Fern Gully—Maybe Just Fern.
May 8,
2008
Before there were humans,
dinosaurs, or any land animal in general, there was the fern. Next Saturday,
May17th, McConnell’s Mills is offering the interested fern fans a chance to
get a closer view at this ancient plant family. Participants will begin
their nature hike inside McConnell’s Mills at 2:00 P.M. There will be free
parking offered at the Kildoo picnic area. It is recommended to wear
comfortable shoes. It would also be a smart idea to bring some bottles of
water. A suggestion to make this hike more interesting is to become educated
about the unique fern plant.
The
fern plant marked the beginning of the Mesozoic Era, an era that occurred
360 million years ago. No humans were around to mark this time period, but
thanks to the fern fossils, geologist can predate the birth of the fern
plant.
These ancient plants fall
into the “vascular plant” category. Vascular means that the
plant contains
well-developed internal vein structures that allow the flow of water and
various nutrients.
As extremely delicate plants, the growing space for ferns are limited.
Attractive locations for these vascular plants to grown include underneath
forest canopies, along creeks, streams, and a variety of other places that
contain permanent moisture. However, ferns cannot grow readily in hot and
dry conditions.
Moisture is a big factor in the life cycle of a fern. The ways ferns
reproduce differ from those of conifers or flowering plants. Moisture not
only limits the living space available but also where the fern can
reproduce.
The reproduction process of the fern is a rather complicated one. Their
method includes liquid water for the process to be complete. There has to be
a sufficient amount of moisture present to initiate the reproduction
process.
More information about the history, life cycle, and reproduction of the fern
will be available from the nature hike leader at McConnell’s Mills on
Saturday. After just a small insight into these ancient plants, interested
fern fans and nature lovers can mark the calendar for Saturday May 17th and
get ready for a hiking adventure.
