Category: Out in the Woods

Out in the Woods

Rotting stumps, stilted roots and various mosses and lichen decorate the forest floor along Sanford’s trails. Photos: Kevin McKeon  Stilted Roots Create a Forest Mosaic  By Kevin McKeon, Director, Mousam Way Land Trust  While you’re out enjoying Sanford’s beautiful trails, you’ll occasionally catch sight of stilted or “prop” roots at the base of a tree. This growth happens when a seed falls on a rotting piece of wood covered with moss, which makes an inviting place for the seed to germinate.…

Out in the Woods

Rock Tripe on Vigue Trail near Deering Pond  Photos: Kevin McKeon   Lettuce-like Rock Tripe is Edible, Barely  By Kevin McKeon, director, Mousam Way Land Trust  The trails around Deering Pond hold many interesting plants. One, seen covering many large, old rocks and outcrops of granite, is a type of lichen called rock tripe. Part of its botanical name comes from the Latin umbilicus, meaning navel. This is where another common name, navel lichen, comes from and describes how these lichens…

Out In the Woods – The Shy Gray Fox Can Climb Trees

Gray foxes live in our woods, but they’re hard to spot. Photo: Todd Fitzgerald via iNaturalist By Kevin McKeon, Director, Mousam Way Land Trust Recent snowfalls reveal fresh tracks on the new snow, evidence of the many critters busily foraging throughout the forest. Walking along Sanford’s many trails, one may often see what appears to be medium-sized dog tracks that were actually made by a fox. The red fox is more common in most of the eastern United States, easily…

Out in the Woods

Ravens can be found in many places in Sanford. Photo: Anna Conti via Creative Commons Editor’s note: Did you see something unusual last time you were out in the woods? Were you puzzled or surprised by something you saw? Ask our “Out in the Woods” columnist Kevin McKeon. He’ll be happy to investigate and try to answer your questions. Email him directly at: kpm@metrocast.net                                            Ravens are Smart, Playful and Territorial           By Kevin McKeon, Director, Mousam Way Land Trust  Due to their superior…

Out in the Woods

A snowshoe hare in winter coat stands out on bare ground Photo: Public Domain  Editor’s note: Did you see something unusual last time you were out in the woods? Were you puzzled or surprised by something you saw? Ask our “Out in the Woods” columnist Kevin McKeon. He’ll be happy to investigate and try to answer your questions. Email him directly at: kpm@metrocast.net  Snowshoe Hares Experiencing Camouflage Mismatch   By Kevin McKeon, Director, Mousam Way Land Trust  The woods of Sanford are…