Menunkatuck's fifth annual workshop for educators was held on May 6th at Melissa Jones School in North Guilford. Ten educators from New Haven, Branford, Guilford, Madison, Durham, and Essex participated in our daylong workshop entitled "The Flowering Forest: Plant Biology in Eastern Woodlands", led by local naturalist and environmental educator, Bill Yule.

Bill chose the title "The Flowering Forest" for this workshop to emphasize the fact that, not only are the wildflowers on the forest floor considered flowers, but so are the deciduous trees. Eastern deciduous trees such as maples, oaks, birches, ashes, hickories and fruit trees all produce flowers. Had you noticed that yellow powder coating the surface of your car this spring, and that your eyes itched and you sneezed uncontrollably? Tree pollen from tree flowers! Because trees are tall and their flowers mostly inconspicuous, we often don't realize, or simply forget, how closely related they are to other flowering plants. Bill noted that the statement "Trees are flowers!" can successfully be used to capture students' interest when teaching botany.

For the fifth consecutive year we were graced with beautiful spring weather for our workshop, though it quickly became "beautiful summer weather" as the temperatures rose into the 80's by mid-afternoon. After a morning indoor session at the school, we headed out to the base of Bluff Head in North Guilford to discover the spring wildflowers found in this unique habitat. While most of the deciduous trees had finished flowering, many wildflowers were still in bloom, including Wood Anemone, Rue Anemone, Jack-in-the Pulpit, Red Trillium, Blue Cohosh and Dutchman's Breeches.

In spite of the heat, participants were enthusiastic and enjoyed their day in the flowering forest.

Submitted by Cindi Kobak
Photos by Cindi Kobak

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Last updated 18 September, 2004 .