Running head: RECREATIONAL MAPPING OF TREES
Recreational Mapping of Trees
Which Direction Should We Go?
Figure1. Path on one of the Camp Hunt trails by W. Parrish, 2012.
Spring 2013
Wendy Parrish
BIS 4800 Capstone Project
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Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Beginning of My Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Soil Erosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Forestry Trails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Trail Marker 1: Quaking Aspens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Trail Marker 2: Red Osier Dogwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Trail Marker 3: Golden Willow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Trail Marker 4: Elderberries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Trail Marker 5: Colorado blue spruce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Trail Marker 6: American elm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Trail Marker 7: Big tooth maple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Trail Marker 8: Utah serviceberry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Trail Marker 9: Wild rose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Trail Marker 10: Utah Juniper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Trail Marker 11: Coyote Willow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Trail Marker 12: Cottonless cottonwood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Trail Marker 13: Water birch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Trail Marker 14: Black willow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Trail Marker 15: Narrow leaf cottonwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
RECREATIONAL MAPPING OF TREES
Table 1: pH soil levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Appendix A: Camp Hunt Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Appendix B: Camp Hunt Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Appendix C: Forestry Merit Badge Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Appendix D: Soil & Water Conservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Appendix E: Environmental Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Appendix F: Youth Protection Training Certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Appendix G: Service Project Sign Up Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Appendix H: Journal Entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Appendix I: BIS Service-Learning Time Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Appendix J: Letter of Recommendation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Appendix K: Pamphlet for Trail Markers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
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Introduction and Goals
The goals of this project were to give information to forestry students useful to earn their
badge related to complex relationships between forest environment and their recreational and
health aspects. These goals would include nutrients provided by these trees, how trees alter their
world’s environment, their health effects on human beings and how they provide leisure benefits.
These goals will also be related to soil environments.
Through reading this paper you should have a better understanding of how trees marked by
markers help to characterize their environmental significance. Placing markers by certain trees
will benefit the general public, including the boy scouts and their leaders.
Beginning of My Plan
When I transferred to the Bachelor of Integrated Studies department, I had no idea what I
was going to do for my capstone project so I could graduate. I knew I wanted to do something
incorporating soil and water. I thoroughly enjoy soil and water, thanks to not only my father who
taught soil classes at the University of Fairbanks in Fairbanks, Alaska before his passing but also
two of my Geo Science Professors Dr. Marek Matyjasik and Dr. Jeffrey Eaton, as well. When
pondering for several weeks on what I wanted to accomplish, I concluded that I wanted to do a
Service-Learning Project.
I considered how to fit my three minors geology, health promotion and recreation into this
project. The last class I was doing was Methods for Health Promotion and
Sedimentary/Stratigraphic for Geo Science. I remember how much work went into my Methods
class for Health Promotion taught by Dr. Michael Olpin, and realized I would enjoy teaching
some younger middle school teens or possibly even adults. I also had just finished learning about
sedimentation and stratigraphy on minerals, rocks, and fossils. This class was fascinating,
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especially when talking about the weather factors. I knew I needed to complete my service
project by Summer Semester of 2012 so I could graduate during Spring Semester 2013, which
meant I had to narrow down which organization and what project I would do.
When numerous different faculty members and professors suggested going to a camp, I was
astounded. This involved calling different organizations and camp sites, as well as perseverance
and patience. The excitement came when I had officially been invited to help create a trail with
markers for the Boy Scouts to effectively complete their Forestry Merit Badge with no less than
15 trees, the first in its district. This took place at Camp Hunt in Garden City, Utah, better known
as Bear Lake.
Just for clarification, this Boy Scout district covers Utah and parts of Idaho, and that is why
the trail was an honor to have completed. After spending almost all summer at this camp, I can
attest to the number of visitors and the great impressions they had with the camp site.
When Jeff Merkley, the Nature Supervisor, and I walked through the camp to decide on
which trees we both wanted to put on the trail, I asked several questions as I took into
consideration the location of each tree we wanted to mark. Questions such as were there other
trees in the camp which we could relate back to when doing other merit badges or tours? Was
that tree in a good location? Also, would the trail be harder to observe if the weather changed?
These were all questions I had to think about when taking into consideration the mapping of the
trail.
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Another major question I felt important to ask and consider was if the trails would go into
any camp sites or through any dangerous areas. This question was very important when
considering what effect this could have on everyone that worked at and visited the camp.
We spent at least a week and a half answering these questions. Then there was the question
of what type of marker I would use to complete the project. The decision was made by the camp
director that the camp’s maintenance supervisor would make the markers to alleviate any
liability factors or safety issues. Jeff and I tried several times to come up with how we would
utilize a pamphlet into the learning process for the boys as well as any other organizations that
might be interested in completing the Forestry merit badge.
Together we tried numerous ways to produce our pamphlet: with pictures of the tree, with
two folds so it would read like a pamphlet, having two or three pages and inputting more
information on each tree. To insert pictures with the information would take up more than a
page, the same with adding more information and the director and nature supervisor did not like
the length. Due to weather factors at the camp and the boys taking this information around with
them to complete their project, both Jeff and I decided to create a one page laminated pamphlet.
