Trees For Tomorrow

It takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup! Sugar maples are great but red maples will do just fine! Trees with large crowns extending down towards the ground are usually the best producers! Learn the tricks and tips to make your burgeoning maple syrup making expedition a success! Join us at Trees For Tomorrow as we learn from maple syrup making master, Todd Starling, the centuries old skill of collecting and processing maple syrup. Our program runs between 10am and 1pm on Saturday March 22nd. The class costs $55 for an individual or $70 for a couple and comes with a “sap kit” which includes 3 taps, 3 sap sacks, 3 zip ties, 3 pvc sap sack holders, and a beginner how-to book. Registration is open, and filling up fast! You can sign up on our website under current activities or follow this link: https://lnkd.in/gXZkfahS.

???? Sustainability Starts at Home! ??? Want to live greener without a big lifestyle change? Check out our blog for fun, simple eco-friendly tips! ??https://lnkd.in/g4J_FRiJ #SustainableLiving #GreenChoices #TreesForTomorrow

#PhenologyFriday- it's the time of year that that educators re-certify for lifeguarding. Did you know that TFT full time educators get their lifeguard certifications every two years to ensure safety of participants when doing water activities such as canoeing? This process includes both skills and written testing!

Check out what was caught on our Snapshot Wisconsin trail camera recently! The bobcat sighted here also left some tracks along our forest trail that provided a unique opportunity for our recent students to utilize their newly learned animal tracking skills to ID the feline's massive paw prints! The snowy prints were over 3 inches in length and showcased a slow stalking gait along the trail. #animaltracks #SnapshotWisconsin #bobcats

#WinterWednesdays Feeling a little restless as you wait for that spring break trip to approach? You may be experiencing 'Zugunruhe' ("ZOO-gun-ROO-ah")! Zugunruhe is a term coined by German behavioral scientists to describe migratory restlessness in birds and other migratory animals. Just before and during their migratory period, birds exhibit signs of restlessness, fluttering their wings and hopping around. Scientists study this behavior in captive birds with a device called an Emlen Funnel. The bottom has an ink pad, that birds stand on, and as they flutter and hop around, the funnel's paper collar captures where the bird hopped the most. No surprise, birds hopped more towards the north during spring, and more towards the south during the fall!

"You know me, I think there ought to be a big old tree right there. And let's give him a friend. Everybody needs a friend." ― Bob Ross Do your trees on your land need some new friends? Consider purchasing tree seedlings from our annual sale. Pre-order now to pick up in Mid-May. There are 4 species to choose from and you can get 10 for $20. The selected species are well suited for Northwoods soil types and conditions. The seedlings are in "cells" of nutrient-rich soil and are locally sourced! Learn more at our website, www.treesfortomorrow.com

It's here! It's finally here! Registration for our summer programs is OPEN! Visit our website to sign your child up today!

Mandy, TFT's Operations Manager, loves to share her passion for natural resources with her children. Here's one of her favorites! Book Recommendation for Young Readers: The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle Eric Carle is a well-known children's author. His book, The Tiny Seed, encourages curiosity about nature. Carle has written over 70 books and had them translated in to many languages for readers around the world! Carle's art is distinctive and instantly recognizable. His artwork is created in collage technique, using hand-painted papers, which he cuts and layers to form bright and cheerful images. ??Why Mandy Loves It: This book beautifully illustrates the life cycle of a seed, making it perfect for sparking a child’s interest in plants, growth, and the natural world. It introduces science-related concepts like the seasons, weather, and ecosystems in a way that's easy for children to understand. It also teaches about perseverance and hope. The tiny seed faces numerous challenges on its journey but ultimately grows into a magnificent flower, teaching kids valuable lessons about persistence and resilience. The imaginative and artistic style can encourage kids to draw, write, or think creatively about the world around them. This timeless story blends entertainment and education, making it a great choice for kids!

#PhenologyFriday- There are quite a few days on the horizon where the forecasted daytime high is above freezing, and the nighttime low is below freezing. You know what that means: time for the sap run! The alternation of freezing and "warm" temperatures creates a push-pull of negative pressure, drawing sap up into the tree from the roots (at night) vs. positive pressure (during the day), which pushes sap down and out of any openings in the tree, like a tap. This "flow" is due to the cells within the tree that expand and contract in different temperatures. Keep an eye out for tapped trees (or plan to start tapping your own) over the coming days! (Want to learn more about syruping? Our Making Maple Syrup class is coming up on Saturday March 22- visit our website to learn more!)

#ThrowbackThursday to Educator Todd disappearing! Wait, that's no magic trick, or is it? Sap to Syrup is a loooooooong process, and it has extraordinary roots in our culture in North America. It dates back to written records in 1557, but is likely much older! The mystery of sugar can be unlocked in our Maples: Sap to Syrup class, which as Todd shows us, is full of surprises and the recipe for patience, passion, and scrumptious syrup!