Jerry's Column
Jerry's Column No. 1
Are you looking for accessible nature somewhere nearby? Maybe even in your own backyard? Not a problem. In any form, contact with nature seems to reassure a primal need in us for something outside our influence. And, curiosity about something we have gotten so far away from in our urban lives is a rational mechanism that allows us to feed that sense. To borrow a cliché, nature is in the eye of the beholder. From bare soil to a complex field or grove filled with critters, nature is everywhere if we’re willing to look for it. The question to ask may be ‘How much nature am I looking for?’
So, on a practical level, how can we answer that question in our own back yards? The answers can be almost limitless and, since that is the topic of this column, be prepared for endless chatter on the subject. And, please let me know what you think by emailing me on the ‘contact us’ link provided on this web site.
Let’s begin the chatter with an attempt at a short definition of nature as used in this context. By my definition almost anything, from rocks to the most complex biological organism can, in the cosmological sense, be defined as nature and might feed that need for contact with something outside our influence.
Even something as simple as a rock is a part of nature and surprisingly also its own biological micro-habitat. Lichens, the pioneers of the plant family, thrive on rocks breaking them down and providing the foothold for more extensive growth. While putting rocks in your backyard might be a first step in the process, a lot of patience will be required to see natural process results; lichens have way more patience than we do, typically taking centuries to work their magic.
On the other hand filling your backyard with trees, shrubs or wildflowers in hopes of attracting animals might not be your appropriate answer either. While it might provide plenty of contact with ‘nature’ and great outdoor entertainment, it’s hard for the kids to play soccer in a grove of trees and they might need some active sports entertainment, too.
Since this discussion will be exploring the endless possibilities, I’ll leave chatter about some specific possibilities to my next column. Remember that nature is everywhere if we’re willing to look for it. I’ll also look forward to your ideas on the topic. See you then.
Jerry
Jerry's Column No. 2
Are you looking for accessible nature somewhere nearby? Maybe even in your own backyard? Not a problem. There are as many ways to enjoy nature in a backyard as there are back yards. Let’s explore one possible method in a traditional back yard that ordinarily might not occur to us. We’ll call this a science experiment.
I’ll set the scene by saying that this backyard is 90 percent treated, mowed lawn with a fringe of mixed nursery perennial and annual flowers. Even these plants, the grass in the lawn and the flowers are natural in the sense that they absorb water and carbon dioxide and use sunlight to make their own food. What would happen if the amount of sunlight they receive was less than they ordinarily receive in nature? You’ll need some patience as this experiment will take about a month but some part of the experiment can happen almost every day.
What do you think would happen if a patch of lawn or a part of your flower bed got more shade than the rest? It might grow slower, right? But would it? To do this experiment you will need a piece of an old sheet or t-shirt or some cloth that lets some light through. Pick a part of your lawn (or flower garden that has lots of similar plants) where there is plenty of sun every day. Cover a part of it loosely with the cloth (old sheet, t-shirt, etc.) so that it still gets northern sky light but no direct sunlight. Now, measure the height of the grass (don’t mow that area during the experiment) or the average length of the flowering plant. Repeat the measurements every day or so and write them down. In about a month, you should see significant differences in the lengths of the plants.
Another thing to watch on a regular basis during the experiment is the presence or absence of insects. Some insects find the shade to be a more comfortable place to hang out. If your area is not chemically treated, you might also see some differences in other plants that grow in amongst the grass or flowers between the shady or sunny areas.
Nature is fun to explore. It adjusts to situations (sunny or shady) in lots of different ways and persists in changing to meet the setting. Can you think of other measurements that can be done to test the shady/sunny differences? I’ll look forward to your ideas on the topic. See you then.
Jerry