Frog or Toad?

(Photo credit here.)

This can be a confusing distinction.

When it comes to taxonomy, frogs and toads are of the same order (Anura) but different families. True toads are of the family Bufonidae, while frogs belong to the family Ranidae. Some frogs have "toad" in their common name because they may bear some resemblance to a toad, but there are some distinct physical differences between the two.

Frogs live in wet environments, around water. Because of this, they have smooth, wet (or slimy) skin, and large web-footed back legs for jumping and swimming.

(Pictured: Relict Leopard Frog, via CNAH.)

Toads, on the other hand, live on dry land, so they have dry skin that is rough and "warty." Toads also have stubby back legs more suited for walking.

(Pictured: Great Plains Toad, via CNAH.)

Frogs have teeth, and toads do not. Frogs lay their eggs in clusters in the water, while toads lay eggs in long chains on plants that grow in the water. Some frogs have poison glands, but all toads have poison glands.

The Center for North American Herpitology has recently made available a checklist of all amphibians, reptiles, and turtles in Utah, found here. This checklist contains taxonomic information, photographs, and common names for all of these animals. The checklist will also help to standardize the common names of these animals, to avoid confusion and maintain consistency as taxonomic information changes.

Wild About Utah: Mountain Lion

Hi, I’m Holly Strand from Stokes Nature Center in beautiful Logan Canyon.

One cold dawn in January I glanced out the kitchen window at the snow-covered yard. Something moved and my eyes focused on a large dog-sized animal half hidden and crouched behind some rabbit brush. Funny I thought. I’ve never seen a large dog like that in this neighborhood. I continued to watch the backyard visitor but it was very still and hard to see. I raced upstairs to get a better view from the second floor window. As I reached the window I got a brief glimpse of the animal as it melted away into a large ravine. It was definitely not a dog. Dogs don’t “melt” as a method of locomotion.

Given the size, the color, the time of day, and the way it moved, I’m pretty sure that I saw a mountain lion. In winter our yard is a mountain lion pantry, plentifully stocked with live mule deer steaks browsing on our trees. Undoubtedly that’s what attracted my morning visitor.

The mountain lion, or cougar as it is often called, was once the most widely distributed mammal in the Americas. Nowadays, in the United States, it is now mainly restricted to remote areas in the western part of the country including in Utah. According to the Division of Wildlife Resources, the only place in Utah they’re not found is in the salt flats west of the Great Salt Lake.

Although they are found everywhere in the state, the animals are rarely seen. They are extremely secretive and largely nocturnal. They usually know where you are before you know where they are, so they can easily avoid human contact .

Mountain lion attacks are extremely rare and there have been no deaths from them in Utah. Nevertheless, they can kill people and with wildlife-human confrontations on the increase it’s good to know what to do if you meet one of these big kitties. First of all, don’t run from or turn your back to a mountain lion. Its instinct is to chase running animals. Make yourself look as big as possible by raising your arms up high. Speak loudly and fight back if attacked. If you live near mountains or rocky cliff areas keep a close eye on children and pets especially at dusk and dawn.

Thanks to the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation for supporting the development of this Wild About Utah program.

For Wild About Utah and Stokes Nature Center, I’m Holly Strand.

Credits:

Images: Courtesy USDA and US FWS Digital Library
Text: Holly Strand, Stokes Nature Center

Wild About Utah is a weekly nature series produced by Utah Public Radio in cooperation with Stokes Nature Center and Bridgerland Audubon Society. Archives of the program can be found at www.wildaboututah.org.

Where does your food come from?

Sadly, some would answer this question by spouting off the names of the various grocery stores they support. Many people do not know (and some do not want to know) the source of their food or how it was grown, processed, and packaged.

(Photo Credit: http://www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-film.php)

There is, however, a global movement to debunk this misconception that food comes from the store, and educate consumers about the food that they eat. There are books about this, like "The Omnivore's Dilemma," television shows like "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution," and documentaries, like "FOOD, INC." which was not only nominated for an Academy Award, but recently featured on Oprah with author Michael Pollan.

Tomorrow the Salt Lake Main Library will be showing "FOOD, Inc." at 2:00 pm, and USEE will be there before and after the show with information and sign-ups for some of our food-related programs and events.

