Credits

Created by Stephanie Bilodeau; additional voice by Alli Kenlan. Explore Natural Communities Intern Summer 2017, NatureServe.

Sound: Whistle, recorded by gpenn76 (Freesound.org). Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0. Gravel Walking, recorded by tigersound (Freesound.org). Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0. Indigo Bunting, recorded by ENC Interns 2017. Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0.

Photo: Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest, by Stephanie Bilodeau, courtesy of NatureServe. Licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0.

Transcript

Podcast time: 3:10 minutes

[sound of birds singing, and someone whistling]

[Voice 1] Pst! Hey!

[Voice 2] Who's there?

[Voice 1] It's me! The Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest. And, you're walking awfully fast through here. Don't you want to see all my fabulous hardwood trees?

[Voice 2] Um...

[Voice 1] Yeah! We've got white oak and northern red oak, and some tuliptree coming in over there, and -

[Voice 2]...I'm just gonna...keep walking…

[Voice 1] Ooh! Where are you heading? I've got some lovely American beech trees just back that way. They grow super well here because it’s shady, just a bit moist, and we don't get all the fires that climb to those other communities up the slope – but anyway, come look at the beech. They're really cool, with that thin, gray bark. Just please don't go carving your name in the trunks. If you want "Sam + Jordan 4ever" permanently drawn on your skin, go get a tattoo or something!

[Voice 2] Okay, okay! I'm not gonna carve my name into any of your beech trees. I'm just trying to get through this area so I can go see –

[Voice 1] Wait! Wait, don't tell me. You're going upslope to see the Mixed Oak/Heath Forest, aren't you! Everyone always wants to see Mixed Oak/Heath. "Oh, the wildfires are so dramatic! Oh, look at the blueberries and mountain laurel!" Why do other natural communities get all the attention?

[Voice 2] Uh...

[Voice 1] It's not like wildfires are great for all the trees anyway. Oh, those hilltop communities can handle it just fine, but where would my thin-barked beech be if this area kept burning? GONE! And who wants all those shrubs? Shrubs, shrubs, everywhere! A few hillside blueberries are nice and all, but Mixed Oak/Heath just takes it too far!  Look at this beautiful forest floor. In the shade, I have mapleleaf viburnum and spiky brown beech drops and strawberry bush, with its green stems and its beautiful pink and red fruit. Ooh, look over there! – Christmas fern! Aren't those shiny dark leaves just lovely?

[Voice 2] I guess this does look kind of nice.

[Voice 1] You bet! And you know what? You can find me all over this park, on gently rolling hillsides and low slopes and in ravines and on the top of some hills, too! I love loamy acidic soil (sandy or silty, if I have my say), and as long as there's at least some moisture, I'm good to go. It's why they call me a mesic forest!

[Voice 2] What did you say your name was again?

[Voice 1] I'm the Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest, and I'm kind of a big deal around this park. Not to toot my own horn, but you're looking at a pretty attractive forest here!

[Voice 2] You know what? I think I will hang out here for a bit.

[Voice 1] Oh my gosh! Really?

[Voice 2] Sure. And now that I know what to look for, I'm sure I'll be seeing a lot more of you around the park! [sound of birds singing]

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