STORY BY KATHY ANDREWS
PHOTOS BY CHAS. J. DEES

Stout twigs and chambered pith identify this as a black walnut twig. Large leaf scars indicate the support needed for the walnut's extremely large, compound leaves.

We all find comfort in visual references, such as the familiar shapes of the leaves that we use to identify trees. Once those leaves fall, clues to identification are still present; you just have to look at the tree a little differently to make the distinction.

Step back and look at its overall form— height, shape of crown, spread and position of branches. Its general outline often is enough of a reference for identification purposes. Consider, for example, that the apple tree has a spreading growth form, while the poplar has a linear shape. The drooping branches of the weeping willow provide quick identification. The branches of shingle oaks also droop, but only the lowest ones.

Take a moment to scout beneath the tree for evidence of the past growing season. Remnants of leaves, flowers, fruits or nuts may remain and can provide enough information for an identification.

Look at the color and texture of the bark. The birch and sycamore have flaking white bark. The shagbark hickory has distinctive gray, sloughing bark, hence the common name. Both the bark and twigs of wild black cherries are dotted with small pores (lenticels) that aid in the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Older northern red oak trees have a deeply fissured bark that some liken in appearance to ski runs down a mountain.

Closely examine the ends of twigs, as this is where annual growth is evident. Most twigs have a terminal bud at the tip and lateral buds along the sides. Buds contain miniature versions of the leaves and flowers that will emerge in the spring.

Also along the twig are leaf and bundle scars. After leaves fall in the autumn, a scar remains where each leaf was attached to the twig. Scar shapes (crescent moon, shield and oval) and sizes vary between species. Within each leaf scar are bundle scars, remnants of the veins that carried water and nutrients to the leaf. The number and arrangement of bundle scars are keys to species identification.

Leaf scars are arranged in an alternate or opposite pattern. Alternately arranged scars give a spiral appearance to the twig. In contrast, oppositely arranged scars are paired, with scars above and below present at right angles.

In some instances, even the internal appearance of the twig is useful. Carefully cutting along its length will reveal the twigs pith, the spongy center where food is manufactured or stored. In the cross-section, the pith can be oval, round, three-sided or five-sided, a variety of colors and solid, hollow or chambered. A hand lens is useful when examining the pith.

Whether you want to hone your powers of

Stout twigs with dark terminal buds and large leaf scars are characteristic of white ash.

March/April 2003     49

observation and nature skills, search for maple trees to tap or find specific trees from your wood lot for firewood, winter is an excellent time to identify woody plants.

KATHY ANDREWS
is the editor of OutdoorIllinois. This article was reprinted from the February 2003 issue of Outdoorlllinois with permission granted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

CHAS J. DEES
is a staff photographer for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

A handy reference guide to winter tree identification, Winter Tree Finder by May Theilgaard Watts and Tom Watts, is available through the Deportment of Natural Resources Gift Shop.

Buckeye buds are keeled, like the bottom of a boat, and fine hairs are present on their edges. Of trees found in the area, buckeyes have the largest terminal buds. A sticky substance on the bud is thought to keep insects away.

Identification guide What tree is it? Use these general characteristics to identify some common Illinois trees. Opposite branching: Maple (including box elder), ash, dogwood, Ohio buckeye and horse chestnut. Large leaf scars (often indicates compound, leaves): Ash, box elder, hickory, honey locust, black locust, black walnut, Kentucky coffee tree, pecan and Ohio buckeye. Zigzag-shaped twigs: American basswood, elm, sycamore, hackberry, redbud, mulberry, osage orange, honey locust and black locust. Thorns, spines and spurs: Honey locust, hawthorn, black locust, osage orange and ginko. Aromatic: Black cherry, spicebush, sassafras, silver maple, tree-of-heaven and red mulberry. Corky ridges: Hackberry, winged elm, sweet gum and bur oak. Stem pith: Chambered: black walnut and butternut. Orange: Kentucky coffee tree. Red: tree-of-heaven. Milky: white mulberry. Shiny buds: Cottonwood, hop hornbeam, sweet gum and Shumard oak. Sticky buds: Horse chestnut and Ohio buckeye. Sharp-pointed buds: Sugar maple, slippery elm, northern red oak, black oak, Ohio buckeye and shingle oak.

