Forest School Newsletter Autumn

Autumn 2017

The autumn season is a time of
change when summer days of warmth
and sunshine have ended; before
cold, dark winter really begins.
In autumn the leaves of
deciduous trees start to
change colour. But some
types of trees start to
show colour changes later
in the season than others.
It depends on whether
the day temperature
and/or the night time
temperature are cold and
whether the there is a big
difference between them.

In autumn we can enjoy walking
through dried leaves that have fallen
from deciduous trees such as Hazel,
Oak and Hornbeam trees. You can
find these trees in the woodland walk.

Autumn is known as the ‘season
of mists and mellow fruitfulness’
(Keats). The deciduous trees
have produced the seeds in fruit
or nuts ready for new plants to
grow in the spring.
You have to be quick though to
find fruits before the birds,
squirrels and even the fox eat
them all up.
The following examples were
found around the Woodland Walk
at St Jude’s.
Crab Apples – ideal for
making jams or jellies
Hawthorn berries
are a good source of
food for birds.
Remember red is a sign
of danger. Red
berries will either be
poisonous or unripe.
Its best to leave red
berries to the birds,
after all their need is
greater than ours.
Blackberries have been picked
from the bramble bushes.

Rose hips develop after the
Dogwood Rose flowers. Rose
Hip syrup was used as a good
source of Vitamin C during
World War II
From tiny acorns great Oak
trees grow.
Horse Chestnut trees
produce their nuts in spiked
cases. Its traditional to use
these to play conkers.

As the days get shorter and the
weather gets colder it’s is a good
idea to wrap up warm if you are
exploring or even just going to school.