(building a stone fence)
An old, dead tree stands by the wall. This tree is important for it offers shelter to thousands of insects and provides a source of food for hungry birds.
The shelf fungi growing on the tree extract nutrients from the decaying wood.
As you walk along the lakeshore, look at some of the larger trees growing there. Two common trees you will see are basswood and red oak.
Basswood
Red Oak
The American Basswood grows 70-80 feet in height and 2-3 feet in diameter. In addition to the valuable timber which it produces, the basswood is highly prized in certain localities for its honey. The Iroquois Indians made rope from the bark by soaking it in water for several weeks or months to allow the nonfibrous portions to rot. Then it was twisted into desired cords.
The northern red oak is one of the largest oaks, occasionally 125 feet high. Its close-grained, reddish-brown wood is regarded as one of the most important of the red oak family.