By Max Kornetzke, Land Manager
Autumn is a season of colorful transition. At Woodland Dunes you will see many shades across the spectrum. The red maples are usually the first to turn – sometimes showing hints in August until they become fully crimson late into September. There’s a beautiful view of them along our Black Cherry boardwalk where they mingle amongst the soft silhouette of the towering white pines. Next the aspen and birch, then beech, slowly in succession, form a sea of yellow leaves fluttering in the cool breeze. The viridian hemlocks look particularly shadowy against the backdrop.
One of the shifting colors I’ve come to appreciate in these winding months, however, lies closer to the ground. Under the groves of cedars and covering long forgotten remains of trees are the mosses. They imbibe the cool, damp autumn air and expand into the perfect, soft bed for falling seeds to rest. Against the browns and greys of dried foliage they appear fluorescent. Upon closer inspection, the moss bed has become a nursery, full of yesteryear’s seeds now grown into small seedlings.
As the drab cast of winter approaches, their chartreuse color will become even more electric. I will enjoy their company until spring lures my attention away again.