The process I went through with planning and evaluating was well worth the outcome of my
final project.
Soil Erosion
Soil erosion is defined as, “the removal of regolith material” (Nichols, 2009, p. 93). Another
way to define soil erosion could be through the soil being washed away from weather processes
like water. This erosion is affected not only by water but those people, and animals that might
travel on that path where this erosion has even remotely taken place.
RECREATIONAL MAPPING OF TREES
Soil erosion can also be from natural causes like earthquakes, wind damage, and other
disasters (Nichols, 2009, p. 90-93).
When talking about soil erosion we could include the pollution which is transported
downstream by processes of surface runoff. To explain this better, I will use a class I taught and
the experiments we did. When teaching a class up at Camp Hunt for Environmental Science, I
had the students do an experiment using the lake water. This was an interesting concept for the
students to experience and learn how polluted the lake water was.
I first put students into four groups and gave each group a chart which had different colors on
it and some beads to put on the chart. Each group was also given a plastic container to collect
water at different locations down on the shoreline. When the students who collected the water
samples got back up to their group; they looked at what was collected in their containers. The
students then put the beads on their graphs by coordinating the bead’s colors to objects found in
their lake water samples with the various colors on their graphs.
They found oil in the lake which was probably from jet skis and boats primarily used for
recreational purposes. There was also fertilizer which was probably a result from the beach front
land property being mowed on a regular basis and carried down through the soil from watering
the grass. As you can see there are many processes that affect our soil and are either positive for
our trees to grow or have a negative impact from groundwater. Also, the different types of
pollution that are transported from weather down into the streams and lakes affect the soil.
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Figure 2. Stream with moss growing close to Yuma campsite by W. Parrish, 2012.
This picture above (see Figure 2), is located from the North Entrance, on the left side by the
garbage dump and the Yuma campsite (see Appendix A). This was an area where the boys liked
to throw twigs, mud and other garbage. When taking one of my Environmental Science morning
classes on a field trip to do hands-on learning about water pollution, this site (see Figure 2 and
Appendix A) is where I would stop. About mid-way through me teaching the class, most all the
boys had started to clean up the stream and the bed surrounding the stream. This was a great
teaching moment to witness the impact the information I gave the scouts had on them.
Forestry Trail
Trees are so interesting to learn about once you get started, and they help us understand a lot
about the type of soil which they grow in. Have you ever wondered why some trees are meant
for certain areas? The type of tree and the soil it needs depends on the area to achieve optimal
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survival and growth. There are fifteen trees which I will discuss, as well as answer the majority
of these questions.
I have included in this report Camp Hunt’s map with the trail showing in darker pencil plus
our class schedule: Forestry Merit Badge, Soil and Water Conservation and Environmental
Science (see Appendices A and B).This schedule shows the days, times and length of each class
which was offered and taught at Camp Hunt each week. Also included are the requirements to
complete the Forestry Merit Badge class as well as the contents which are in the Boy Scouts
Forestry manual (see Appendix C).
There were several requirements I needed to do so I could complete my project at camp, one
of those being the Youth Protection Training (see Appendix F). My journal entries are also
attached at the back of this report (see Appendix H). There are a few other attachments: Camp
Hunt Service Project Sign Up Sheet (See Appendix G), Pamphlet for Trail Markers (see
Appendix K), Recommendation letter (see Appendix J), Soil and Water Conservation Merit
Badge Requirements (see Appendix D) and Environmental Science Merit Badge Requirements
(see Appendix E).
Trail Marker 1: Quaking Aspens
Quaking Aspens are widely used for landscaping and are valued for their white bark (see
Figure 3). The aspens have aggressive roots, and for this reason they are not good around
structures because they take over that particular landscape, and it becomes difficult to fix the
problem of their roots taking over the ground they grow on.
This tree provides good visual screening and noise abatement in addition to being a good
firebreak due to the vast amount of water they take in. The Quaking Aspen plays a significant
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role in protecting against soil erosion and allows for more ground water recharge. The ground
water recharge is the recycling of water which happens between the basin and the bedrock.
This tree provides food for all sorts of wildlife in several different forms: bark, buds, new
sprouts, and twigs from the tops of fallen or logged trees, as well as dropped leaves. The
flattened petioles are outgrowths, between the leaf and the stem and cause the leaves to quake in
the slightest breeze. This is how the Quaking Aspen got its name; their leaves quake with even
the tiniest wind.
Figure 3. Quaking Aspen Trees by W. Parrish, 2012.
Native Americans used this populous bark as a food source. They cut the inner bark into
strips, dried and ground it into their meal to be mixed with starches for bread and mush
(U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, 2008).
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Trail Marker 2: Red Osier Dogwood
Red Osier Dogwood is a conservative windbreak with medium to tall shrub for farmsteads
but no doubt a highway beautification. The Red Osier Dogwood (see Figure 4), is used in cancer
therapy to treat fevers, sore mouths and as a teeth cleaning stick.
