By Coggin Heeringa, Crossroads at Big Creek
Crossroads at Big Creek kicks off the summer season with the theme “Take a Hike.” Visitors are always welcome to explore our trails, and this week they can also enjoy the children’s book Take a Hike, by Alison Farrell, featured on our Storybook Walk which starts at the West Trailhead.
During Take a Hike Week, a variety of hikes will be offered. It’s not unusual, during one of these naturalist-led outings, for someone to ask: “What good are mosquitoes? Lake flies? Poison ivy?”
Plants and animals did not evolve to help humans, but we are learning that even species we dislike often play important roles — what ecologists call “ecosystem services.” Take a hike this week and discover some of the ways plants and animals support healthy ecosystems.
The Nature Investigators program on Thursday, May 28, invites families and learners of all ages to explore the ways local mammals benefit the ecosystem.
Saturday Science: “Pollen Probe” will focus on the relationships between flowers and their pollinators.
Our Wandering Wednesday program on June 3 will explore spring wildflowers and their relationships with insects, which extend far beyond pollination.
Then, on Thursday, June 4, we offer a Nighttime Bat Hike at our Ida Bay Preserve at 8:30 p.m., during which participants will look for, listen for and record local bats. Reservations required. Call 920-746-5895 or visit our website for more information.
Most people know that bats eat night-flying insects, but few realize the magnitude of their ecological services. Bats are important to forest health and also to agricultural ecosystems. By consuming thousands of insects nightly, bats help reduce crop damage and decrease the need for chemical pesticides.
What good are plants and animals? Research continues to reveal how interconnected and beneficial many native plants and animals are to our ecosystems. So this week at Crossroads, take a hike — and discover the hidden services nature provides.
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