This upcoming growing season, we will be starting a few community discussions around one of the Northwest Earth Institute's discussion courses titled "Menu for the Future." This discussion course explores "food systems and their impacts on culture, society and ecological systems" and considers our role in "creating or supporting sustainable food systems."

We also will be having a Green Bag food series. This series will start with a panel discussion on April 13th, featuring local farmers from Morgan Valley Lamb, Bell Organics, Canyon Meadows Ranch, and Heritage Family Farm. (Location to be announced.)

Wild About Utah: Porcupines

We address a prickly topic this week: one of the more intriguing and unusual mammals native to Utah - the porcupine. These shambling, large rodents would be defenseless if not for their dense cover of modified hairs called quills. Porcupines have about thirty thousand quills covering their back and tail. When disturbed, they clack their teeth in warning and raise the long quills on the back to form a random pattern that completely protects them. The quills are not hollow as some people believe. Porcupines do not throw their quills; an attacker must make contact. But once they do, the backward facing microscopic barbs on the greasy quill tips draw the quills into the attacker’s flesh. The short quills on the tail are particularly treacherous. In a split second tail flip, quills can penetrate the body so deeply that they disappear.

Porcupines range throughout Utah in diverse habitats. They are predominately nocturnal. Their diet is vegetarian. In spring they feast on leaf buds of deciduous and conifer trees and succulent ground vegetation. In summer and fall, they nip off the ends of branches to get to the leaves, nuts and fruit. Nipped branches frequently litter the ground under trees where porcupines dine. In winter, they resort to twigs and needles of evergreens and the inner bark of trees. This winter diet is nutrient poor and starvation takes its toll.

Porcupines are perhaps easiest to spot in winter when they may be seen high up in small conifer trees. Their tracks in the snow are distinctive. The foot prints are large and shows the whole foot. The belly usually scuffs in the snow and sometimes you can even detect the side-to-side sweep of the tail. So in these waning days of winter, remember to be watchful for Utah’s prickliest mammalian resident.

This is Linda Kervin for Bridgerland Audubon Society.

Credits:

Photo: US FWS Digital Library
Text: Linda Kervin, Bridgerland Audubon Society

Wild About Utah is a weekly nature series produced by Utah Public Radio in cooperation with Stokes Nature Center and Bridgerland Audubon Society. Archives of the program can be found at www.wildaboututah.org.

National Education Technology Plan Feedback

The US Department of Education is inviting comments on a National Education Technology Plan. The introduction describes a model of 21st century learning that calls for using technology to help built the capacity of educators through “connected teaching.” In such a model, teams of connected educators replace solo practitioners, and classrooms are fully connected to provide educators with 24/7 access to data, analytic tools, and other resources. Of note is the call to postsecondary institutions to partner more closely with K12 and the identification of a set of “grand
challenges” for R&D, seeking integrated solutions.

For more information, check out:

http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010

Have shopping to do at Whole Foods? Wait until Thursday and Support USEE!

Do some shopping to support USEE!
March 18th ONLY.

Whole Foods has selected USEE to be a recipient of their 5% shopping day at the 4th South and Sugarhouse stores. On selected days throughout the year, Whole Foods generously donates 5% of their net sales to a local non-profit organization. USEE is thrilled to be a recipient! Customers can support USEE just by shopping at the 4th South and Sugarhouse stores. While you are there, be sure to stop by and chat with USEE staff and board members (10-5 pm at the 4th South store and 1-5 pm at the Sugarhouse store).

Don't forget, we are also having a special FREE Green Bag on Thursday evening at the 4th South store. The topic is Household Hazardous Waste. A light dinner will be provided, but you must RSVP to ensure there is enough food to go around! RSVP to charice@usee.org today!

Special FREE Green Bag!

Is YOUR House Hazardous? Special FREE Green Bag Lecture
March 18, 2010, 5:30 - 7:00 pm at Whole Foods at 400 South and 700 East in Salt Lake City

Toxic Chemicals setting up shop in your household? Not sure? Learn what qualifies as a household hazardous waste and how to properly dispose of them. Dorothy Adams with Salt Lake Valley Health Department will be presenting a Green Bag Lecture on Thursday evening, March 18 from 5:30 - 7:00 at Whole Foods Market (645 East 400 South), discussing hazardous waste materials that can be found in your home. The talk will focus on buying what you need, using what you have, and purchasing products that contain less toxicity.