Figure 4. Red Osier Dogwood tree with Quaking Aspen trees behind by W. Parrish, 2012.
The Red Osier Dogwood is also used to hide banks along the streams as well as provide
shade, which is probably why it grows best in moist areas. The Red Osier Dogwood is also on
the left side of the Quaking Aspens at Camp Hunt.
Trail Marker 3: Golden Willow
The Golden Willow is such a magnificent tree. This tree usually grows best in soil by
streambeds and wetlands. It has adaptability to pH soil levels from 5.5 to 8.0 (See Appendix L).
The one thing that is problematic with this tree is the mess from the constant twig droppings (see
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Figure 5). You can identify the tree by its yellow bud colors. The leaf dimensions are up to four
inches long but no greater than two inches wide.
The leaf color is bright green on top and silvery below. As new growth occurs this tree
changes from yellow to orange in color, thus reflecting its name.
Figure 5. Golden Willow tree showing twig droppings by W. Parrish, 2012.
Trail Marker 4: Elderberries
Elderberries are native around the Bear Lake area as well as other areas in Utah. This tree
has white flowers with five petals which are flat, and between each of these are five male
parts to the petal. Thinking of how cold it can get out in the wild, this tree is a delicious
treatment for the flu. The way the remedy works is the antioxidants in the berries attach to
cells which will shorten the severity and duration of the flu.
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This shrub was a favorite of all those that visited our camp site, as the berries were always
being picked and eaten. One problem to consider when picking the elderberries is where they are
located. This is important because they could have gotten contaminated on a path which is
walked through quite a bit, which is one reason to stay on the trails.
Trail Marker 5: Colorado Blue Spruce
The Colorado Blue Spruce is a wonderful nesting site for birds. This tree is great for field
wind breaks. These field wind breaks are trees which are linear to protect wind sensitive crops in
the open fields from wind damage as well as wind erosion.
Figure 6. You can see the blue in this Colorado blue spruce by W. Parrish, 2012.
This is the Utah State tree. It is also the tree we generally cut down for Christmas trees
around the state of Utah. Maybe that is why there is so many of them around the state.
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The Colorado blue spruce is used for firewood but one problem that you might have with
using this tree for firewood is the wood burns too fast. This leaves you filling the wood burning
stove a lot of times to keep warm.
Trail Marker 6: American elm
The American elm was once America’s dominant tree. Here are some ways in which you can
identify it. This tree has simple leaves with teeth-like edges. They are usually one to five inches
long and the leaves turn yellow in the fall. The upper part of the leaf is rough like sandpaper and
the bottom is generally smooth. The trunk can be four feet wide, and the trees can reach up to
one-hundred feet tall.
The American elm’s bark is light gray with deep furrows (see figure 7) or narrow
depressions. These deep furrows are very definitive lines which are in the trunk and are visible
when you get close enough to see the tree. The small greenish flowers are organized in clusters
on their stems with fruits that are about a half inch long, rounded and flat (Little, E. L., 1980).
Figure 7. Visibly deep furrows (white streaks at bottom of trunk) by W. Parrish, 2012.
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The seeds of these fruits are called samaras and have cavity dwellers and hairy edges. These
seeds are moved by wind and water which is how they get planted and grow in other areas
farther down from the original area. This tree is a good food source and nesting site for wildlife
like woodpeckers, squirrels, chickadees and raccoons (Fairfax County Public School, 2012.)
Even though the American elm is a wonderful food source for wildlife, this tree can become
diseased. One of these diseases is Dutch elm disease which is a fungal disease transmitted by
bark beetles. Thankfully, there are no visible bark beetles on the only American Elm located in
the north parking lot at Camp Hunt in Garden City, Utah.
Trail Marker 7: Bigtooth Maple
Bigtooth Maple trees usually produce flowers every two to three years. The flowers are
small, yellowish and can be found in clusters in early spring. This tree is a Utah native with large
leaves that turn beautiful colors in the fall.
Figure 8. Bigtooth Maple (Acer grandidentatum).Adapted from “rootcellar.us,” by S. Bray, 2013.
Maple trees need a good amount of water and are shade tolerant. However, these trees are
intolerant to prolonged flooding which can cause soil erosion, as well as saline which refers to
the salt content in the soil, or alkaline soils which have a pH greater than 7.0. When it rained up
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at the camp, the Bigtooth Maple tree would accumulate water around the area where the tree was
located. This tree is abundant in moist mountain sites, canyon bottoms and draws. A draw is part
of a terrain feature which is formed by two parallel ridges that have low ground in between them.
Another way to think about this is to take your hand and make a fist. Your knuckles at the top are
your ridges and the draw is the lines in between your fingers closer to the bottom.
There are many ways to identify this tree but the most common is by their leaves. Each leaf
has three to five lobes that fan out from the point of attachment to the leaf stalk (see Figure 8).
