6316 Harts Road Make sure that al teachers and chaperones attending the program are aware of the fol owing information.

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1 Dear Teachers, Thank you for choosing Life of an Oak field studies in Glacial Park. We will meet at the Lost Valley Visitor Center, located in the center of Glacial Park. Use 6316 Harts Road as an address for navigation and then follow the signs. If you need further instructions on how to get here please contact us at In the event of inclement weather on the day of your program, call us to discuss the day s plans. Make sure that all teachers and chaperones attending the program are aware of the following information. 1. We will begin at Lost Valley Visitor Center with a 45 minute indoor presentation that includes a powerpoint presentation and a memory matching game. Indoor restrooms are available at this location. Following the indoor presentation the group will play a tree life cycle tag game outside. This is followed by a two mile hike through the park. 2. Teachers, chaperones, and students should dress for the weather including appropriate footwear for hiking over hilly terrain. Fall weather is variable and while it may feel warm at school, Glacial Park tends to be windy and cooler because of the hills. We will be outside for at least 2 hours. 3. This program includes time for a picnic lunch. Students should bring their lunch in a backpack for carrying on the trail. If it is too cold to eat outside, the classes can eat indoors, either before the hike at 10:30am or after the hike at 12:30pm. 4. Encourage everyone to bring a waste-free lunch! Pack lunches in insulated containers and include items that can be eaten in their entirety, recycled or composted. Examples are whole fruits and vegetables, drinks in reusable bottles, snacks purchased in bulk and brought in a reusable container, cloth napkins, and reusable ice packs. 5. Background information as well as pre and post-trip activities are available for this and other McHenry County Conservation District school field studies. Completion of the activities ensures a more successful learning experience for your students. Download information from our website at or request information be sent to your or school address. Again, we thank you for your interest in the McHenry County Conservation District. We are looking forward to a day of fun and learning with your class. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Sincerely, Kim Compton and Andrew Zeiger Lost Valley Visitor Center Education Program Staff kcompton@mccdistrict.org azeiger@mccdistrict.org

2 Life of an Oak Pre-visit activities 1) Read any or all or the following books and discuss the needs of an oak tree and the needs of humans: Life Cycles: Acorn to Oak Tree by Camilla de la Bedoyere As An Oak Tree Grows by G. Brian Karas The Lorax by Dr. Suess The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein 2) Compile a list (verbal or written) of everything in the classroom made from trees. 3) Check the trees around the school or have the students look at home to see if there are any oaks. Use the worksheet for white oak identification as a guide.

3 Life of an Oak Post-visit Activities 1) Do the activity about tree rings. The file is designed to be printed on 11x17 paper and works best at this size. 2) Go to the itree website and browse their lessons and videos. All are aligned with NGSS and are grade specific. 3) Have the students write about their favorite oak tree, either from Glacial Park or one they know from elsewhere. 4) Consider planting oak trees at your school or at the students homes. The Land Conservancy of McHenry County has an excellent guide for planting oak trees that is attached to this file.

4 They are beautiful in their peace, They are wise in their silence. They will stand after we are dust. They teach us, and we tend them. G.A. MacDunelmor BASIC GROWING REQUIREMENTS FOR YOUR Oak Trees

5 The Oak forests of northern Illinois have taken centuries to develop and deserve to be regarded as an irreplaceable landscape legacy. Certain conditions provided by the forest community as a whole are vital to the life of an Oak tree. These conditions must be either preserved or successfully simulated. Soil: Non-native plants, including lawns, will rob the life out of your Oaks. These plants are considered a competitive, noncooperative ecosystem with a completely different set of requirements. The key to planting under Oaks without killing them is to use native species that have the same water requirements (little to no summer irrigation). This means lawn grass is OUT! Do use native plants that live under the canopy of the Oak: Wild Geranium, Virginia Bluebells, Shooting Star, Nodding Wild Onion, Solomons Seal, Columbine, Trillium, Penn Sedge, Mayapples, Woodland Sunflower and Cinnamon Fern to name a few. Mulch: Though store-bought mulch provides organic materials, it cannot work alone. Do let the natural Oak mulch form a thick, soft, moist mulch under the Oak. This will release nutrients back into the soil, moderate the soil temperature, and support the complex soil foodweb that is most beneficial to the tree. Don t pile mulch next to the trunk make a donut a few inches away from the trunk. Do try to mulch the entire dripline with two to four inches