Dorothy Adams received her B.S. at University of New Hampshire and her Masters at North Carolina, Chapel Hill she as also ran Salt Lake Valley 's House Hold Hazardous Waste program for 19 years.

Thanks to sponsorship from Whole Foods, this event is FREE, though a donation to USEE is suggested. A light dinner will be provided, so please RSVP to charice@usee.org by Wednesday March 17th to reserve your spot (and ensure there is enough food).

Word Play - Landfill

Marta and I had a meeting recently with an administrator from one of our Member Organizations, Rowland Hall - St Marks Independent School. As we walked in, we noticed the relaxed and comfortable feeling in the school. We also noticed these refuse containers.


Do you see that the last one doesn't say "garbage"? For me, the word landfill rather than garbage invokes a stronger image of where the refuse is actually going. I loved this idea and wonder if it makes students and administrators at the school think more about the final destination of the trash rather than just the can it goes in?

Does just a small change in wording change your thinking?

Earth Matters Blog

The Northwest Earth Institute (NWEI), the organization that writes the books for USEE's Community Discussion Series, has announced their new blog!

It is a great way for Community Discussion participants to stay connected after the group discussions are over, or for interested people to get a better grasp on what the Community Discussion Series is all about.

The EarthMatters Blog is an effort to strengthen the Community Discussion Group community and is "a clearinghouse of news and information for past and future discussion course participants, as well as for those who have yet to discover NWEI and hear its passionate, committed voice! By reading and subscribing to the blog, you will be fully updated on what’s happening at NWEI, as well as have the opportunity to engage with us and other readers by commenting on posts and by submitting your own eco-news item or event! We will communicate any and every NWEI development in support of our mission: Inspiring people to take responsibility for Earth."

Check out the EarthMatters Blog today!

Teaching About Nature

In reviewing the new PLT Early Childhood guide, I came across some great tips we can all remember when teaching children about the outdoors, though they apply for teaching ANY age.

All children will benefit and learn from nature experiences if you:

• Provide a variety of learning opportunities for auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners.
  
• Provide a variety of ways for children to share what they have learned.
• Allow children to touch physical objects.
  
• Provide a variety of books, pictures, and recordings such as bird calls and nature sounds.
  
• Label natural objects in primary and secondary languages.
• Call on all the sense when observing nature.
  

The guide also touches on the following points to keep in mind as YOU adjust your lesson plans, routines and management style outside for very young children (and again, EVERYONE!):

• Embrace the knowledge you have. You know more than you think you do. You know more than enough to explore and discover nature in your neighborhood.
• Model research skills. When you discover something unfamiliar, say "I don't know. Can we answer that question by ourselves or do we need a book?" Find the answers together.
  
• Know your comfort level. If you are nervous about things found in nature, such as spiders, then don't teach about spiders. The children will sense your feelings.
  
• Participate with the children. Be a scientist and record your own observations. Be an artist and sketch along with them.
  
• Rediscover your own sense of wonder. Share your favorite parts of nature and your favorite nature books with the children. Your enthusiasm will spread.
• Go with the flow. Early Childhood classrooms can be unpredictable, but outdoor classrooms are even more so. If maple seeds are falling from the trees today, forget your plan and play with the seeds.
  
• Model care and respect for the natural environment. Touch plants and animals gently. Return animals to places you found them. Carefully replace logs and stones.
  
• Think through safety, logistics, and routines.

"If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he (she) needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him (or her) the joy, excitement and mystery of the world we live in."
- Rachel Carson, A Sense of Wonder.

American Kestrel in my Front Yard

Last Saturday was a beautiful day! The sun was shining brightly and when I went on my run after completing a PLT workshop that afternoon, I was able to go in shorts and a t-shirt. Yes, it was indeed February.

As I was drinking some water, resting, and cooling out on my front porch, a swarm of LBB's (little brown birds) was flying down my street. As they got closer, weaving in and out of houses and around trees, I noticed a larger bird chasing them. Usually this happens in the spring time when the magpies are wreaking havoc on the other neighborhood birds, but this time it was an American Kestrel.

