Summer Solstice

When you step outside, you feel as if you have set foot into the very heart of the largest furnace in the world. The heat immediately traps you and clings to your skin, and all you want is a nice cool lake to swim in. It may feel like it has already begun, but the official first day of summer hasn't even arrived yet! So while you cringe at the thought of going outside into the Wisconsin summer heat, just know that there are still 3 more months of summer left to come. Wednesday, June 20th marks the beginning of summer 2012, and this day is what the Northern Hemisphere calls the Summer Solstice.

What is a solstice?

A solstice happens twice a year, once in the summer and once in the winter, and it is the one day of the year when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky (as seen from the North or South poles). For the Northern Hemisphere, this event occurs in June, but in the Southern Hemisphere, the sun reaches its highest point in December. While we often refer to the solstices as the "summer" and "winter" solstice, a more accurate name could be the "Northern Solstice" and "Southern Solstice," respectively.

The North Pole Experience

At the time of the Summer solstice, the Arctic circle will experience a much different kind of summer than we would ever have in Wisconsin. Because of the Earth's tilt, the North Pole will remain in full sunlight (24hrs, 7 days a week) for the entirety of the summer months. That's about 3 months of constant daylight! On the day of summer solstice, the sun reaches its highest point in the sky. After that day, the sun will gradually sink towards the horizon until the Fall Equinox, when it finally falls below the horizon to cause darkness. (The opposite of this occurs in the winter time. The North Pole will experience almost complete darkness from about early October until the Spring Equinox in March. The darkest day of the year is the Winter Solstice in December).

June 20th, 2012 - What to expect

On the summer solstice, one can expect only one thing for sure - lots and lots of daylight! The summer solstice is the one day of year when the Northern hemisphere experiences the longest hours of daylight. Wisconsin will most likely experience somewhere around 15 - 16 hours of daylight, with the sun not setting until very close to 9:00pm.

On the other hand, the Southern hemisphere will experience the shortest day of the year, having much less than 12 hours of sunlight.

Don't let the heat of the day scare you away though! It might be 90 degrees outside, but just remember to put on lots of sunscreen (especially on your face), wear light colors, and drink lots of water. Don't sit inside wasting the longest day of the year! Get outside and go swimming, fishing, boating, or maybe even go to the Memorial Union Terrace and grab a bite to eat while you enjoy some nice live music. You can take a walk in the UW- Madison Arboretum or check out the Henry Vilas Zoo.

Use those 15 hours of daylight wisely by being active and enjoying the great outdoors! If you can't think of anything to do, check out our Nature Net calendar for some ideas. And if you can't get outside on the 20th to enjoy the Summer Solstice, you always have the second longest day of the year - the 21st - to enjoy as well.

A new addition has arrived

What's New

As summer has begun, so has my new job as the summer Nature Net intern! My name is Stephanie and I will be blogging, updating, and bringing you all the latest news Nature Net has to offer in the next coming months.

About Me

Occupation: Junior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Major: International Studies, Environmental Studies, and East Asian Studies
Hometown: Riverside, IL - A suburb of Chicago, right next to the Brookfield Zoo!
Favorite Animal: Panda
Favorite Color: Teal
Favorite Season: Fall
Favorite Sports Teams: Chicago Bears, White Sox, and (of course) the Wisconsin Badgers

Interesting Facts

During the school year I am involved on campus through my participation in the Greek community and the Ultimate Frisbee and Club Water Polo teams. I also hope to become more involved with some of the environmental-oriented clubs and groups in the near future.

I came across the Aldo Leopold Nature Center and Nature Net because of the Community and Environmental Scholars Program (CESP) at UW-Madison. This program helps apply a love of the environment and sustainability to the everyday workings of the rest of the community.

Last summer I traveled to Sichuan Province, China for an internship with an environmental Non-Governmental Organization named Panda Mountain. 6 other interns and I lived in the Wolong Nature Reserve for 4 weeks and interviewed the local people about their farming practices and style of living.

This summer I will be remaining in Madison to work with the Aldo Leopold Nature Center and Nature Net and am more than excited to become a greater part of these wonderful establishments!

Keep an eye out for more blog posts about ALNC and Nature Net news, upcoming events, exhibits, and more. We hope to see you at our events and don't forget to get outside this summer and enjoy what the beautiful outdoors has to offer!