You can use the maple tree for ground cover as it provides shade for livestock and recreation
areas. This might be why you see several of them in this camp area.
The great thing about the Bigtooth Maple tree is its many uses. Birds and small mammals use
the maple tree for a food source. People use this tree for a source of sugar and maple syrup.
Another way to identify the Bigtooth Maple is by the shedding of leaves which account for most
of the beautiful yellow, orange and red coloration of our canyons that we observe in early fall.
Trail Marker 8: Utah Serviceberry
Utah Serviceberry can be seen as a large shrub that is clustered together. This is a great
edible tree, as most of the patrons that visited this camp found out (see Figure 9, see also
Appendix A). When eating the serviceberries they are juicy, sweet and palatable.
Utah serviceberries are a reddish-purple in color. The scientific name for Utah Serviceberry
is Amelanchier utahensis. This small tree is great in cool seasons because it does not need much
moisture.
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Figure 9. Utah Serviceberry by Goshute campsite by W. Parrish, 2012.
The shrub’s average height at maturity is approximately fifteen feet. Individual stems grow
to be five to six inches in diameter. The way you can identify this tree is by its flowers. The
flowers are white with petals in small clusters that bloom in early spring, usually from April until
June. The fruit, or seeds, are formed in small apple-like pomes. Pomes are apple-like in shape
with a middle core that contains seeds. The Utah Serviceberry is more common in arid areas like
rocky canyons at about 3,000 to 9,000 feet in elevation. At Camp Hunt in Garden City, Utah the
elevation is at 5,968 feet.
This tree tolerates drought well once it is mature, so taking care not to disrupt the growing
process is important. The best soils for growth is in coarse to medium well-drained soils (see
Figure 9 on bottom of left side). A problem with this tree or shrub is that it is not salt-tolerant
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and if you are in an area where you have an abundance of salt, like around the Great Salt Lake, it
might not reach the maximum height.
Trail Marker 9: Wild Rose
The Wild Rose is another native tree to Utah. This tree has thorns which can prick the
body part which it touches (see Figure 10).
Figure 10. Wild Rose (Rosaceae).Adapted from “rootcellar.us,” by S. Bray, 2013.
Dried petals were stored for perfume and Europeans utilized hips (which are the seeds from
the roses), as a source for Vitamin A and Vitamin C (Utah State University, 2002).The Wild
Rose has good survivability and revegetation and can grow to be two to five feet tall shrubs and
sometimes taller if planted in the optimum climate and area.
Trail Marker 10: Utah Juniper
Utah juniper reproduces by the seeds. The scientific name for the Utah juniper is Juniperus
osteosperma and is a perennial tree, which means it blooms every year. The root system allows
this tree to vigorously compete for moisture, which it can’t seem to get enough of. This tree has a
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long life and can live up to six hundred and fifty years. When you look for this tree, it has a
distinctive feature, the shape of a U, which is eye-catching to one’s vision (see Figure 11).
Some identifying marks of this tree are seen in the stems and leaves. The stem’s bark is gray
or reddish fibers and shreds into long strips. This is a soft wood and light in weight. It produces
berry cones which are eaten by jackrabbits, foxes and coyotes. This tree is also a food source for
many bird species as well as mule deer in winter when foliage is scarce. Nearly one-fifth of the
land area in Utah is covered by Utah Junipers (Little, 1980).
Figure 11. Notice the U-shape in this Utah Juniper by W. Parrish, 2012.
Utah junipers grow on alluvial fans, which are fan-shaped deposits of transported water
material, and also found on dry rocky hillsides with shallow alkaline soils (see Figure 11). In this
figure you can see that the ground is pretty dry. The trees have sensitivity to sodium and are
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found on gravelly clam loams with a pH range of 7.4 to 8.0 (see Table 1). Clam loams are a type
of rich soil mixture with sand, clay and decaying organic materials.
Did you know that we get pencils from this tree? When you observe the Utah Juniper up
close you can understand how this is possible. We also use this particular tree for construction
and fence posts. This wood is highly resistant to decay which makes it so great for these
resources.
Trail Marker 11: Coyote Willows
A child-like use of the Coyote Willows (see Figure 12), is a whistle. You take them and put
the leaf between your two thumbs, pulling the leaf tight with some parts showing and then blow.
It sounds like a duck call, someone whistling with their fingers in their mouth, a bicycle horn and
a squawking noise, all of which is dependent on the individual person.
The scientific name for Coyote Willows is Salix exigua. An interesting fact about this tree is
that it reproduces by seed and rhizomes (forming clones) (Little, 1980).
The other way it reproduces is by broken pieces, stems and roots that get transported and
deposited by flood waters. This process starts a new shrub. The leaves are long, narrow and
tapered on both ends with short petioles. The stems or twigs are hairy and greenish in color with
slender, round barks that loosen easily. This tree also forms thickets with its long slender stems
and are seldom greater than fifteen feet high (Little, 1980).
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Figure 12. Coyote Willows along the path to the lake by W. Parrish, 2012.
