The Forest Floor, Covered by Ferns

Would participants, all graduates of one or more modules of FMNP, be put under a magic spell by our guides, Jay S. Barnhart, Jr., M.D, an expert on mushrooms and native plants and Joannie Faulls, Sanctuary Steward? Or, would we be entranced by nature as we wandered along trails through several different habitats: oak scrub, mesic and hydric hammocks, wet prairie, and pine flatwoods?

Sunday, March 29 dawned with overcast skies and a prediction for rain. Both the rain and I arrived at the Sanctuary in Titusville at the same time. But, FMNP graduates are undaunted by a little rain, and off we went, raingear protecting us from the elements. Drizzle and dark skies seemed only to enhance the potential for spell-casting as we hiked from open sandy sites into lush forest vegetation.

We stopped often to identify species of plants and fungi and learn more about human use of the area, including a tale about the uncompleted Addison Canal. The 1912 plan to drain agricultural land into the Indian River Lagoon was thwarted by an unyielding coquina rock ridge in the Enchanted Forest. Perhaps forest spirits hexed the digging equipment?

How could I capture should lush vegetation on camera? A forest floor blanketed with ferns gave me one opportunity for a shot, but then the forest closed densely around me. Birds darted in and out of trees – only their calls provided identification.

A hickory bud unfurls

Tiny Pink Mushrooms

Helping to decay a log

Ah, so this was the spell – the dense forest growth had charmed me into looking at the little things.

Our knowledgeable leaders safely guided us out of the Enchanted Forest after a very enjoyable hike. But was the forest following us as we left? Maybe it is my (active) imagination, but what would YOU say about the final photo? Lyn

Is the forest following us?

I enjoy sitting with others around a campfire or in front of a fireplace mesmerized by the darting, teasing tongues of fire, the changing colors, and cozy glow.

A fire’s warmth and beauty can enchant and sustain us, especially on a cold winter day. How romantic it is to snuggle with a loved one in front of the fire! The blazing Yule log brings good cheer to our December Holidays.

But fire has another face, ugly and terrifying. How often do we turn on the news to hear about a fire’s wanton path of destruction, consuming homes or acres of vegetation without mercy for the life that is imperiled or too often lost?

It is no wonder then that humans seek to prevent or control fires and have a history of doing so. I grew up with Smokey the Bear’s friendly (but also stern) face saying, “Only YOU can prevent forest fires!”

He pointed and looked right at me! I was sure that I would wind up as Smokey the Bear food if I ever played with matches or left a smoldering campfire unattended.

While Smokey still delivers his valuable message, fire ecologists now tell us that fire prevention is not the whole story. In fact, many ecosystems need fire. The absence of periodic, small fires may lead to bigger, hotter fires, and unhealthy ecosystems. This is a quite a paradigm shift.

Now, ecosystem management may include the use of fire as a tool. This is sometimes called controlled burning, but a better term is prescribed burning since fire acts as a prescription for maintenance of a healthy ecosystem. (See article: Benefits of Prescribed Burning, by Alan J. Long, written for the University of Florida, IFAS Extension.)

On February 07, returning home from a field trip with the South East Volusia Camera Club, we spotted billowing, gray smoke not too far from our destination and took a side trip to see what was going on. We found a prescribed burn in progress to clear underbrush in a densely forested area in the Oak Hill area, Volusia County, Florida.

Since the fire was close to the roads and did not seem too intense, we left the relative safety of the car to take pictures, some of which I share with you here.

Although this fire seemed mellow, (or dare I say controlled?), when we saw it, these pictures reveal to me a perhaps more sinister face, as if to whisper, _________. Well, I will let you fill in the rest, Lyn