Enjoy,
Stephanie
Nature Net Summer Intern

Nature Passports Are Here!

Kick off summer with a Nature Passport! 

Wondering what to do with your children this summer? Are you looking for a family activity that costs nothing, has a variety of convenient locations, and is scheduled exactly when you want it? Do you enjoy the thrill of discovery and the fresh air?

Then, put on your adventurer's hat, get your eyes, ears, hands and nose ready for exploring, and begin your Nature Passport journey! Nature Passport is an outdoor self-guided family program at various environmental education sites throughout South Central Wisconsin - or, you can download one here and print it out double-sided. This summer's version is hot off the presses - print or pick one up today!

For Kids...
Each child receives a special Nature Passport containing pages to draw and write about their amazing journeys at various Nature Passport sites! This year's theme also includes a "Movin' Mission" to encourage healthy, physically-active kids.

For Parents...
Look at the online Parent's Guide for fun facts and explanations to help spark your kids' imagination and answer those big questions like: How do we see color? Don't forget to sign up for Nature Net's FREE Nature Net News and find us on Facebook for fresh ideas and up-to-date area nature events and activities.

You provide family time - Nature Net provides a fun way to explore and learn together!

Earth Day Bouquet

It's that time of year again! Every year around Earth Day (April 22), environmental organizations, nature centers, zoos, and just about everyone else are offering events and programs to celebrate the Earth. It's almost as if there are too many to choose! But what a wonderful problem to have - especially when you can visit Nature Net's Earth Day Bouquet and find them listed all in one place!

Sorted by date, each listing provides information you'll need to decide which local events are best for your family. You can find activities and programs going on every day between April 14-29. In celebration of Earth Day, National Environmental Education Week, and the spring season, Earth Day Bouquet offers your family a variety of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, get involved in your local and natural community, and become motivated to make a difference in the health and sustainability of the environment.

Here are a few examples:

Troy Gardens/Community GroundWorks
Get to Know the Natural Areas - Saturday, April 14, 10am-12:30pm
Tour the woodlands, gardens, and prairie, followed by a planting workshop in the Edible Woodland.

Aldo Leopold Nature Center
Banff Mountain Film Festival - Tuesday, April 17, 7-10pm
Join the Aldo Leopold Nature Center and REI for the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour’s stop to Madison! This year's tour features a collection of the most inspiring action, environmental, and adventure films, showing at the Barrymore Theater.

Aldo Leopold Nature Center
Grand Opening Celebration - Saturday, April 21, 11am-3pm
Celebrate the opening of ALNC’s new interactive education center. Enjoy new exhibits, exciting shows on the six-foot diameter Science on a Sphere, tours, live musical entertainment, nature activities, electric car demonstration and more!

UW Arboretum
Earth Day at the Arboretum - Sunday, April 22, 8am-4pm
Take themed family hikes, participate in Earth Day activities, listen to live music, and view Earth Day exhibits.

Madison Children's Museum
Rooftop Farmers - Wednesday, April 25, 3-3:30pm
Help with the daily chores of taking care of a rooftop farm in the sky. Feed the animals and water the plants, harvest vegetables, plant a seed, prepare and taste homegrown food, and do nature crafts.

Bethel Horizons
Earth Day Celebration - Saturday, April 28, 9am-5pm
Enjoy the beautiful wildflowers, the magnificent view, an abundance of migrating birds, and a variety of environmental activities, demonstrations and speakers emphasizing the beauty and importance of nature. This is an Earth Day, Astronomy Day, Arbor Day and Spring Festival wrapped into one celebration!

Visit www.naturenet.com/earthweek for many more!

Check the schedule of free and low-cost family events and mark your calendar for a Bouquet of things to do, explore and learn about this Earth Day season. Have fun!

Nature Love

In the spirit of the day, here are a couple links that are romantic in nature. Enjoy!

Crane Family at ALNC

• Are you a serenader, or do you believe a little tough love goes a long way? Play eNature's Mating Game to see what species you most resemble in love.
• Compare your wild dates with these bizarre nature love stories from the Nature Conservancy.
• Check out these cute animal couples from National Geographic.
• Despite the chill in the air, many species such as raccoons, minks, river otters, foxes, coyotes, and skunks are all taking time off from their mid-winter hunting to prowl for partners. Learn more from eNature.
• Unlike many birds, who breed in the spring and summer, owls are looking for love during these long, cold nights - check it out!
• Read about more local bird bonding with this romantic tale from the International Crane Foundation.
• Stumped about what to give your mate? From perfume to silk to a romantic dinner, these BBC stories of love gifts from the animal kingdom might give you some ideas.
• Share your love of nature with one of these beautiful nature e-cards!