This willow has a wide range of soil textures on which it can grow. The Coyote Willow can
survive on sites that regularly flood. Stands of sandbar willows should be maintained because
they help stabilize stream banks and protect from erosion. This is one problem the State of
Louisiana encountered with extreme flooding and the removal of all the Coyote Willows: there
was no help in protecting erosion from happening along river banks.
Trail Marker 12: Cottonless Cottonwood
The Cottonless Cottonwood is fast growing but not messy like most cottonwood trees.
This tree is made of softwood. It has an upright habit and is good for property lines because it
provides a wind break as well as growing in straight lines. The name means no cotton mess but
has all the good qualities.
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Figure 13. Cottonless cottonwood trees by the boys tents by W. Parrish, 2012.
It is however, a major problem for many allergy sufferers who visit this particular site.
Cottonless cottonwoods can grow fifty to sixty feet high by forty feet wide (Landmark
Landscapes, 2011). The scientific name for this tree is Populous deltoids.
Trail Marker13: Water Birch
Water Birch has sticky leaves and is generally around water, even if only a small amount.
This tree is found along stream sides and in mountain valleys and canyons at around 5,000 to
9,500 feet in elevation. This tree is associated with alder, cottonwoods and willows (Landmark
Landscapes, 2011).
Water Birch can withstand repeated floods, due in part to the amount of water it absorbs. The
tree in figure 14 has soil erosion going on from roots showing. The Water birch flowers in May
and June each year. The stems and twigs are slightly rough and have green sticky leaves as I felt
on this particular tree at camp (see Figure 14).
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Figure 14. Water Birch tree by W. Parrish, 2012.
The leaves are one to two inches long, and three-fourths of an inch wide which are finely
toothed. They can also be double toothed. The bark is a distinctive reddish-brown with white
horizontal marks or, dull, dark, dusty gray and has a smooth feel (see Figure 14). The
pronounced long horizontal chalky-white streaks are known as lenticels, and are breathing pores
for the bark (Wier, 2011). The scientific name for the Water Birch is Betula occidentalis.
Trail Marker 14: Black Willows
Black Willows can grow up to one-hundred feet and have multiple trunks with many
branches coming from each other. This tree is found along streams where they can get sun. The
Black Willow is a great shade tree and at camp is next to where the boys, their leaders and staff
do their pioneering merit badges. The tree hangs over the trail and is a great escape from the
heat, which you get in the day at Bear Lake in Garden City, Utah (see Figure 15).
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This particular tree is used along shores to stop erosion and also assists with eliminating
pollution in the subsurface soils due to the great amount of water it suctions up into the roots.
Nutrients running off from farm fields are soaked up by the roots before they can enter the main
water flow. The seeds are spread either by wind or water. This is a good pioneer plant and is the
first to take over a field (U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2008).
The Black Willow supplies cover for many birds, small mammals, and insects. The
leaves are eaten by caterpillars of many species of butterflies and moths. It is a food source for
rabbits, rodents, white-tailed deer and beaver which eat bark, stem and twigs from the tree.
Figure 15. Notice the Black widow spider shape in tree by W. Parrish, 2012.
The nectar is consumed by bees, butterflies and other insects which help to pollinate the
leaves. Black willow leaves are narrow, long and skinny and have very fine teeth. They are shiny
green on top, and are pale green below. The leaves usually grow three to five inches long. The
bark is dark brown or black with ridges. The Black Willow has flowers on the stems which are
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called catkins. These are yellow and are one to three inches long. The fruit is in small capsules
and has tiny, hairy green seeds (Fairfax County Public Schools, 2012). Black Willows are often
found near the American elm. At Camp Hunt, the Black willow tree is located down the trail to
Handicraft and is just down the path from the American elm which is located across from the
Hawks Lodge in the North Parking Lot (see Appendix A). People have many uses for this tree
including lumber, furniture, cabinets, doors, boxes, barrels and toys.
Trail Marker 15: Narrow Leaf Cottonwood
The Narrow Leaf Cottonwood is known as a fast growing ornamental tree in the western
United States cities. This native tree grows 49-65 feet tall (Landmark Landscapes, 2011). Narrow
leaf cottonwood has single-stemmed leaves with slender upright branches.
The bark ranges from yellowish-green to grayish-brown. There are a few problems with the
Narrow Leaf Cottonwood tree. One problem is that the wood is susceptible to decay which
makes this tree hard to sustain its life.
On the positive side, this tree is useful for stabilizing the soil when used in projects to keep
soil erosion from happening. Where this tree is located in camp, it is planted on a terrace which
helps to protect the soil. Terraces are useful to aid in prevention of soil erosion. A terrace is a
slanted piece of land or a raised level surface.
There are several uses for this tree, one of which is its use by beavers. They cut all sizes of
cottonwood to build and maintain lodges and dams. This tree was great for use in farmlands.
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26
Figure 16. Narrow leaf cottonwood trees in front of the chapel by W. Parrish, 2012.
