From glade clearing, forest thinning, from road and site clearing…piles of logs ten feet to thirty feet long, mostly cedar. Logs, logs, and more logs in stacks here and there, everywhere! They must be moved out of the way, making room for parking, making room for construction of the new outdoor classroom/pavilion, they all must be moved to a site for storage and later use. And what is left over must be burned or hauled off.
With Chris Graham using the grapple on the front of his red tractor picking up 3-4 logs at a time, with Bob Hartmann manning the chain saw for logs that were too long to carry and Don Culwell assisting, headway was made…logs were moved. George Baker and Bob Hartmann were another log moving team several weeks ago as they hooked a log chain to drag yet more logs too big to lift to their proper place.
Cedar logs being piled and saved will be used for projects such as building a maintenance shed, building benches for use in the new outdoor classroom/pavilion, milling boards for construction use, etc.
Thanks to all workers dealing with the South Fork timbers!
SFNC’s First Annual Pollinator Event was held on Saturday, June 17th. 50+ participants from all age groups were present on that overcast morning to explore the pollinators in our life.
Pollinator Day Welcome Sign
Fascinating facts on the trail walk
Docent Shirley Pratt teaches a curious guest how to make a seed ball
Jim Solomon, spreading his monarch wings!
Face painting fun!
Activities of the day included Puddle Stone Painting, Seed ball creations, face painting and monarch wing dress-up! Participants of all ages were invited to participate. The pollinator hike toured some of our monarch habitat restoration sites in which SFNC planted over 500 native milkweed plants two years ago. Our first blooms of milkweed were viewed at this event!
The special guest of the day!
We had four guest presenters who donated their time and knowledge, and even their native plants, to make the morning an incredible experience! The event was co-chaired by board members Leslie Goff and Janet Miron. Our four presenters were assisted by docents Shirley Pratt, Roberta Katz-Messenger and teen volunteers Julia Goff, Quentin Goff, Laura Miron and Grant Goff. We were especially pleased that many Master Naturalist from the local chapter came out to support our program and share with us their expertise.
Meet our Guides:
[ms_person name=”Ruth André” style=”beside” title=”Pope County, native plant-butterfly enthusiast” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ picture=”https://southforknaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/9a188-ruth-andre-shares-her-knowledge-about-native-plants-and-monarchs-jm-240×320-1.jpg” picborder=”0″ picbordercolor=”” picborderradius=”0″ iconboxedradius=”4″ iconcolor=”” class=”” id=””]Ruth (right) shared her love for native plants with participants. Her expertise in growing native plants from seed were very evident and her generosity in donating free plants to participants was greatly appreciated. Many went home with a great start to native pollinator gardens! Click here to see the list of Native plants Ruth gave away. [/ms_person]
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[ms_accordion_item title=”See Ruth’s Wildflower Basket!” color=”#ffffff” background_color=”purple” close_icon=”fa-leaf” open_icon=”fa-leaf” status=”close”]Wildflowers – Height – Sun – Soil
Boneset – Eupatorium perfoliatum – 4 feet – full/part – moist
Showy Goldenrod – Solidago speciosa – 5 feet – full/part – med./dry
Old Field Goldenrod – Solidago nemoralis – 2 feet – full/part – dry/mesic
Blue-stemmed Goldenrod – Solidago caesia – 3 feet – part shade/shade – mesic/dry mesic
Zig Zag Goldenrod – Solidago flexicaulis – 3 feet – part shade/shade – dry/mesic
False Indigo – Amorpha fruticosa – to 12 feet – full/part – medium
Ozark Bluestar – Amsonia illustris – 3 feet – full/part shade – mesic/dry mesic
Cup Plant – Silphium perfoliatum – 8 feet – full sun/part shade – medium
Button Blazing Star – Liatris aspera – 3 feet – full sun/part shade – mesic/dry
Compass Plant – Silphium laciniatum – 8 feet – full sun/part shade – wet mesic to dry
Wild Quinine – Parthenium integrifolium – 4 feet – full sun – medium
Rosin Weed – Silphium integrifolium – 5 feet – full sun – wet mesic to dry
Stiff Goldenrod – Solidago rigida – 4 feet – full sun/part shade – medium/dry
Lead Plant- Amorpha canescens – 3 feet – full sun/part shade – medium/dry