Soon, the Kestrel caught one of the LBB's. It was an amazing and a little disturbing site to watch the Kestrel carry the bird off. The LBB squawked and squealed for about 10 seconds and then it was gone. The Kestrel landed on my neighbor's roof, where it plucked the feathers from the bird and devoured it in less than two minutes.

According to the Utah Department of Wildlife Resources, American Kestrels are common throughout all of Utah. "Nests are made in natural holes in trees, abandoned woodpecker holes, cliffs, and nest-boxes. Usually four or five eggs are laid and incubated, mainly by female, for 29 to 31 days. Young are tended by both parents and leave the nest about 29 to 31 days after hatching. Young may stay with the parents for an additional four weeks or more. If a clutch is lost, a pair will readily lay a replacement clutch. In summer, this hawk feeds mainly on insects, especially grasshoppers and crickets, and small vertebrates. During the winter, its foods are mainly birds and mice. American kestrels often hover while foraging, and are frequently seen using this technique along highways."

Sometimes I think we believe we need to go out deep into the wild mountains or deserts to see these kinds of events and interactions, but even when living in downtown Salt Lake City, there is plenty of nature to see! Sometimes you can find it when you're looking for it, and sometimes it happens right in front of you. We just have to pay attention.

Photo Credit

Non-Profit Day on the Hill

Last Thursday, USEE partnered with the Utah Nonprofits Association, Utah Afterschool Network, and Utah Cultural Alliance to sponsor "Non-Profit Day on the Hill" where 33 non-profit organizations gathered to speak to legislators.

Marta and I represented USEE and even in the craziness of it all, we were able to speak to 7 different senators and representatives. We made some great contacts with many legislators, some of whom were already familiar with USEE, some were not but were interested to learn more, and a few were very excited about cultivating partnerships with us after the legislative session ends.

The event was featured on the Utah Senate Democrats blog. One of the photos features Marta and I talking to Senator Ben McAdams...well it features the back of our heads at least!

Photo Credit

Welcom New USEE Intern

Marta is our newest USEE intern who will be working with us for Spring Semester. She is from the University of Utah and is rock star! She has jumped into this internship with both feet and is doing a phenomenal job getting to know our programs and adding some great insights into the projects she is working on. We are very happy to have her. Welcome Marta!

My name is Marta Nielsen. I am a junior at the University of Utah, studying both Environmental Studies and Urban Planning. I moved to Salt Lake City with my family when I was only five, and have had sagebrush in blood ever since. In my spare time you might find me hiking in Millcreek Canyon, knitting a hat, cooking (read: eating) something delicious, with my nose buried in a good book, or perusing a local thrift store. I also enjoy traveling, and after seeing and falling in love with Germany last October, I am now trying to find a way to go back to Europe. I am very excited to be working with USEE. I love their mission of teaching people how to think, not what to think. I feel that when people are given the skills to think critically, and accurate information, they generally make the right decisions. This is why education, and especially environmental education is so vital, and why USEE is fulfilling such an important role in our state. This is what gets me excited to be working for USEE!

PLT Early Childhood Guides Have Arrived

Project Learning Tree's highly awaited Early Childhood guides arrived at our offices yesterday afternoon! We will be putting together a training session soon, now that we have the books, and we will keep you posted for when we schedule them!

For now, check out what the national PLT office released about the guides:

Just as more attention is being focused on the need to connect students to nature at a younger age, Project Learning Tree® (PLT) releases a new curriculum guide and music CD to engage children ages 3 to 6 in outdoor exploration and play. Eleven field-tested, hands-on activities showcase over 130 "early childhood experiences" which integrate investigations of nature with art, literature, math, music, and movement. Early childhood educators and caregivers can obtain a copy of PLT's Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood curriculum by attending a PLT professional development workshop in their area.

"Exploring nature is a complete sensory experience, and early experiences with the natural world excite children's imaginations and foster their inborn sense of wonder and curiosity-important motivators for lifelong learning," says Kathy McGlauflin, Director of Project Learning Tree and Senior Vice President of Education for the American Forest Foundation, the national sponsor of PLT.