The cottonwood species was early encountered in 1805 by the Lewis and Clark expedition
when they noticed horses would not eat the Narrow leaf cottonwood due to how hard the bark
was. This made a great farmland tree as it would not replenish very quickly because it was not
well liked for a food source from most animals (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, 2008).
Conclusion
As you have read there are many uses and advantages as well as some problems with
various trees. We learned that the Utah Serviceberries are edible and provide nutrients that help
protect our immune system. Also edible is the Big Tooth Maple which provides a natural sugar.
We learned that there are many types of animals which find nutrition from the bark, twigs, or
leaves of several trees. When thinking of your individual health you might want to know where
to go for shade like the Black willow or Golden willow to escape heat and weather. Without trees
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we would not have the resources that benefit humankind like construction of fences to keep
people from possible dangers or pencils for writing.
We have learned how to identify some various trees. For example, we know that all the
willows are long and narrow as well as messy. We know that the light blue color we see in one
tree is that of the Colorado blue spruce. We have learned how trees are dependent on different
types of soil and how some help with aiding in the prevention of soil erosion. Trees do benefit
our environment, as you learned with the removal of coyote willows where we had flooding.
There are trees that help prevent pollution, that give us our oxygen to breathe, are a resting place
for us, and give nutrients to the ecosystem through the types of soil. By placing markers
alongside the trees and producing a pamphlet to go with them, the boys gained a better
appreciation not only for trees but the environment around them. Through my observations, I
was able to assist the teachers for the Forestry Merit Badge class to make better use of the
markers and pamphlets and improve the learning for the boys who took this class. I knew my
goal had been reached because of the positive feedback from leaders and boys who used the
pamphlets and markers to complete their merit badge at Camp Hunt.
The process from planning, developing, implementing, and completing my project as well as
evaluating were great to experience. I know that this process is used with many different fields
and jobs I will encounter with my professional career.
Acknowledgements
The key to success with any organization is to always communicate what you are doing,
what you need from the people as well as to actively listen to what they need from you. There is
always a correlation between the input and outcome no matter what the subject matter is. Being
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given this opportunity has been well rewarding for me personally and academically. Personally, I
have gained lasting friendships which I might not have had the chance to.
Academically, this experience has taught me that I can and did remember quite a bit from
my classes. There are so many people who have been a part of this project and supported me. I
feel such gratitude to all my professors, staff I got the chance to work with, the camp director
Erik Merkley, the authors who wrote the material I used, as well as friends and family. Geo
Science, Health Promotion and Recreation are all tied together as you have just read about. To do
field work takes mind, body and spirit, all connected to achieve at your greatest.
Thanks so much to Dr. Marek Matyjasik, Dr. Michael Olpin, and Dr. Brian Lyons for
your continued support with this project, my academic success and all the time you spent reading
my paper, giving feedback and meeting with me. Also, thanks to Beth the Bachelor of Integrated
Studies secretary for her support in setting up meetings with Marie, Michael and former staff
member, Kathleen Sitzman. You are all great examples which I value and am honored to have
been able to attend numerous classes you taught. I would also like to thank Marie Clayton who
dedicated her time meeting and corresponding with me as well as my friend and coworker MJ,
and Derek, Joni, and Tess from the Writing Center who helped me grammatically. A special
thanks to my beautiful daughter Heather Parrish, for her patience with me while I was attending
school.
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29
References
Fairfax County Public Schools (2012). Retrieved from
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/American-elm.htm
Landmark Landscapes (2011). Deciduous Trees. Retrieved from
http://landmarklandscapes.us/plants-database/deciduous-trees.htm
Little, E. L., (1980). National Audubon Society Field Guide to Trees, Western Region.
(Westminister: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group)
Nichols, G. (2009). Sedimentology and Stratigraphy (2nd ed.). (Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell)
United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (2008).
Retrieved from http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_poan3.pdf
Utah serviceberry. (2002). Unpublished raw data, USU EXTENSION, Utah State University,
Logan, UT, , Available from Range Plants of Utah.
Utah State University, Range Plants of Utah. (2002). Retrieved from
http://extension.usu.edu/range/woody/wildrose.htm
Wier, S. K. (2011). River Birch or Water Birch. Retrieved from
http://www.westernexplorers.us/WaterBirch.pdf
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Appendix A
Camp Hunt Map
Highlighted is the Forestry Trail Starting at the Parade Grounds
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Appendix B
Camp Hunt Schedule
Merit Badge Schedule With Classes,Times and Days
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Appendix C
Forestry Merit Badge Requirements
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36
FORESTRY 5
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Appendix D
Soil and Water Conservation Merit Badge Requirements
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Appendix E
Environmental Science Merit Badge Requirements
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Appendix F
Youth Protection Training Certificate
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Appendix G
Camp Hunt Service Project Sign Up Sheet
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Appendix H
Journal Entries
Friday, June 29, 2012
I got to the camp around 6:30 p.m. I waited to see where I was going to sleep and then to
receive my room key. I wasn’t sure if I was even going to stay because all the staff had to leave
on Saturday, June 30th until July 3rd. The reason we all had to leave camp for about a week was
because there would be no leaders to stay for the minor staff and the cooks would be gone for the
beginning of the work week also. On July 3rd we have a group of young teens and their leaders
coming to the camp for about 4 days so we need to be back to staff this event.
