Symbolic Trees

     I've noticed over the years that certain kinds of trees represent the four major habitats in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  Those habitats are waterways, farmland, suburbs and woods.  And each habitat in this county has more than one species of attractive trees representing it.
     Sycamores are the most noticeable, beautiful and characteristic of tree species along the banks of waterways in this county.  They are the large trees that have mottled light and darker, smooth bark on their trunks and limbs, making them stand out and readily noticeable from a distance.  As the older, darker bark peels off the trees, the younger, lighter bark is apparent, creating that mottling.
     Big, shaggy-barked silver maples are also characteristic of local stream banks.  This species has dull-red flowers around the end of February and into March and winged seeds in April that are eaten by squirrels and other creatures.  Unfortunately, silver maples' branches break off easily in winds, giving those trees a battered appearance.  
     However, the wind's breaking limbs off creates many cavities in sycamores and silver maples that are used by a variety of wildlife.  Permanent resident barred owls, screech owls, raccoons and opossums live and raise young in the bigger hollows.  Sometimes one can see one of those critters sticking its head out of the cavity to look around or to soak up the sun's warm rays.
     Summering wood ducks hatch ducklings in larger holes.  When the ducklings are ready to leave their wooden nurseries, they jump out of the entrance to the ground or water below, bounce a couple of times and get up and follow their mothers to water where they consume invertebrates.
     Carolina chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches, gray squirrels, white-footed mice and other permanent, woodland dwellers, and summering prothonatory warblers and crested flycatchers, raise young in the smaller tree hollows along waterways.  The warblers are lovely, golden flashes among the green foliage.  The flycatchers have a loud "wheeeepp" call.
     Many tall trees stand scattered across farmland in Lancaster County, particularly along country roads and in hedgerows between fields.  Black locusts and choke cherries are the two most characteristic trees in cropland.  They both bear white blossoms around the middle of May, the locust flowers having a sweet scent that is carried across the fields on the wind.  Hawks perch on them to watch for prey and eastern kingbirds nest on their twigs.
     The tall, slender black locust trees have rough, gnarled bark that resembles muscles straining.  And their trunks and limbs have cavities that are used by American kestrels and screech owls to raise young.  Lovely eastern bluebirds rear chicks in their smaller hollows.  A few colonies of honey bees set up house-keeping in locust hollows at times.  Those bees gather nectar from pretty, roadside wildflowers and the attractive, sweet-smelling blooms of alfalfa and red clover in nearby fields.
     Planted conifers are thee trees of suburban areas.  A few stands of wild eastern hemlocks inhabit cool, shaded woodland ravines along the Susquehanna River.  Red junipers inhabit the shoulders of expressways, and abandoned fields.  And a few wild eastern white pines, pitch pines, Virginia pines and table mountain pines inhabit hilly or rocky spots in the county.  But most conifers in this county, and surrounding counties, are those planted in suburbs- most notably white pines, eastern hemlocks, Norway spruce and blue spruce.  However, white pines readily break off in high winds and eastern hemlocks are killed by woolly adelgids.  The most hardy conifers, then, are the two spruces noted.
     Coniferous trees are planted for their majestic shapes, evergreen needles the year around which are most attractive in winter when deciduous foliage is non-existent, and as wind breaks.  They usually are planted in attractive rows or clumps, which enhances their beauties and service as wind breaks in suburban areas.   
     Many kinds of birds seek shelter in planted conifers, wherever they may have been placed.  Great horned, long-eared and saw-whet owls have shelter among them during winter days.  One can spot the furry, bony pellets of those owls on the ground under the trees.  Red-tailed hawks, Cooper's hawks, mourning doves and dark-eyed juncos shelter in them during winter nights.  And mourning doves, Cooper's hawks, purple grackles and other kinds of birds nest in them in summer.        
     Some critters, including American goldfinches, pine siskins and two kinds of crossbills down from Canadian forests, and gray squirrels consume the winged seeds from the cones of evergreen trees in suburbs, as well as in the wild.  All these creatures that seek food and cover among the conifers make them more interesting, particularly in winter.
     American beeches, sugar maples and white oaks are symbolic of Lancaster County's remnant woodlands.  Beeches have smooth, gray bark that is unique and nuts that feed rodents, white-tailed deer and wild turkeys.  They retain many of their dead leaves through winter, making them stand out.
     Sugar maples have orange foliage in October and sap that is made into syrup and candy.  White oaks have pale-gray, slightly rough bark and acorns that feed the same animals as stated above in this paragraph.  And these big, beautiful trees have cavities where flying and gray squirrels, chickadees and other animals live the year around.
     These are trees that most represent the major habitats in Lancaster County.  They are all beneficial to people and wildlife.