Snow Is in the Air

Can you imagine the snow-smell in the air?

Have you ever heard anyone say "it smells like snow" or "I feel like it's going to snow today"? Are you one of those lucky people who can feel snow in the air? Could you tell last night that we were going to get this beautiful powder today, even without hearing a forecast? How is this possible?

If you ask around, you are sure to find a range of people, old and young, scientist and amateur, who say they get a certain "smell" or "feel" hours before it snows. An online search will turn up dozens of discussions (like this one) with people trying to put words to this snow sense. Words like fresh, crisp, wet, cold, sharp, and clean are used frequently. Others mention smelling "ozone," "metallicness," or "electricity." Some feel "compressed air" or a "muffleness," and some said they can feel it in their bones or sinuses. What exactly is going on?

Some scientists have found that snow does smell! According to this meteorology expert, some of the chemicals found in snow include "nitrogen dioxide, formaldehyde, nitric acid, dimethyl sulphide and sulphate and methanesulphonate," all of which have distinctive odors and could be picked up by a very discerning nose. Maybe these have something to do with the "metallic" smell that some described?

Another explanation for this snow sense is that some people are sensitive to the subtle changes in temperature, pressure and humidity that are happening before a snowfall. Whether or not we end up with snow (and if it looks more like fluff, sleet or hail) depends on how much precipitation is in the air and the temperature - of the atmosphere where the snow forms (up in the clouds), the air through which the snow falls, and whether or not the ground it lands on is frozen. Air must be below freezing in order for precipitation to turn to snow. However, very cold air does not hold moisture very well. Snow usually occurs when the air is actually warming and the humidity is increasing. So we may notice a slight temperature difference or be able to feel a saturation in the air.

Stirring up some fresh fluff!

Fronts are responsible for most changes in weather. These happen when a large mass of cold air and warm air meet, and differences in their density make the air fall (if it's colder) or rise (if it's warmer), changing the pressure to be high or low, respectively. Precipitation usually forms in an upward flow of air. Some astute people might be able to pick up these changes in their joints or sinuses. Or this pressure and humidity change might make the air feel more "muffled" or "compressed."

Do you have a "snow nose," or do you know anyone who can always predict when it's going to snow? What words would you use to describe what you sense? Let us know!

Want to learn more?

• Read these tips and info on weather prediction.
• Try any of these 32 fun snow activities from hands on : as we grow.
• From powder to slush, learn about the water content of different kinds of snow.
• See how animal tracks look in the snow on the UW-Arboretum's Family Walk this Sunday.
• The best way to learn about snow and how to predict it is to get outside - you can train your nose and your gut to pick up on changes in the natural world and test your predictions. Good luck!

February Nature Net News - Glaciers

"The glacier was God's great plough set at work ages ago to
grind, furrow, and knead over, as it were, the surface of the earth"
Louis Agassiz

Dear Reader,

The Wisconsinan Glaciation happened around 12,000 years ago and was the last age of the mighty glaciers. A huge ice sheet covered most of Canada, the upper Midwest and New England - and it was named after Wisconsin!

These mighty masses of ice and gravel traveled across the land, straightening and shaving the land. When they melted, they left behind their debris, creating some unique and beautiful landforms. The evidence still remains today in many a state trail or wooded valley.

Wisconsin happens to be home to some of the world's finest examples of continental glaciation. Check out these ancient, natural wonders and learn how they shaped our world today in the latest issue of Nature Net News.

Enjoy!

Kathe, Sarah & Brenna
The Folks at Nature Net

Did You Know..... 
 A glacier is a river of ice that moves under the pressure of its own weight. Even though they move verrry slowly, glaciers are constantly changing and flowing.

Approximately 10% of the Earth today is covered by glaciers; during the last Ice Age, they covered one-third of the Earth’s surface.

Today's glaciers store about 75% of the world's freshwater. 

What To Do This Month:
 Hike parts of the Ice Age Trail to see remains and landforms left by the Wisconsinan Glacier across the state.

