7 types of nature lovers–which one are you?

Tweet

I’ve noticed that many people enjoy nature, but they do it in distinctly different ways.  Here are 6 examples of the ways I’ve seen folks enjoy nature -- what type of greenmomster are you?

The Hands-On Greenmomster – Some folks really enjoy touching, smelling, seeing, and hearing new things when they’re out in nature.  We’ve got a couple of folks in our family who just aren’t happy with a hike unless a salamander is caught, a millipede is wrangled, a sea turtle is cheered on its journey to the ocean, or an owl pellet is dissected.  These folks would rather spend an afternoon fishing than hiking.   

The Party Animal – Is being outside more fun when you’re with a group?  Maybe you enjoy guided nature hikes or joining a group for the 4th of July Butterfly Counts.  Nature’s great, but for you “the more, the merrier”!

The Lone Wolf – Do you prefer to enjoy nature on your own – no conversations to distract you?  Then maybe you’re a “lone wolf”!  A dog companion is OK, but the humans need to stay home when you’re headed into nature (be sure to let someone know where you’re going!)

The Nature Athlete – Some folks like being out in nature, but it’s the physical challenge that really excites them.  We’ve got members of our family who’ve done 24 hour speed hikes (not my idea of a good time), or enjoy 100 mile bike rides (in one day).  They love being outside, but they REALLY love combining the experience with a physical challenge!

The Armchair Athlete – Do you love nature, but the bugs and the heat get you down?  Don’t like getting your shoes dirty or working up a sweat?  Maybe viewing nature through nature shows, movies, or photography magazines is more your speed.  I personally can’t wait to see Disney’s Bears  and the Island of Lemurs:  Madagascar. 

The Scientist – Maybe learning about the science behind nature is what really excites you!  Nothing like a little astronomy to help you enjoy nature at night!

The Farmer – Your favorite way to experience nature is through your garden or beehive.  You love watching plants grow and knowing all of the insects that depend on them. 

Tell us what type of nature lover you are – or maybe add to the list!

Be sure to “Like” Greenmomster on Facebook!

Green Getaways–Shenandoah National Park

Tweet

I am the queen of the mini-vacation!  As Julie McCoy , cruise director of the SS Greenmomster, I find that planning vacations is almost as much fun as going on them.  So this year, I decided that we were going to take a mini-vacation at the beginning of spring break.  Lucky for us, we live less than two hours from Shenandoah National Park.  This time of year, the trees aren’t quite budding (except for an early blooming dogwood or redbud), but there’s plenty of beauty to be had.  The views are stunning and the early blooming spring ephemerals were out, including this cute little Hepatica (thanks Dirck!)   Spring is also a great time for waterfalls , searching for salamanders on Fox Hollow trail  , finding salamanders on Milam trail (one of my favorites)  , and catching those first millipedes as they warm up .   And there’s always time for relaxing in the leaves .  Where’s your favorite National Park getaway?

A Frightfully Good Time!

Tweet

My family and I had some great luck this weekend and won tickets to the National Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo!  We had a terrific time collecting candy, checking out people’s very creative costumes , enjoying the spooky decorations (the butterfly ecologist in me loved this one!), and visiting some of the animals .  We especially enjoyed the Reptile Discovery Center We visited our favorite Panamanian golden frogs and learned about the Appalachian hellbenders from the Salamander Ambassadors!  I really enjoyed learning about these fascinating creatures that are right in our backyard.  Did you know:

• of the 550 salamander species found worldwide, about 1/3 of them call North America home
• Appalachia is home to 77 species of salamander
• salamanders start their lives fully aquatic with gills, and move to land for their adult lives
• 0ne of the main threats to salamander survival is climate change – they need cool, wet places to live. 

Want to help with salamander conservation?  Check out this webpage. 

Many thanks to FONZ and the National Zoo staff and volunteers for a fun evening of Halloween trick or treating!

Source:  Smithsonian National Zoological Park.  N.d.  Be An Ambassador for Salamanders.  Accessed 10/27/2013 at http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ActivitiesAndEvents/Celebrations/ambassadors.cfm.

You ain’t a beauty, but hey, you’re alright!

Tweet

With all due respect to the Boss and the greatest rock song ever written, I must say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  This week’s endangered species, the Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) (photo from http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/jgs/default.cfm), is listed as near-threatened by the IUCN.  My family and I had the good luck to see these fascinating creatures during a behind-the-scenes tour at the Smithsonian National Zoo – in person, they’ve got a charm all their own! 

This huge salamander, which can reach sizes of 55 lbs and 5 feet, is found in the streambeds of fast-flowing streams in northern Kyushu Island and western Honshu in Japan.  The Japanese giant salamander will eat just about anything it can catch, but they don’t hunt using eyesight – they actually don’t see well.  They rely heavily on specialized sensory organs on their bodies and heads to find prey.  Since the adult salamander doesn’t have any natural predators, the main threats to their survival are currently hunting and habitat loss due to deforestation.  Here are a few more fun facts about the Japanese salamander:

• their bodies are covered in mucus, which protects them from scratches and parasites
• they absorb oxygen through their skin
• when threatened or touched, they secrete a milky substance that smells like Japanese peppers
• after mating in August, females lay 400 to 500 eggs often fertilized by several males
• male salamanders guard the nests of eggs until they hatch in early spring

When thinking of appropriate songs for the Japanese giant salamander, I’m going to have to go with Cecil F. Alexander’s hymn, “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” rather than Bruce Springsteen’s Thunder Road (which I may have mentioned is the greatest rock song ever written..):

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.

Sources:

Smithsonian National Zoological Park.  ND.  “Japanese Giant Salamander”  Accessed online 2/9/13  http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/AsiaTrail/GiantSalamanders/default.cfm