The roommate I will be rooming with is Nikki and she is from North Ogden. Nikki just
recently graduated from University of Utah with an Environmental Engineering degree in
Hydrology. Nikki is on the Water Front Team and loves to swim and helped the camp set up
their High Adventure few years ago. She is very knowledgeable when it comes to this field.
My room was beneath the lodge in a room that had two rooms in it with 4 beds and
enough room for one more if needed. There were four girls total consisting of myself, Nikki,
Jessica the cook, and Rachelle the camp nurse. I set up my bedding as this was not provided and
unpacked my clothing and several resource books I brought along in case needed them for
teaching or reference to my project. I waited for the Camp Director, Erik to give me my room
key and which room I was to sleep in. I then went and set up my bedding on the twin bed so I
could be prepared for the next few months to be productive. After I brought all my belongings
down to my room and set up my bed I unpacked a jacket and headed upstairs where I proceeded
to the lake and path that went around the camp so I could take pictures and observe more from
my initial first visit a few months ago.
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Saturday, June 30, 2012
First thing in the morning I went upstairs and had some breakfast at 7:00 a.m. I then
helped with wiping the tables and spraying some of the dishes. I packed up some of my
belongings to go and stay at our cabin we have up at Bear Lake in Garden City, Utah close to
where the camp is.
I visited with Jeff, the Nature Counselor Supervisor and it was agreed upon that we
would work on deciding which trees to use for our trail and which direction we should go
starting on Tuesday, July 3rd when most of the staff had to be back to help out while the girls
were having their camp week. Jeff then took me to the Handicraft area where the nature area
shared part of the pavilion, so I could look over and see where all the teaching materials were
kept. I would be starting to teach Soil and Water Conservation as well as assist Johnny with
teaching the Forest Merit Badge class.
This was a short day due to the time frame of when I arrived up at Camp Hunt which
almost borders Utah and Idaho. The camp is along the shoreline to the north of when you come
down Logan Canyon. I will now be going to stay at our cabin without a vehicle until Tuesday
night around 5:30 p.m. I thought of how I could and would want to make the markers for the
forestry trail so I could get ahead start before we came back.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
I came to Camp Hunt to accomplish a lot to not only help out this organization but also to
help complete some of my classes which I already started. My thoughts on all this are to be
unknown as I have had a lot of trials already. One of these trials has to do with the compilation
and preparation of my capstone project. I seemed to keep helping with all the busy work and not
so much on working on the project which I came up to Camp Hunt to do originally. As of right
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now I’m not sure of what to think about my project. It feels like it was not really a necessary
thing to have. I started to think of how I could produce the markers for the fifteen trees we will
be making.
When talking with Jefferson I let him know that it would not be a good idea to trace
through camp sites and classes that were being offered at camp. I reminded Jeff that it would not
be beneficial to cut threw camp sites especially because it took away from the “Leave No Trace
Behind trail and teachers/counselors I am going to still keep pursuing the project I want to do so
I can complete what I came to Camp Hunt to do. I’m going to keep pursuing the project I
decided to do so I can complete what I came to Camp Hunt for.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
I walked through the camp again to familiarize myself with the trails a lot more and get to
know which areas for the trail would and would not be good to use. I started to mark on a map
which direction the trail should go. I talked with Jeff, the Nature Supervisor about what I have
had in mind and he then gave me his input. I was not able to work much on this as had a large
group in our camp site for three days so my attention was diverted towards making sure the
ladies were safe, happy, familiarized with the camp and anything else which they might need.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Today I worked on my capstone project at Camp Hunt. This week has been hard because
of the negativity I have been given despite my efforts. I am glad to have will-power to keep
going against the animosity of others who are taking my service for granted and saying harsh
words to me. I spent a lot of time in the lodge on my daughter’s notebook doing research on the
various trees and on Bear Lake itself. There was quite a bit of information I was able to find for
my project on each tree which Jefferson and I were thinking of using. Later that day I visited
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again with Jefferson and we decided on which way we wanted the trail to go and which trees we
were going to use. I was happy to have this narrowed down so I could complete my project.
From the research I found I started to write down several pieces of information to use on
our pamphlet. I then shared my findings with Jefferson who changed the information he wanted
to use two to three times. He also communicated to me how he wanted the pamphlet to read.
Jefferson and I went again on the trail and made a final decision on where we wanted the trail
marker to start and where we wanted it to end. Jefferson suggested to me that we start the first
trail marker by the parade grounds because this is where the Forestry class is taught and would
be a good starting point. I agreed with him and we both decided to end it back around the same
spot to finish off the class lesson. This was inspiring to have accomplished so much and have all
the research completed.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Today I helped the ladies that came to visit our camp to pack up and they left by around
12:00 p.m. This was a later day for us to be able to have our free time until Sunday night. We
cleaned up the camp which took us about another hour to finish picking up all the tiny pieces left
behind, empty trash from around the camp, throw away all the cigarette butts the gentleman that
visited left behind, and put new trash liners in the metal garbage cans.