"Increasing environmental literacy is a proven way to encourage scientific inquiry, and PLT's Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood provides an introduction to environmental education at a key developmental period in children's lives," adds McGlauflin.

Since 1993, PLT has provided environmental education training and academic curricula for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten educators to assist in their educational programming with young people. In response to a huge demand for more activities that use developmentally-appropriate approaches for reaching young learners, PLT has created a new early childhood curriculum and produced an accompanying music CD to provide a valuable resource designed specifically for early childhood educators.

"PLT's Early Childhood program encourages young children to learn about the natural world around them using their senses, the seasons, and neighborhood trees," says Al Stenstrup, Director of Education Programs at the American Forest Foundation. "The experiences in PLT's Early Childhood guide encourage children to explore, discover, and communicate in expressive ways. They emphasize outdoor adventure, support children having fun while learning, and utilize each child's imagination and creativity to provide opportunities for learning in groups or as individuals," he says.

The activities highlight the importance of kinetic learning and differentiated instruction, including opportunities to incorporate music and movement using the CD to encourage children to sing and dance. The music selections include instrumentals with different rhythms and cultural connections, nature sounds, classical music, and fun songs with educational lyrics from children's music artist Billy B. Brennan.

PLT's Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood guide includes background information on facilitating experiences for the early childhood learner, how to guide children in learning about nature both indoors and outdoors, and clear objectives and benchmarks to assess learning. It also includes suggestions for activities that families and friends can conduct to enhance their child's learning experiences at home.

PLT's Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood guide has been correlated to national standards for preschool education by three major early childhood accreditation programs. All activities meet the National Association for the Education of Young Children criteria for curriculum, the North American Association for Environmental Education's Early Childhood Environmental Education Guidelines for Excellence, and the Head Start's Child Outcomes Framework.

Educators receive training and PLT's Environmental Experiences for Early Childhood materials by attending a professional development workshop. PLT's 50-state network trains 30,000 PreK-12 educators every year through 1,500 workshops held across the country. Contact information for each PLT state program can be found at www.plt.org, along with additional resources and correlations to academic standards and guidelines.

Wild About Utah: Snowshoe Hare

Hi, I’m Holly Strand from Stokes Nature Center in beautiful Logan Canyon.

The opening of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver brings back fond memories of Utah’s stint as host of the winter games back in 2002. Many Utahans will recall that among Salt Lake’s three Olympics mascots was “Powder,” a playful snowshoe hare.

Powder represented “faster” in Salt Lake’s triumvirate motto of “Citius, Altius, Fortius” (Faster, Higher, Stronger) and the description is apt for the nimble mammal that owes much of its survival to its comically large feet.

Utah State University wildlife biologist Dustin Ranglack says the snowshoe hare’s feet are ideally suited for racing from predators in deep mountain snow. “Snowshoe hares are known as the ‘Snickers bars of the forest’ because they’re a popular treat for a host of carnivores, including coyotes, foxes, lynx, bobcats, bears and birds of prey.”

Ranglack notes that the hare, which he describes as “the cutest bunny rabbit you’ve ever seen,” sports another defensive trait that serves the animal well: its distinctive camouflage coat. In winter, the hare’s soft, fine fur turns white to blend into the snowy terrain. As spring thaws the wintry landscape, the hare’s fur turns brown to help it elude predators.

Coupled with its prolific breeding habits, the snowshoe appears to have a robust arsenal of defenses as it feeds at night following well-worn forest paths to feast on trees, shrubs, grasses and plants. Yet scientists observe that climate change may disrupt photo cycles that keep the color of hares’ fur in sync with its surrounding landscape. A white hare may end up sitting on brown earth in full view of ravenous predators, upsetting the delicate balance of advantage.

“The hares are fast, yes, but their best mechanism of defense is camouflage,” Ranglack says.

For Wild About Utah and Stokes Nature Center, I’m Holly Strand.

Credits:

Text: Mary-Ann Muffoletto, Holly Strand, Stokes Nature Center

Wild About Utah is a weekly nature series produced by Utah Public Radio in cooperation with Stokes Nature Center and Bridgerland Audubon Society. Archives of the program can be found at www.wildaboututah.org.