NATURE JOURNALING—Noticing Conifers
By Cindy Flanagan
Time for some fun conifer play. Get a piece of blank paper. Yes, even the back of a grocery list. Grab a pencil or pen. Off the top of your head, without any Google-sort of assistance, jot down as many native Washington conifers that you can. A further challenge, what regions of the state are these species of trees found? Now take a mind walk in your neighborhood or other special place and try to think specifically about which of the native conifers you can find?
Choose one of these tree species—one you love is a good start. Try to do a quick sketch of what you remember the general tree looks like—how tall is it, how wide is the trunk, what does the bark look like, how do the branches hang, does it have any cones, what kind of cones and where are they? If you can’t quite catch the details with your sketches, add some words to describe parts of your tree.
Let’s think of seasons—how does your tree change during each season? When do cones appear? How long does it take for cones to grow? What about the needles on your trees branches? What do they look like? How long do needles look like? If you find a cone, how does it look?
If you were comparing your tree to other conifer trees, what features would you use that helps you to identify your tree?
Now the fun stuff. Put on your curiosity hat. Set your timer to two minutes. Write down as many questions you wonder about for your tree. Let your mind wander into the deep, you will be surprised at the questions you can create.
Below, is my study of a Douglas Fir tree. My special spot that is maybe ¼-acre has 48 Douglas Fir trees. Throughout the year it is interesting to study what changes, whether it is lost limbs from storms, cone growth, nest locations, or moss and lichen patterns. It is incredible to watch and record.
If you want to explore more about conifers and the critters that they feed, our Rainier Audubon Online Nature Journaling group is meeting on Sunday, December 15th from 3-5 PM. Here is the Zoom link, come have some fun
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81031877091?pwd=TEpwcDZ4TDVhaFIxMWlUbnVrbEhzdz09
Enjoy getting out and noticing nature!