Growing up I could not get enough outdoor time, exploring the created world around me. One of my favorite places to spend time was in the woods at my grandparents’ house. My grandma and I would follow trails and look under rocks in the creek. We found minnows, salamanders, crayfish and other inhabitants. Sometimes we saw garter snakes, water snakes and black snakes in the woods. Also, there were Eastern box turtles once in a while.

Now that I have children of my own, I enjoy watching them explore and get excited about the natural outside world. Having gone to college for Environmental Science, I can share some of the knowledge I have learned identifying plants, birds and other creatures with my family. We try to get as much outdoor time as possible. It is great to see birds, bugs, trees and other creatures, but to know them by name brings on a more personal relationship. When my kids see a plump grey song bird with a reddish belly they can identify it as an American Robin and not just a bird. In addition, they can hear a “konk-a-reee” and know it is a Red-winged blackbird and not just a songbird that is black with a yellow and red mark on the wings.

I want them to know the difference between Poison Ivy and Virginia Creeper. What Poison Hemlock looks like versus Queen Anne’s lace. Also, Pokeweed versus Blueberries; harmful plants compared to unharmful ones; invasives versus natives. The U.S. Forest Service [Invasive Plants (usda.gov)] defines invasive plant species as “Non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration; and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.”