Visit the UW-Geology Museum to learn about glaciers and imagine yourself in the Ice Age. Family-friendly Storytime is on first and third Thursdays at 10:30am.

Watch PBS Kids' DragonflyTV episode on glaciers, read Perry Bear's Glacier Adventure from Alaska, and learn more from the National Snow & Ice Data Center.

Check out Nature Net's Events Calendar for other fun February ideas!

Tricks of the Trail for Parents:
Giant Glaciers
Because they are so huge and move so slowly, it's hard to imagine giant glaciers sweeping the land. Here are some tips to keep it in perspective for you and your kids:

A single crystal of glacier ice can grow to be as large as a baseball. Let's put this in perspective: a usual ice crystal is about the size of a single snowflake.

The thinnest a glacier usually gets is 50 feet (that's about the height of a 5 story building.) At its thickest point, the North American glacier was two miles tall!

Glacial periods and ice ages last for tens or hundreds of thousands of years. the Wisconsin Glacial Episode extended from approximately 110,000 to 10,000 years ago.

Instant Outdoor Expert:
Glacier Terminology
Glaciers have covered parts of North America several times throughout Earth's history, and have reshaped the landscape each time. The Wisconsinan Glacier may have melted 12,000 years ago, but there are still plenty of signs that it was here. Keep your eyes out for these glacial land features all around us!

Drumlin: Oval teardrop-shaped hill formed under the glacial ice near the advancing front of a glacier.

Erratic: Boulder or large rock carried by glaciers and deposited on the surface of the land after the ice melted.

Esker: Long, narrow ridge of coarse gravel deposited by a stream flowing in an ice-walled valley or tunnel in a melting glacier.

Kame: Created as the glacier melted in place, kames (pronounced like "came") were where debris melted through the ice, like a reverse funnel. They appear as conical hills.

Kettle: A depression formed by the melting of a large block of glacial ice that was partially or completely buried. Some kettles hold water to form kettle lakes or marshes or bogs.

Moraine: Jumbled hills of unsorted, unstratified glacial debris found at the sides or front of a glacier.
  (information from Ice Age in Wisconsin)

Featured Nature Net Site
Madison Conservation Parks
Visit Glacier Crossing Park for some real ice age evidence. This unique Madison park is on the Ice Age Trail, a thousand-mile National Scenic Trails footpath highlighting Wisconsin's world-renowned Ice Age heritage and scenic beauty. Hike the hills and discover the drumlins left during the Wisconsinan Age!

The City of Madison Parks Division Conservation Section has 14 different and unique conservation parks. A conservation park differs from other city parks in how it is managed and why the land was acquired. The goal of the conservation park is to return the land to its original state, restore native plant and animal communities, and provide education areas and opportunities for everyone.

Learn About Other Nature Net Sites

Nature Net Craft
Make Your Own Glacier!

What you need: large old bowl or container, ice cubes, dirt with pebbles in it, plate or tray, timer.

1. Put several ice cubes in the bowl so they cover the bottom.

2. Tightly pack dirt and pebbles on top until the bowl is half full.

3. Drizzle water carefully on top.

4. Leave outside overnight to freeze into a solid block.

5. Remove glacier from the bowl and set on a plate or tray. Set the timer for 10 minutes. Every 10 or so minutes, come back to see how your glacier is melting. Discuss what changes are occurring. Can you spot any "landforms" being created by your glacier?
(Nature Craft from Type-A Parent)

Nature Craft Archives

Suggested Reading:
"Glacier Babies!" by Bob Rozinski and Wendy Shattil (baby)
"Glacier National Park: An ABC Adventure" by KC Glassetter and Jeremie Hollman (preschool)
"Icebergs and Glaciers" by Seymour Simon (4-8)
"Icebergs, Ice Caps, and Glaciers" by Allan Fowler (4-8)
"The Glaciers are Melting!" by Donna Love (4-8)
"Glaciers" by Sally M. Walker (4-8)
"Exploring Glaciers" by Melody S. Mis (4-8)
"Glaciers: Nature's Icy Caps" by David L. Harrison (4-8)
"Why Do Glaciers Grind?: All About Extreme Environments" by Helen Bethune (9-12)
"Glaciers" by Larry Dane Brimner (9-12)
"Bodies from the Ice: Melting Glaciers and the Recovery of the Past" by James M. Deem (9-12)

Find Family Events on the Nature Net Calendar of Events