In this issue:
  • Dry January?
  • Maple Sugaring is back
  • Tales From the Trails
  • Michigan Master Naturalist program
Dry January?
In the depths of winter we enjoy many seasonal activities: skiing, snowball fights and building snowmen. This winter though, we’ve had a noticeable lack of the white stuff. Where's the Snow? In December, the U.S. Drought Monitor upgraded much of SE Michigan to Severe Drought status (yes, snow is a form of precipitation!). All of Oakland, Livingston, Washtenaw counties and large portions of Wayne and other surrounding counties are affected. You can check the current drought map here. This means we are 2-4 inches below normal precipitation, and we’ve been in moderate drought since mid-September. 
While I’m happy to have shoveled only once so far, drought can have serious effects on natural areas. Trees still need soil moisture in winter and a good layer of snow (called snowpack) insulates the forest floor, protecting tree roots from damaging deep freeze. Winter drought can set trees off on the wrong foot in spring, and make drought stress worse if dry conditions continue. Long-term, drought-stressed trees are more vulnerable to diseases like root rot and canker, and are less resilient against damaging insects.
At the EIC, sugar maples we rely on for our syrup harvest are a shallow-rooted species vulnerable to deep soil freezing. One study indicated root damage correlates with a ~40% reduction in aboveground growth when snowpack was removed over several years. Sap harvesters look forward to a particular timing for snowfall that we call “sugar snow” in February in March. For the sap to run, trees need snowmelt to replenish soil moisture and snowpack to make sure soil moisture doesn’t freeze. Sugar snow also keeps forest temperatures cool, providing higher-quality syrup by slowing down leaf-out, which can make syrup taste bitter. (Photo by Jack Schmidling)
The good news is that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecasted a wetter than normal January-March, which could turn this drought trend around. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for a good sugar snow and a long drink for all the region’s trees! 

-EIC Contributor Dale Browne
Maple Sugaring Programs are Back!
Let's Tap Some Trees!!

Saturday, February 18, 1:00-3:00
Before we can make maple syrup, we need to tap the maple trees. We’ll use hand-powered augers to drill tap holes into the maple trees, and then hang sap collection buckets from the metal tubes we put into the holes. This is a nice hands-on experience for all ages. You’ll also learn how to use the “3 b's” (bark, buds, and branches) on trees as clues to finding the proper trees for tapping. Dress appropriately for possible muddy or icy conditions. Please register for this event.
(Photo by David Susko)

Maple Sap Collectors Needed!
Of course, once the trees are tapped, we'll need help emptying the buckets and carting the sap back to the "outdoor kitchen" to be boiled down into yummy syrup. If you are interested in joining our volunteer corps for a hike out to the sugar bush, please let us know on this form. Volunteers will be contacted when needed when conditions are right. Sap collectors head out at 4:00 PM each day the sap is flowing to assist with converting last year's sunshine into this year's syrup! Again, dress appropriately for Michigan's variable weather.
Tales From the Trails
The Gall of those Goldenrods!
Winter is a good time to spot the distinctive, round stem galls on goldenrod plants (Salidago sp.) in the Environmental Study Area (ESA). Recently, a group of high school students that explores the ESA once each week spotted a host of these galls. (Photo by Ellen F)
Opening up a two of the galls, they found a tiny larva in one and a pupa in the other. These belonged to the aptly named Goldenrod Gall Fly (Eurosta solidagnis). Last spring, the female flies laid eggs on the growing goldenrod stems. After hatching, the tiny larvae burrow into the stem. (Photo by Margaret Betcher)
It is thought that the saliva of the larvae cause the plant to grow abnormally around it, forming the gall. From that point on, the larvae have food and shelter in one tidy package. Think of it as rather like living in a house made of your favorite food.

Even though the larvae are well protected, woodpeckers and black-capped chickadees can peck into the gall and extract the high protein food source inside. That serves these birds well as fuel for warmth and activity on cold winter days. (Photo by Warren Uxley)
Goldenrod plants have other types of galls that can be observed. Each has its own characteristic shape. (Illustration by Jean Mackay)

Looking for different kinds of plant galls can be an enjoyable winter activity. Each indicates a unique interrelationship between a plant species and its faunal associate.
Once you start looking, you may be surprised by how many different types of galls you find. Enjoy! 
-Rick Simek
Michigan Master Naturalist Program!
This Could Be YOU!
The EIC will be offering the Michigan Master Naturalist program again, one Saturday a month from May through October! Registration will open soon, and in the interim, Michigan State Extension has created wait lists for the various host sites. The EIC is known as the Rouge River Region, so look for that listing when you sign up.
Resources

Venturing outdoors and encountering nature is good for your health. Our trails are accessible, so please visit our Environmental Study Area. Stay engaged in learning activities and check out our Remote Learning Activities & Resources page for ideas to create a “Neighborhood Nature Journal” and “Family Nature Walk” activities!

We also hope to see you in person at our upcoming programs!