fall. Begin in Your Backyard Topic: Woods Audit Wendy Smith Education Coordinator Great Lakes Research and Education Center at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Sandra O'Brien Volunteer Botanist To get involved in Woods Audit Program: Chicago Wilderness: http://www.chiwild.org/ Woods Audit Coordinator: kglennemeier@habitatproject.org Woods Audit in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: Joy_Marburger@nps.gov Nature Nuggets: In parts of northern Indiana, oak savannahs were once common. These open woodlands with grassy understory were often perpetuated by fire. back to top Episode 310 Hands-On Nature Topic: Teasel Teasel Maria Peacock, Interpretive Services Manager St. Joseph County Parks, IN Website: www.sjcparks.org Nature Nuggets: Teasel (a European plant) was introduced to the United States in the 18th century. It was given the name "teasel" because it was once used to tease wool in preparation to spin it into yarn. Creatures and Features Topic: Falling for Asters Tim Cordell, Interpretive Naturalist Potato Creek State Park North Liberty, IN Website: www.state.in.us/dnr/parklake/parks/potatocreek.html Email: tcordell@dnr.state.in.us Link to Summer Fall wildlife brochure Website: http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/interpretiveservices/nature&history/brochures/ Nature Nuggets: The Greek word "aster" refers to the yellow-centered, star-like flowers ranging in color from white, red, pink, purple, lavender and blue. These flowers can be seen blooming from early September to late October in our area. Begin in Your Backyard Topic: Bird House Cleanup Tom Stankus, Past Pres. South Bend-Elkhart Audubon Society Website: www.sbeaudubon.org/ Nature Nuggets: Help keep birds healthy by eliminating bacteria where they feed and roost. A mild solution of 10 parts water and 1 part bleach is effective in cleaning most bird feeders and bird baths. back to top Episode 309 Hands-On Nature Topic: Making Cordage Making Cordage Vince Gresham, Park Interpreter St. Joseph County Parks, Indiana Website: www.sjcparks.org Nature Nuggets: Connective tissue from the tendons and ligaments of animals, also called sinew, can be used to make the strongest natural cordage. A strand as thick as a carpet thread will hold the weight of an average man. Creatures and Features Topic: Glaciation Garry Harrington, Assistant Director Rum Village Nature Center South Bend Parks and Recreation Email: rumvillagewoods@hotmail.com Website: www.southbendparksandrecreation.com Nature Nuggets: Of all the Earth's Ice Ages, the most severe occurred 800 million years ago when glaciers came within 5 degrees of the equator. Begin in Your Backyard Topic: Peregrine Reintroduction Carole Riewe, Director Rum Village Nature Center South Bend Parks and Recreation Email: rumvillagewoods@hotmail.com Website: www.southbendparksandrecreation.com Nature Nuggets: The Latin name for Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrine, means "wanderer." Nomads of central Asia and medieval hunters often pursued game with trained falcons. back to top Episode 308 Hands-On Nature Topic: Batnana Splits Batnana Splits Heidi Gray Interpretive Naturalist Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve Niles, MI Website: www.fernwoodbotanical.org Email: nature@remc11.k12.mi.us Nature Nuggets: Many western U.S. bat species feed on nectar, helping to pollinate a variety of plants. Tropical fruit-eating bats help regenerate rainforests by spreading seeds in their droppings. Creatures and Features Topic: Bats in the Barn Vince Gresham, Park Interpreter St. Joseph County Parks, Indiana Website: www.sjcparks.org Nature Nuggets: The largest bat colony in the world is at Bracken Cave, near San Antonio, Texas. The 20 million bats there eat 200 tons of insects per night. Begin in Your Backyard Topic: Butterfly Feeders Butterfly Feeders Krista Daniels, Interpretive Naturalist Elkhart County Parks, Indiana Website: www.elkhartcountyparks.org Email: krista@elkhartcountyparks.org Nature Nuggets: As cold weather sets in a few butterflies migrate, most die, and a few like the Mourning Cloak hibernate in the woods. back to top Episode 307 Hands-On Nature Topic: Cast Iron Cooking Make a Dutch Oven Courtney Franke St Joseph County Parks Website: www.sjcparks.org Nature Nuggets: Cast iron cooking is a good way to add iron, an important nutrient, to your diet. As food cooks, it absorbs molecules of iron from the pan. These molecules are easy for your body to digest. Creatures and Features Topic: Wait and Listen -- Animal Sounds April Sayre, author Website: www.sayrenature.com Website: www.aprilsayre.com Nature Nuggets: People who speak languages other than English "hear" animal sounds differently. While ducks say "quack" in English, they say "gaab gaab" in Thai, "krya-krya" in Russian and "praaks-praaks" in Estonian. Begin in Your Backyard Topic: Recycled Lumber is for the Birds! Carol Spencer Stonewood Manufacturing Mishawaka, IN Website: www.birdmagnetonline.com Nature Nuggets: In addition to being 100% recyclable, plastic lumber is very durable. If left outdoors, engineers think it will last about 400 years with almost no degradation. back to top Episode 306 Hands-On Nature Topic: Make a Rain Stick Make a Rain Stick Jon Meyer Interpretive Naturalist Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve Niles, MI Website: www.fernwoodbotanical.org Nature Nuggets: One legend on the origin of the rainstick claims the Diaguita Indians of Chile used the instrument to bring rain. Certainly the Diaguita, farmers who live in the desert, need precipitation, since their area is some of the driest in the world. Creatures and Features Topic: West Nile Mosquito Research Catherine Young Collins Lab University of Notre Dame Nature Nuggets: West Nile virus is transmitted by a mosquito that originally arrived in the U.S. inside rubber tires imported from Asia. Begin in Your Backyard Topic: River Watch Nancy Brown, program manager Elkhart County Soil & Water Conservation District Nature Nuggets: Aquatic organisms are indicators of water quality. When a stream becomes polluted, pollution-sensitive organisms decrease in number or disappear. Pollution-tolerant organisms increase in variety and number. back to top Episode 305 Hands-On Nature Topic: Build an Edible Landfill Edible Landfill Maria Peacock Interpretive Services Manager St. Joseph County Parks Website: www.sjcparks.org Nature Nuggets: Americans generate trash at a rate of 4 pounds per day per person which translates to 600,000 tons per day or 210 million tons per year. Creatures and Features Topic: Walleye and Bass Joe Foy Aquatic Biologist City of Elkhart Public Works Nature Nuggets: In Indiana the state record for Largemouth Bass is 14 pounds 12 oz. The record for Walleye is 14 pounds 4 oz. Begin in Your Backyard Topic: Invasive Shrubs Nate Fuller Resource Specialist Southwestern Michigan Land Conservancy Invasive Species Info: http://forestry.msu.edu/mipc Herbicide Info: http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/handbook.html Herbicide Applicator Design: http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/tools/wand.html Website: www.swmlc.org Nature Nuggets: Non-native shrubs such as buckthorn and honeysuckle dominate the understories of disturbed woodlands eliminating native shrubs which are vital for songbird nesting habitats. back to top Episode 304 Hands-On Nature Topic: Edible Flowers Diana Mendelsohn Purdue Cooperative Extension 20271 Brick Road South Bend IN 46637 235-9604 Nature Nuggets: Tea made from yarrow has been used medicinally for a wide range of ailments, including baldness and an unhappy love life. Creatures and Features Topic: Mastodons in Michiana Travis Childs Director of School Programs N. Indiana Center for History 808 W Washington South Bend IN 46601 Email: education@centerforhistory.org Website: www.centerforhistory.org Nature Nuggets: Paleontology is the study of preexisting life based on fossils. A fossil could be an actual portion of the animal, such as bones, teeth, or shells, or it may be composed of minerals such as silica, iron and manganese that replaces the natural cell composition over time. Begin in Your Backyard Topic: Tree planting Rod Harmon/John Stout Elkhart City Foresters 293.5518 x242 Nature Nuggets: During windy and cold seasons, trees act as windbreaks. A windbreak can lower home heating bills up to 30%. A reduction in wind can also reduce the drying effect on other vegetation behind the windbreak. back to top Episode 303 Hands-On Nature Topic: boomerangs Throwing Boomerangs KC Nieboer, Leisure Services Supervisor St. Jo County Parks kcnieboer@aol.com Website: www.sjcparks.org Nature Nuggets: The world's oldest known wooden boomerangs, approximately 10,000 years old, were excavated from a peat bog in South Australia in 1973. Creatures and Features Topic: Toads! Pat Underwood, interpretive naturalist Berrien County Parks 9228 Huckleberry Road Berrien Center, MI 49120 269.471.2617 Email: lovecreek@qtm.net Website www.berriencounty.org/parks Nature Nuggets: To defend themselves, toads can inflate themselves with air, making them more difficult for smaller predators to swallow. Begin in Your Backyard Topic: wasps & bees Phil Sutton Purdue Cooperative Extension Service 227 W. Jefferson, RM 336 South Bend, IN 46601 574.235.9604 Nature Nuggets: The main way to tell the difference between wasps and bees is that wasps have a thin waist and are not hairy. Bees have a broad waist and are hairy. back to top Episode 302 Hands-On Nature Topic: learn to fish Brooke Artley, interpretive naturalist St. Jo County Parks Website: www.sjcparks.org Nature Nuggets: Teach a kid to fish! Children under the age of 16 do not need a fishing license to fish in public lakes, streams, rivers or tributaries in the State of Indiana. Creatures and Features Topic: Skull ID Cleaning Skulls Rick Glassman, environmental education coordinator St. Jo County Soil & Water Conservation District 5605 US 31 South, Suite 4 South Bend, IN 46614 574.291.2300 Email: Richard-glassman@iaswcd.org Website:www.iaswd.org Nature Nuggets: A simple trick for whitening skulls (after all fleshy material is removed) is to soak the skull in a solution of 3% hydrogen peroxide. When finished rinse the skull and allow to drain. Begin in Your Backyard Topic: Xeriscaping Elkhart Envirocorps 1201 S. Nappanee Street Elkhart, IN 46516 574-293.2575 Email: kristabailey@coelkhartindiana.org Nature Nuggets: Xeriscaping comes from a combination of two Greek words "xeros" for dry: and "scape", meaning a view or scene. It means landscaping with slow-growing, drought- tolerant plants to conserve water and reduce yard trimmings. back to top Episode 301 Hands-On Nature Topic: Flower printing on fabric Sarah Hendricks, Interpretive Naturalist Potato Creek State Park 574-656.8186 Nature Nuggets: Flowers come in many colors, but animals may not see them they way we do. Some insects that help pollinate flowers such as spiders and bees see ultraviolet (invisible light below the violet end of the spectrum) that helps guide them to the center of flowers. Creatures and Features Topic: plant research Dr. Deb Marr Indiana University South Bend Nature Nuggets: Hydrophyllum (Latin for "water-leaved)" is an appropriate name for this woodland perennial, since in the spring its leaves appear water-stained. Begin in Your Backyard Topic: Feeding Hummingbirds Jeff Sayre JF New Nursery (Walkerton) 17912 Edgewood Walk South Bend, IN 46635 574-586.2412 Email: jsayre@jfnewnursery.com Website:www.jfnewnursery.com Nature Nuggets: The high metabolism of hummingbirds is fueled by flower nectar. For protein, they eat insects, too! back to top

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