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February 14, 2015
The Story of Karen, Sharon, & Aaron (aka Frank)
The class was divided into groups and told to roam the Rancho's grounds in search of a story. Once each group had developed their story, they were to give a brief presentation to the class. All of the groups did a spectacular job of finding an interesting subject and utilizing the tools listed in part one of this series on interpretation. One group gave a particularly memorable performance.
The first speaker introduced the group. "Hi, we're Karen, Sharon, & Aaron. Actually, he's Frank, but we thought we'd continue the rhyme." Humor in the first line; right away, they had our attention. With each member of the group taking turns, they went on to describe their subject -- a floss silk tree (Chorisia speciosa). They told us that they had looked up information about floss silk trees and discovered that they are native to Brazil. Then they went on to describe the tree in rich detail, beginning with its location on the grounds and talking about its unique appearance. They described the spiny bark and theorized reasons for the tree to have adapted that defense mechanism. In contrast to the sharp spines, they described soft, cottony balls that were hanging from the branches. Bits of fluff had begun to fall from these balls, and the group passed some of it around the classroom so that we could all experience how it looked and felt. Like many plants, the group said, the floss silk tree has practical uses. Hummingbirds take bits of the soft fiber for nesting material. It also has industrial applications as filling for life preservers.*
Floss Silk Tree (Chorisia speciosa)
The group organized their presentation around a central theme of "Change at the Rancho." At the time, the floss silk tree was leafless. Aside from spines, its only decoration was the large, white seed pods. What would it look like in a few weeks or a few months? The hummingbirds would be using it for nesting material, but what other wildlife uses might it have at different times of the year? And change, they said, is not limited to this tree alone. Everything at the Rancho is in a state of continuous change. Aside from the truth of their statement, the theme also worked because it reinforced an idea from the morning's earlier activity (Bird Walk with Tracy Drake). During the walk, Tracy pointed out birds currently found at the Rancho and also predicted which birds we should expect to see at different times of the year according to when various trees would produce fruit.
Karen, Sharon, & Aaron (aka Frank) were successful in their presentation because they avoided giving a mere recitation of facts and used many of the tools available to interpreters including:
- Humor
- Knowing your subject matter
- Using technology for on-the-spot research
- Giving each person a part to play
- Invoking the senses (in this case sight and touch)
- Having a unifying theme
- Making it relevant
- Making it pleasurable
- Reinforcing learning in other areas
- Inspiring the audience to look deeper into the subject themselves
* According to Wayne's Word, an online textbook of natural history, the floss silk tree is in the family of trees called kapok. Fibers of kapok trees have a water-resistant coating and are also lighter in weight than cotton fibers. These attributes make them perfect for filling life preservers. In fact, life preservers filled with kapok can support 30 times their weight in sea water. Kapok fibers have also been used to fill mattresses, pillows, upholstery, and softballs.
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Time was set aside following the presentations for journaling in our nature notebooks. Inspired by Karen, Sharon & Aaron's presentation, I decided to visit the floss silk tree. When I arrived at the tree, I noticed that another member of the class had also been inspired to take a closer look. We chatted for a moment about the pieces of floss strewn about the grass and then separated to make our own observations.
Living in southern California, floss silk trees are a fairly common sight. Therefore, I thought I knew what to expect from this one. However, I was surprised by some of the details. Most surprising was the shape of the seed pods. They looked like a child's craft project, made out of cotton balls stuck together to form an ornament.
Seeing pieces of floss caught on the branches of a neighboring tree, I realized how appropriate the group's theme of change at the Rancho had been. In a few months, there might be nothing left of those seed pods, all of the floss having blown away or used for nesting material. A few signs of earlier stages of development were present. One desiccated fruit hung from the branches. Birds, most likely yellow-chevroned parakeets, had eaten it clean through, leaving a view from one side to the other.
A few strips of dried husk lay on the grass, indicating the way in which the fruit must split before dropping its cover to release seeds. I decided to return in a few weeks and see what further changes developed.
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March 7, 2015
The tree had been changing! The floss was no longer tightly packed into balls. Instead, it hung loosely and was dotted with seeds. I saw a hummingbird near one of the seed pods but did not observe it taking any floss.
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April 15, 2015
Most of the loose floss seen on my previous visit was gone. Now the seed pod looked something like a fur-covered hand with fingers hanging down. Some of these "fingers" had fallen to the ground. It was possible to pick one up and see its internal structure.
And yes! There it was -- a hummingbird gathering nest material! I happened to be in the right place at the right time and lucky enough to document it with a photograph.
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April 22, 2015
Our naturalist class is coming to an end, and I will have fewer opportunities to visit the Rancho. I know that the tree and the grounds will keep on changing whether I am there to see it or not. When I do visit, I will be sure to look at the floss silk tree and remember the presentation by Karen, Sharon, & Aaron (aka Frank).
References:
Drake, Tracy (lecture on interpretation, at the Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum, California Naturalist Program, Rancho Dominguez, CA, February 14, 2015).
Atkin, Frank, Sharon Swonger, and Karen Thompson, "Change at the Rancho" (lecture at the Dominguez Rancho Adobe Museum, California Naturalist Program, Rancho Dominguez, CA, February 14, 2015).
"Plant Fibers," Armstrong, W.P., last modified last modified March 5, 2010, Wayne's Word, accessed April 22, 2015, http://waynesword.palomar.edu/traug99.htm
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