Part of the excitement of visiting a woodlot is to use some basic ecology skills to inform your understanding. This past fall an early snowstorm tore branches from many tree canopies and they are now strewn across woodlot floors. Of particular interest are the red oak branches -- many of which are still displaying the dry, russet leaves that had not fallen before the snow.

These branches have a story to tell. As with the leaves, many of these branches are still holding onto acorns that should have ripened and fallen last autumn. These are nearly full size and very evident. But that is last year's story. Clearly, in some parts of the state, there was a fairly good crop of acorns. These acorns are a form of mast -- or forest food-- which is very important to many of wildlife species. Deer, turkeys, bears, grouse and squirrels are very dependent on acorns. Foresters and landowners interested in regenerating red oak have huge interests in the red oak seed crop.