Neighborhood Winter Tree Walk

By Arlene Novich

On a bright winter afternoon, a group of about 30 hearty souls braved the cold for the Town of Mamaroneck’s Neighborhood Winter Tree Walk. Jocelyn Kleinman, Sheldrake Environmental Center’s Education Director led the group through the Sheldrake River Trail. As the group walked through the quiet, peaceful woods, Jocelyn explained why trees lose their leaves in preparation for surviving the winter.

Some challenging questions were presented: What kind of tree sent this seed falling to the ground? Could it be a sweet gum tree? Can you tell a white oak leaf from a pin oak leaf? How can we identify trees in the winter?

We discovered that several in the group had never been to the beautiful Sheldrake woods even though it’s right in their neighborhood!

Many of the benefits of trees were pointed out. Trees can help us avoid flooding, fight climate change, reduce air and water pollution, cool our homes and reduce energy bills. Trees are very special indeed!