nature hikes

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A Few Snags Near Ketchum and Stanley

A couple of weeks ago, Sierra and I were in Ketchum, Idaho taking a much needed mid-October vacation. The weather was great, and the fall color was incredible, so heading out on multiple hikes was a no-brainer. On our hikes, I found myself increasingly drawn to all of the snags. Forested areas like those found in the Sawtooth National Forest are bound to have a significant amount of standing dead trees. After all, trees don’t live forever; just like any other living being, they die – some of old age, some of disease or lightning strike or any number of other reasons. But death for a tree does not spell the end of its life giving powers. In the case of snags, it’s really just the beginning.

Death might come quick for a tree, but its rate of decomposition is slow. Fungi move in to begin the process and are joined by myriad insects, mosses, lichens, and bacteria. The insects provide food for birds, like woodpeckers and sapsuckers who hammer out holes in the standing trunk. As primary cavity nesters, they also nest in some of these holes. Secondary cavity nesters make a home in these holes as well. This includes a whole suite of birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. Without the habitat provided by snags, many of these animals would disappear from the forest.

Eventually snags fall, and as the rotting continues, so does the dead tree’s contribution to new life. It’s at this point that snags become nurse logs or nurse stumps, providing habitat and nutrients for all sorts of plants, fungi, and other organisms.

Unfortunately I can’t bring a you a complete representation of the many snags of Sawtooth National Forest. You’ll have to visit sometime to see them all for yourself. Instead, what follows is a small sampling of a few of the snags we saw near Ketchum and Stanley.

new cavities in new snag

old cavities in old snag

knobby snag with lichens

lone snag on hillside

double-trunked snag

fallen snag

snags are more alive than you might think

just look at those cavities

For more snag and nurse log fun, check out the following episodes of Boise Biophilia:

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This will be the last post for a few weeks as I will be taking a break to finish working on a related project. I hope to be back sometime in December with more posts, as well as the unveiling of what I have been working on. In the meantime, you can stay updated by following Awkward Botany on Twitter or Facebook.

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Podcast Review: The Field Guides

Who doesn’t love nature walks and scientific journal articles? Luckily there is a podcast that combines the two. The Field Guides is hosted by two guys who are obsessed with the natural world and the science behind it. For each episode the hosts pick a nature topic to study in depth, then they head out to a natural area to talk about what they learned. The discussion takes place outside as they hike around, giving listeners the experience of being “out in the field, in the woods, and on the trail.”

field-guides

The discussion is conversational as the two hosts (and occasional guests) share things from different studies they have read, inserting personal anecdotes and thoughts as they arise. Observations on what they are seeing as they walk and talk also enter into the conversation. The nature sounds in the background make for a great score, and surprises along the way add a little suspense and intrigue to the experience.

The Field Guides is a young podcast – about a year and a half old – and has averaged around one episode per month. Episodes vary in length from as few as 20 minutes to an hour, so catching up on past episodes is not an insurmountable task. And it’s worth it. The guides have already explored some great topics that shouldn’t be missed, including hibernation, birds in the winter, salamanders, spruce grouse, and ice spikes. A bonus episode takes the listener along on a Christmas bird count, which, speaking for myself, is an inspiration to get involved in this 117 year old tradition. As a plant nerd, the botanically themed episodes are particularly interesting, and have so far included fall foilage, witch hazel, pokeweed, staghorn sumac, and others.

This is a ball gall on a tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima). The first episode of The Field Guides is all about the fascinating world of goldenrod galls. (photo credit: wikimedia commons)

A ball gall on a tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima). The first episode of The Field Guides is all about the fascinating world of goldenrod galls. (photo credit: wikimedia commons)

The notes that accompany each episode are often extensive and include things like references to the journal articles discussed and other resources cited, answers to questions that came up during the episode, and corrections to any mistakes that were made. Clearly the hosts are thorough in their research and passionate about the subjects they cover, but they are not without a sense of humor. The information presented is great, but what makes this podcast so listenable is the way that it is presented. It’s approachable, fun, and light-hearted – drawing the listener in to the conversation and out in to nature.

Check out individual interviews with the hosts of The Field Guides on these two episodes of In Defense of Plants podcast: Environmental Action with Bill Michalek and Reflections on Science with Steven Fleck

More Podcast Reviews on Awkward Botany: