Orono bog walks begin May 1

ORONO – Each year the Orono Bog Boardwalk sponsors a nature walk series at the boardwalk for the enjoyment and education of the public. Group size is limited to facilitate communication and observation, and because of the size limitation of the boardwalk. Advance registration is required.

To sign up for a walk, e-mail Ron Davis at Ronald.Davis@umite.maine.edu, or call 899-4786 between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. and leave a message indicating walk dates you prefer and your phone number.

Walks start at the boardwalk trailhead, except for the night walk Saturday or Sunday, May 22 or 23, which starts at the Tripp Road parking lot of the City Forest. For general information about the Orono Bog Boardwalk, visit www.oronobogwalk.org.

The schedule is:

. Ecology of Orono Bog, 9-11 a.m. Saturday, May 1, led by Ron Davis, boardwalk director and retired University of Maine biology professor. What is a bog and how does it differ from other kinds of wetlands? Why are the trees so small and old in the patches of virgin spruce forest near the center of the bog? Why are there so many carnivorous plants in the bog? Why does peat accumulate deeper than 20 feet in the bog, but not in upland forests of the Bangor area?

. Spring Birds of Orono Bog, 7-9 a.m. Saturday, May 15, led by Jerry Longcore, wildlife biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Bring binoculars and a bird book. Participants will try to identify early spring migrant birds, especially warblers. The walk will happen rain or shine.

. Night Skies over the Bog, 8:30-11 p.m. Saturday, May 22, led by Professor David Batuski of the University of Maine Department of Physics and Astronomy. Participants will use a telescope to observe several planets, nebulae, star clusters and Comet NEAT 2001Q4. In case of rain, or cloud cover, call Batuski at 866-5548 between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. to confirm that the walk has been postponed to Sunday, May 23, and whether you plan to participate.

. Breeding Birds of Orono Bog, 6-9 a.m. Sunday, June 6, a walk sponsored by the Maine Audubon Society, led by Hope Brogunier and Joni Dunn of Fields Pond Nature Center, and Ron Davis. Bird highlights most likely will be hermit thrush songs, and warbler sightings such as black-throated, magnolia and palm.

. Bog Plants in Bloom in Early Summer, 9-11 a.m. Saturday, June 19, led by Ron Davis. June is the month when bog heaths produce flowers of various hues and shapes. Three species of orchids are likely to be in bloom. Learn to recognize mountain holly, Labrador tea, bog rosemary, intermediate sundew and bog laurel.

. Carnivorous Plants of Orono Bog, 9-11 a.m. Saturday, July 3, led by a summer education intern. Four species of carnivorous plants grow abundantly in the bog. They feed on small prey, mostly insects, but occasionally small frogs and salamanders.

. Movement of Water in Bogs and Fens, 9-11 a.m. Saturday, July 17, led by Prof. Andy Reeve of the University of Maine Department of Geological Sciences. The slow and steady movement of water in the bog influences the development of peat lands and affects the living ecosystem. Discussion will center on how groundwater is evaluated, the reasons for peat accumulation and recent hydrology research at Orono Bog.

. Peat Bogs for Kids, led by a summer education intern, 9-11 a.m. Saturday, July 31. The walk is geared for 5- to 10-year-old children. Participants will touch, see, smell and talk about skunk cabbage, pitcher plants and cotton grass. They will use a turkey baster to suck water out of pitcher plants to see what lives there, and poke a long rod down into the peat to find out what is at the bottom. One parent must accompany each child.

. Mosses, Peat Mosses and Other Tiny Plants of the Bog, 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, led by Dennis Anderson of the University of Maine Biological Sciences Department. Mosses are the most abundant plants in the bog. Learn how to identify different mosses. Bring a hand lens for up-close plant inspection.

. Ecology of Orono Bog, 9-11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 29, led by Ron Davis. This is a repeat of the May 1 walk.

. How Some Plants Survive Where Most Plants Would Perish, 9-11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, led by Professor Christa Schwintzer of the University of Maine Department of Biological Sciences. Wetlands like Orono Bog are impossible places for most plant species of the Bangor area to grow in. Only a relatively few specially adapted plant species thrive in water-saturated soil lacking oxygen or in extremely infertile peat soil. What special features and abilities do these plants possess that allow them to thrive in the bog? Participants will learn the fascinating story of adaptation and survival of the plants that grow along the boardwalk.

. Deep Peat, 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, led by Ron Davis. Using a special device, Davis will probe the peat and bring up small samples. These will indicate what the wetland was like 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 years ago. Participants are encouraged to bring hand lenses and magnifying glasses to examine the ancient deposits.