1. White Pine
The White Pine has long, thin needles in bundles of five and long, thin cones. They can grow to great heights (sometimes more than 150 feet tall!). White Pines are generally thinner and more Christmas tree shaped when younger and more spread out and broader when older.

2. Red Oak
Red Oaks are tall straight trees with distinctive ridges running vertically down their bark. Leaves have 7 to 9 lobes that do not cut very far into the leaf and are a dark green that, in autumn, turns into the beautiful deep red that gives the tree its name.

3. Red Maple
The Red Maple can be found in almost any habitat in Massachusetts, from down at sea level to up in the hills, in forests, swamps, and dryer areas. Almost the entire tree is red, including its flowers and twigs, and its bright crimson leaves are some of the most striking in the whole forest in autumn.

Shrubs

1. High Bush Blueberry
High Bush Blueberry plants grow to surprising heights, up to around thirteen feet tall, and are native to North America. They have small flowers that range in color from white to a pale red and are sometimes tinged with green. The berries too start out small and green and eventually grow into the plumper blue berries we eat.

2. Sweet Pepper Bush
These common coastal shrubs grow in moister areas, both in sun and shade. Their pinkish-white flowers often attract butterflies and also give off the sweet yet spicy scent that gives this shrub its name.

3. Staghorn Sumac
Sumac shrubs often look more like small, leafy trees, with long thin leaves with serrated edges. The easiest way to recognize this shrub is by its fruit: long, fuzzy, red clusters of seeds that stick out from the main shrub.

Herbacious (non-woody stemmed plants)

1. Cinnamon Fern
The Cinnamon Fern is a very leafy low fern that loves to grow in moist, swampy areas. It has some smaller cinnamon colored fronds that actually produce its spores and larger green fronds that do not. Over time, the fronds will become brown and eventually be killed by the first frosts, with new ones sprouting up again in the spring.

2. Canada Mayflower
The Canada Mayflower is a small plant, usually not more than 8 inches, with two or three large shiny leaves per stem. It has clusters of tiny white flowers above the leaves and green-white berries that turn more red or pink over the year.

3. Lady Slipper
The Lady Slipper is a very distinct looking orchid that is found in New England and grows well in many climates. The flower is very large, with four red, and sometimes whitish, parts surrounding the central pouch, which insects have to climb into to collect the flower’s pollen. Varieties of the Lady Slipper are the official state flowers of Minnesota (Showy Lady’s Slipper) and New Hampshire (Pink Lady’s Slipper).

Vines

1. Poison Ivy
Poison Ivy is a climbing vine that often starts as low, small plants on the ground but eventually winds its way up rocks and trees with large, hairy, woody vines. It has clusters of three, shiny, pointed leaves that are usually green but can turn a deep red in autumn. If touched, this plant can leave a nasty, itchy rash, so if you do touch it make sure to wash very well with soap and water as soon as you get home.

2. Wild Grapes
Wild Grape vines climb trees and shrubs and can found in various parts of Massachusetts. Large purple-red grapes hang off of the leafy green vine. They often have a very strong smell, so if you smell a light but sweet grape odor when walking outside, look up and around to spot some wild grapes hanging nearby.

Other

1. Princess Pine
Actually a moss, Princess Pine is a tiny club moss that covers much of the ground around swamps or in moist forests. It can also thrive in sandy soils and generally grows to a maximum of around a foot tall. The Princess Pine looks like a tiny, miniaturized pine tree with rounded branches and dozens of tiny yellow-brown cones.

Resources

The Wildlands Trust sponsors links to a variety of resources to help children learn about the natural world. If you have any of your own favorites, please share them with us so we can add them to our website.

1. Science Fair Ideas

Thanks to our friend Mat T., we are able to provide a great selection of ideas for students from kindergarten through middle school who are looking for science projects. Our goal is to foster an interest in nature and provide the seed of an idea from which a project will grow.

Kindergarten through Grade 2

• How is the amount of litter affected by the population?
• How many kinds of birds can you spot at a bird sanctuary near you?
• How many species of insects can you find in your backyard?
• What is the most common species of bird in my back yard? Tracking bird's in one's own yard, charting.
• How many insect species can you find in your backyard?
• Make a bird feeder and chart the birds it attracts.
• Collect and research different kinds of shells on Duxbury Beach.
• What happens to insects in winter?
• Why do leaves change color in autumn?
• What is beach erosion? How does it occur?

Grade 3 through Grade 5

• How does pollution effect the population of animals in and around a river near you?
• How many species of trees can you find/identify on a Wildlands Trust property?
• How does weather affect birds? Squirrels? Fish? Coyotes? Can you think of others?
• Make a sundial. Record its accuracy.
• What is the most common litter found on the beach? How does litter affect beach areas and its living creatures?
• What is the salt content of ocean water? Does it vary beach to beach? What is the salt content of marsh water?
• Collect and classify different beach creatures. Tidal pools.
• Plant two identical plants in different environments and track growth of both and compare. Example: plant one outdoors and plant one in a dark environment.
• Plant two or more similar plants and change the formula for watering and/or feeding. Example: use plant food for one and strictly water for another.
• How do different types of soil affect the ability of roots to anchor plants?
• Can plants live without carbon dioxide?
• Does overcrowding affect plant growth? How?
• What makes different kinds of grass seed different from one another? You can buy different types of grass seed and try to grow them  and compare the results. What amount of water is needed, amount of light needed? Why do different types of grasses need to be planted at different times of year?

Middle School

• How does an organism in a tide pool affect other organisms elsewhere?
• How has beach errosion affected the coastline?
• Is snow warmer on top or underneath?
• Do temperature and average humidity have an effect on the number of homeruns hit in Major League Basaball parks?
• Collect, identify and press seaweed specimens. There are some easy-to-follow instructions available on the web. click here

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