I talked with Dave, our camps maintenance man about the markers and what kind of paint
he would like for me to use on the markers. Dave said he would purchase the paint for me, which
I generously offered to pay him back for, since I wanted to donate the funds for the material
which I would be using. I ate lunch and after lunch decided to start spray painting. I painted the
bottoms green which the stakes where made from rebar, and the square metal tops I painted
yellow. I allowed the markers to dry for about a half hour and then added the numbers onto the
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yellow tops. Dave had me use vinyl letters for the numbering of each marker which the camp
uses to label their waterfront equipment with.
The time had come for me to pound each marker into the ground by the correct tree we
were going to use. I gathered the trail markers up with the assistance from willing staff members.
One of the guys on our staff decided he would be better to pound them in instead of myself and
another did not want me to get pinched fingers so he decided to hold the marker while the other
staked it down into the ground. I started my project at 12:30 pm and finished at a little after 8:30
p.m., when it was almost dark out. When all this was done, it was time to relax for the night.
Overall, this was so great to have this part of my project behind me. I knew that different
organizations, staff, and lots of others whom might visit the camp would benefit from the hard
work that I put into this with the assistance from several other staff members. Thanks to all those
who helped to make this a success.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Today is a very hot day at around 101 degrees. The camp had three visitors from council
men from the main office for Trapper Trails/Boy Scouts of America. They were looking for Erik,
our Camp Director who had gone into Logan to buy supplies and do some other errands with his
family. I was first introduced to Kevin as I met him while sitting outside at the top of the lodge
deck while taking a break. I asked the councilmen if they would like to have a tour of the forestry
trail markers I had just completed over the weekend. They agreed and after done taking those on
this trail were impressed with the work that had been done and put into this project.
I returned to the lodge because I needed to finish preparing my pamphlet to go along with
the trail markers. I researched more on each tree, gathered all the information and sources where
I found the information from, and then decided which would make sense to incorporate into my
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report. I met with Jefferson in the late afternoon and together we picked the information to put on
the camps pamphlet to go along with the trail that was already selected. It was raining this
afternoon so was glad to be inside doing this research and talking with Jefferson so I could stay
dry for the night.
The last part to my project is to observe how the class when taught and get verbal
feedback to see if the markers and pamphlet assists with each boy completing their forestry merit
badge. I would have to do this on another time as classes are already over for the day.
Thursday, July 27, 2012
Today I assisted Jake with teaching parts of the forestry merit badge class. I realized from
the Wednesday class that the Nature Counselors were not using the trails which I just completed
for them to use. So, I talked with Jake and he decided to use the trail markers with the pamphlet.
I observed the boys as they utilized the information which was provided them. It took me
watching the class and then receiving feedback to realize that the project was a success. Later
that afternoon during their free time I had several leaders come to me to thank me for the hard
work I put into it and also the staff who were bringing this part into their teaching of the class.
So, it took me eight and a half hours to paint the markers, around eight hours to do the research,
one hour to type up and finalize the pamphlet, four hours of class time and two weeks of
observation time to complete my project for a total of 30 some hours.
Thursday, July 27, 2012
Tonight was an exciting night as I received the grommet award from Erik for all the hard
work I put into the project, my numerous volunteer hours and all the positive feedback I had
received from different troops for the various classes I taught during the week. This award
happened right after our Friday night camp fire which we have every week with all the troops or
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groups which are there for the week at our camp. All our staff gathers in a circle and we talk
about our week and what we accomplished and anything we need to improve on. I am astounded
to have received such a high honor.
I had so many challenges up here at Camp Hunt but through all my perseverance, hard
work and knowledge it was well worth staying there and completing not just my project but
getting to know myself a little bit better. I come to realize that we all have our challenges but if
we keep our focus and try to not let the stress of our challenges overcome us we can weather
through any storm which may come our way.
I am truly going to miss all the staff I worked with and got to know. I will miss my
roommates, the cooks who diligently fed me three meals a day, Monday through Friday. There
are a lot of good things that this camp does for the boys and each other. For example, helping
other staff members out when they are lonely or home sick so they are able to do the tasks which
they came to Camp Hunt for. This was a great blessing and I would not trade this experience.
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48
Appendix I
BIS Service-Learning Time Records
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49
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50
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51
Appendix J
Letter of Recommendation from Paul H. Stout
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Appendix K
Copy of Pamphlet for Forestry Merit Badge Trail
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Appendix L
pH Soil Level Table
pH Scale from Virtual ChemBook Elmhurst College by Environment Canada
pH soil levels at 5.5 to 8.0 are in a normal range for stream water. Each tree’s soil is dependent
on whether it is dry or wet soil as well as if there is salinity in the alkaline.
53