Young foresters study Marion's ecosystem

MARION  —  A fall afterschool group from the Natural History Museum went on a foresting trip in Holmes Woods to identify trees and learn about Marion's ecosystem.

On Sept. 30, state forester James Rassman led the group on identifying several tree types in the forest, including aspen, maple, birch and more.

They also learned how to find the age of a tree using several methods, including counting the branches and taking a core sample. Rassman estimated the age of Holmes Woods to be about 60 to 70 years old.

The group also found a red-backed salamander in a log, as well as several types of insects and mushrooms on decaying logs.

View more of Marion Natural History Museum's programs at www.marionmuseum.org.