On Saturday, Feb. 16, the Pacolet Area Conservancy (PAC) and Walnut Creek Preserve (WCP) co-sponsored “Identifying Trees in the Winter,” a free program presented by Shannon Buckley at the Anne Elizabeth Suratt Nature Center.

Almost 40 people attended the free program, where Shannon Buckley treated guests to his knowledge of winter tree identification. Buckley started the presentation with an introduction of how to identify trees when they have no leaves. Using projected images, he taught the group how to recognize different, unique characteristics of trees, such as features of the twigs, buds, leaf scars, bark and fruit. Then, a majority of the group joined Buckley, PAC’s Pam Torlina and WCP’s Babs Strickland for a walk on the preserve to look at trees in the field and learn how to recognize those unique characteristics and use them to identify specific trees. With the unusual snowfall on the Feb. 16, this really was a winter tree ID program.

The next PAC and WCP program will take place on Saturday, March 2, at 10:30 a.m. at the Anne Elizabeth Suratt Nature Center at WCP. Doug Elliott, naturalist and storyteller, will present “More Woodslore and Wildwoods Wisdom — Stories, Songs, and Lore Celebrating the Natural World,” an encore to his popular “Woodslore and Wildwoods Wisdom” presentation that took place at the Nature Center on Jan. 28. Last year’s program was such a hit that PAC and WCP had to invite him back to do another presentation. This program will provide more “stories, songs, and lore celebrating the natural world.” The program is free of charge and open to the public; it will be a wonderful program for adults and children alike.