Identifying ferns is fun – and not that hard!
Ferns don’t have pesky flowers to distract from identifying them by their fronds and growth habit - they look pretty much the same all season. And, in our region there are only 10-15 common native ferns that we might encounter on a woodland walk – an easily manageable number! On this ID walk, Hildy Ellis will help participants learn to ID commonly encountered ferns by their fronds, fruiting bodies (sori), growth habit and habitat; share fern lore and ecology; and discuss the fascinating details of fern reproduction. Several fern ID guides will be available for use and all participants will receive a free copy of the “Quick Guide to Common Ferns of New England,” by Ariel Tal.
Hildy Ellis has a BS in Plant Science and Horticulture from UMaine and also conducted graduate research on the invasive characteristics of Euonymus alatus (burning bush). From 2004 – 2008, she was education director at Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve in New Hope, PA, after which she returned to Maine and served as program manager for Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District. Since retirement in 2021, Hildy has continued to lead walk-n-talks on plant ecology, in-between working in her garden, walking her dog, kayaking in the harbor and enjoying life in Maine.
A note to educators
There is immense value in getting students outside, even for short amounts of time, to explore the natural world. Research is continuing to show that taking kids outdoors benefits social-emotional learning and leads to greater focus when students return to the classroom. For many teachers, this may seem daunting for a plethora of reasons from short class blocks, behavioral concerns, ticks, access to trails, and the perceived difficulty of meeting learning goals in an unconventional setting. Teachers may also be new to learning about the ecology of their setting. This Naturalist Workshop Series is designed to help address the concerns and challenges of taking students outside and grow your comfort level facilitating class learning goals within and beyond the playground.
Each program will provide an opportunity to observe an educator teaching to a group of students. We will provide supplemental materials for teachers to bring back to school, content you can use with students, and time at the end to ask questions and brainstorm ways you can transfer the lesson to your school's unique setting.
We hope you will step outside with us and bring what you experience back to your schools!