Buttonbush – Cephalanthus occidentalis – 8 feet – full sun/part shade- wet/wet mesic
Elm-leaved Goldenrod – Solidago ulmifolia – 3 feet – part shade/shade – mesic/dry mesic
Yellow Crownbeard – Verbesina helianthoides – 4 feet – full sun/part shade – mesic
Pale Purple Coneflower – Echinacea pallida – 3 feet – full sun/part shade – mesic to dry
New Jersey Tea – Ceanothus americanus – 3 feet full sun/part shade – mesic to dry
Tall Coreopsis – Coreopsis triptera – 7 feet – full sun/part shade – wet mesic to dry mesic
Panicled Aster – Aster lanceolatus – 5 feet – full sun – medium
Tall Goldenrod[/ms_accordion_item]
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[ms_person name=”Marty Lynch” style=”beside” title=”Garland County, Milkweed enthusiast and propagator” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ picture=”https://southforknaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/32e93-marty-lynch-shares-with-a-visitor-her-enthusiasm-for-monarch-butterflies-240×320-1.jpg” piclink=”” picborder=”0″ picbordercolor=”” picborderradius=”0″ iconboxedradius=”4″ iconcolor=”” class=”” id=””]Marty (left) is a Garland County Master Gardener who jumped at the chance to come and share her knowledge of growing milkweed from seed. She is also a monarch enthusiast and hates to miss a chance to share her knowledge. She collected several informative handouts from various agencies around the state and generously shared them with participants. She also left a great supply to be used at future SFNC activities.[/ms_person]
Don is a Faulkner County Master Gardener and he is also the treasurer of the Ozark Foothill Bee Keeper Association. Don has been very active in educating the public of the importance of bees as pollinators. He brought his display hive and explained all about starting a hive. He shared his sources for purchasing bees and encouraged participants to give it a try. Those interested in bee keeping can contact the Ozark Foothill Bee Keeper Association for more information.[/ms_person]
[ms_person name=”Jim Solomon” style=”beside” title=”Van Buren County, Retired Entomologist and Docent” link_target=”_blank” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ picture=”https://southforknaturecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/cab31-jim-solomon-leads-a-pollinator-trail-hike.jpg?w=1024&h=682″ piclink=”” picborder=”0″ picbordercolor=”” picborderradius=”0″ iconboxedradius=”4″ iconcolor=”” class=”” id=””]Jim, shown here with a humming bird nest, led our pollinator hike. Jim is always willing to take a spin around the trails and see what he can find. He is very active in our docent program and enjoys introducing hikers to the great big world of insects. His many years as a research entomologist with the Forestry Service has equipped him with great stories of insects and their native habitats.[/ms_person]
8:30-12:30, Tuesday July 11, 2017 at the Nature Center
Hosted by Marc and Suzanne Hirrel, this workshop is designed to help classroom teachers and non-formal science educators meet the new Arkansas Science Standards for middle and high school students.
The workshop and curricula focuses on water resource conservation. Hands-on training using digital microscopy, eTrex GPS and Vernier LabQuest equipment will be offered. Space and equipment is limited so reservations will be required. There is a cost for this event and Educators can earn 6 hours of ADE Professional Development Hours. For more details contact LEP-Arkansas LLC, at suzannehirrel@gmail.com or call 501-224-9419 and ask for Suzanne or Marc Hirrel. *Participants will receive a copy of Aldo Leopold’s classic “A Sand County Almanac” plus a resource CD
We are excited to announce the winners of our May 13 Nature Photography Contest! Thank you to all of our talented, enthusiastic participants and to finalists Cliff Sheridan, Jeff Wittenburg, and Bob Verboon for your outstanding entries. Scroll down to enjoy!
Don Culwell led a walk on the trails at South Fork Nature Center on Saturday, May 13, where 17 folks came out to observe life in the woods and glades. Many of the group kept their cameras clicking as they recorded spiders on their webs, lichens and fungi close-up on tree bark, galls on oak leaves, and a myriad of other bits of the ecosystems they passed through. Enjoy all of their shots and let them lead you into a deeper understanding of the organisms, plant and animal, and their environment. The out-of-doors never ceases to be amazing!