6 Roots: The most active portions of the oak s root system occupies the few inches closest to the surface. Oak roots spread wide, but not very deep, and are extremely sensitive to environmental change (soil compaction, altered soil grade, increased moisture, paving) Oaks are put under a tremendous amount of stress when construction is performed around or near their roots. Keep this area relatively undisturbed. Do protect the root zone from compaction from heavy machinery, vehicles or livestock. When it cannot be avoided, put protection down like plywood boards. Dripline Root Protection Zone Do make sure that your landscaping service understands the special care that the Oak s root systems require. Water: Our Oaks have evolved to live in our region wet winters and dry summers. When water is introduced into the root zone during the warm summer months, the root pathogens living in the soil grow vigorously and attack the Oak roots fiercely, and the tree begins a long, slow decline. Don t water mature Oaks unless there is a severe drought.

7 Do provide regular irrigation to newly planted oaks until they are established, usually two to three years. Fertilizer: The salts in many fertilizers, especially soluble nitrogen, can predispose trees to insect and other problems. Don t apply fertilizers under Oaks unless it is a slow-release, insoluble fertilizer. Fungicides and Insecticides: Trees that are stressed due to weather, construction or invasive pests sometimes require therapeutic care. Do remember that there are a lot of good fungi that Oaks require to survive. Do consult a trained professional before applying a fungicide or insecticide. Pruning: Mature Oaks do not require pruning except to remove weakened, diseased or dangerous branches. If necessary, trees should be pruned in the dry season (November through March). Don t treat the wound with any kind of sealant. Trees heal themselves perfectly well. Sealant only encourages insects and disease by trapping moisture. Do consult a certified arborist before pruning In the spring, look around your yard for baby Oaks & Hickories! Flag these new trees so you don t mow them.

8 Common Oaks/Hickories of McHenry County -Bur Oak Quercus Macrocarpa -White Oak Quercus Alba -Swamp White Oak Quercus Bicolor -Northern Red Oak Quercus Rubra - Black Oak Quercus Velutina - Shagbark Hickory Carya Ovata How Old is My Tree? Diameter (Inches) Bur/Swamp White Oak Red Oak (estimate) White Oak Shagbark Hickory

9 Help ensure that your Mighty Oaks will continue to be a source of beauty and enjoyment for many years to come by recognizing their basic growing requirements. FOR MORE TREE CARE INFORMATION: The Care of Trees The Davey Tree Expert Company NATIVE LANDSCAPING INFORMATION: Citizens for Conservation SAVE Wildflower Preservation & Propagation Committee McHenry County Conservation District PRIVATE LAND CONSERVATION INFORMATION: Barrington Area Conservation Trust The Land Conservancy of McHenry County

10 What does a white oak tree LOOK like? Use these clues to help you find an oak tree to study. Leaves Oak leaves are flat Oak leaves are lobed like the fingers on your hand Lobes are round like your fingers, not pointy like the lobes of a red oak leaf Did you find a white oak tree? Draw a picture of it in this box. Seeds Oak tree seeds are acorns! Bark Oak tree bark is grooved, rough and grey Acorns are about 1 inch long 1 inch

11 Count the rings of this young oak tree and label events in its life history (and yours). 20 the year a fire scarred the tree. 20 the year poor rainfall caused the tree not to grow as well for the next four years. Fill in the years and draw a line from each event to the appropriate ring on the tree. 19 Year the tree was born. 19 the year a log fell against the tree, causing it to lean and one side to grow faster. 20 the year you were born. 20 the year insect larvae bored into the tree and caused another poor period of growth.