Explorers

On October 17, 2009, the Explorers met for a beautiful—but chilly—hike amidst the autumn colors at the Englewood MetroPark.

The group started with a quick review of the leaf identification skills they worked on at their previous meeting, practicing on one of the stately sugar maples near the parking area. They then talked about the reasons behind the spectacular color changes seen at this time of year. The students recalled the role of the chemical chlorophyll in producing food and energy for the tree. This chemical is so prevalent in leaves during the spring and summer months that its green color masks all other colors that might be present in the leaves.