“Branched (Fruticose) Lichen” by Cliff Sheridan
This is a Pioneer Plant that grows on thin, rocky soil. The fungal threads making up the lichen have a symbiotic relationship with the microscopic algal cells living among them.
“Surface Algae Cells on Bracket Fungus with Moss” by Jeff Wittenburg
Life on a log. Green algal cells are on the surface of a species of bracket fungus, the fungus having grown from the hyphal threads of the fungi decomposing the log. Brackets are producing spores as a part of the fungus reproduction cycle; all of this is happening on the dead log on which leafy, green mosses thrive rooted among the fungi.
“The Hungry Caterpillar” by Jeff Wittenburg
This hairy caterpillar, in moth larval stage, is lunching on an oak leaf and may in turn be lunch for some bird that will sing in the woods as it searches for a mate.
“Colorful Spider Spinning its Web” by Jeff Wittenburg
The spider in this picture, spinning its web, is not an “insect”. It has eight legs and belongs to the class Arachnida. Insects have six legs and belong to the class Insecta. Visitors interested in the study of Arachnology (spiders) and Entomology (insects) will have many different species to observe while walking our trails.
“Grape Holly Berries (Invasive)” by Jeff Wittenburg
The Grape Holly Bush is an invasive plant found growing at South Fork Nature Center. Part of our mission at the Nature Center is to control or eliminate invasive species so that the native plants can thrive and not be overgrown.
“Aquatic Habitat” by Bob Verboon
This picture was taken alongside the Creek Glade. The little pools of water created along the sides of the creek create small habitats for some of the Nature Center’s smallest residents.
“Box Turtle” by Cliff Sheridan
This box turtle was observed sunning itself. It can be classified as an omnivore (it eats both plants and animals). It is an integral part of the native population and food web present as South Fork Nature Center. If you observe one while walking the trails, please leave it in its natural habitat.
“Bracket Fungus on Tree” by Cliff Sheridan
The bracket fungus pictured here is decomposing the wood of the tree. It is a saprophyte which means that it derives nourishment from dead or decaying organic matter.
“Fire Pink Flower” by Cliff Sheridan
The flower is named “pink” not from its color, but because the edges of its petals are “pinked’ or notched. It is in the carnation family. It is one of the 580+ species of plants inventories at South Fork and present in our herbarium located in the Gates Rogers office in downtown Clinton.
“Small Scaled Lizard” by Bob Verboon
This lizard is only visible because it is located on a green background. The natural camouflage of its scaled skin affords it protection from predators. Visitors can observe examples of nature’s “camouflage” on many of the species present in the natural habitats which make up the Nature Center.
June 17, 2017 (Saturday) 10:00 – 12:00 “Pollinator Event”
Help South Fork Nature Center kick-off National Pollinator Week with a family friendly morning spent investigating “Pollinators in our World”. We promise you a fun, educational experience geared for all ages with our experts. A “Pollinator Walk”, hosted by one of our highly-trained docents, is sure to be a highlight of the morning!
Guided trail walks led by our docent biologist & entomologist
Monarch Habitat Tour
Learn about apiology from a local beekeeper
Q&A with native plant enthusiasts
“How to start your own Pollinator Garden”
Fun & crafts: Butterfly “puddle stones” & native seed balls
One hundred 4th graders rounded up from Clinton by their leader, Kristy Eastridge, arrived by bus for their appointed experience with the out-of-doors. Five docents led them in groups of 10 in their discoveries. One group discussed plant structure from flower to fruit to seed and on to seedling, herb and tree while another learned skull features from specimens ranging from field mouse to that of the white tail deer. Other groups learned along the trails about medicinal and edible plants (may apple fruits are sweet and good while the root, stem and leaf of the plant are poisonous); insects, which have the greatest numbers and diversity of any species around, were busy chewing or resting; Aldo Leopold’s Sand County Almanac provided some good literature along the trail.
As one group of 50 students finished their sessions in the morning, loaded the bus and headed out the gate for lunch, the second group arrived for another exciting round of discovery.
It could be said that there had been some work that day on lessening the “nature deficit syndrome” so common these days as the South Fork slogan, “no child left inside,” was followed. The day had been long and busy, but a profitable and exciting one! Don Culwell
South Fork Nature Center 
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