50   Illinois Parks and Recreation

It was a clear, pre-dawn morning as we turned into the neon-lit driveway of Chicago's Navy Pier. The temperature hovered in the single digits, and the wind chill dipped the frigid air into the negative zone.

Normally bustling with crowds of holidays shoppers, exercise buffs and sightseers, the popular tourist site was attracting few visitors on this arctic-cold morning, except for the huddled figures hovering at the fringe of the bright street lights near the lake. These folks were here for a different attraction—yellow perch.

Staring intently at their fishing rod tips while they awaited subtle taps of hungry fish, these hard-core anglers accepted the icy chill as part of the burden they must bear for a chance to enjoy a tasty fried fish dinner.

We pulled into the parking garage, unloaded our gear and took a short walk out to the seawall. About a hundred other perch-fishing addicts lined the water's edge, patiently waiting for swarming schools of marauding perch to enter the channel from the icy, blue-green depths of Lake Michigan.

"The perch have been biting like crazy. It seems the colder the weather, the better the bite," quipped Norman Perea, a longtime perch aficionado who happens to be my younger brother. Decked out in a waterfowler's jacket, snow boots, gloves, hat and snow pants, he looked to be prepared for a day in the duck blind, but at least he was warm.

Like many anglers, Norman grew up fishing on the lakefront during hot summers where he acquired fond memories of perch fishing. This was back when you easily could fill a bucket with perch without breaking a sweat. It was simply a matter of getting a baited line in the water and finding a deep spot. They just about gigged themselves on a hook.

Today, our fishing was to be slightly different. No balmy weather, T-shirts or shorts. The bracing air stung like tiny knives digging holes in our lungs.

We fished two-hook minnow rigs, umbrella style, with the weight on the end of the line. Every inch of the lake bed was encrusted with zebra mussels, so it was important to keep any line off the razor-sharp shells. A broken rig would mean fumbling with line, hooks and weight with nearly frozen fingers. It's a good idea to have extra rigs tied beforehand and stowed in your tackle box in case this happens.

You could almost hear fellow anglers' teeth chattering in the silent morning air. My own parka felt as stiff as cardboard, and I slowly had lost sensation in my fingers. But,

Norman Perea at Navy Pier, which provides one of the most breathtaking views of Chicago's skyline. Here, the fishing can be fantastic.

March/April 2003 51

	Above: Les Woolen, a die-hard percher, braves the cold morning for a quick limit of fish. Left: During feeding sprees, it is common to catch perch two at a time. Below: Sometimes, hundreds of anglers will turn up when the fish are biting. Ifs best to call local bait shops for the latest update.

suddenly, my discomfort seemed to disappear. The tip of my fishing rod doubled up as two yellow perch viciously slammed into the minnow rig. I reeled up the two fish, and my brother pulled in his finned double as well. Within seconds, angler's rods zipped up and down as the school worked its way along the seawall. Some rods remained bent over, indicating a successful haul, while others came up minus the bait—action that usually was followed by a string of remarks from blue-lipped anglers.

Within three hours, we caught and released more than 200 perch in the 7- to 10-inch range and kept a few nice jumbos (up to 13 inches) for lunch. As the bites wound down, anglers took refuge in the parking garage or warmed themselves inside the corridors of the Navy Pier complex—a nice bonus of having the facility only steps away.

Considering its location and great fishing. Navy Pier is the best bargain in Chicago. For a mere $3 parking fee, anglers can fish until 10 a. m. And if the bite is off there, Belmont Harbor and Montrose Harbor are only minutes away on Lake Shore Drive.

Significantly more expensive parking fees apply after 10 a.m., so as that time approached, the exodus began. Where hundreds of anglers had stood not long before, only a few stragglers remained, hoping for a last-second bite.

Once we arrived home, we dumped our two-man limit offish into a lunch cooler. It barely covered the bottom—not quite on par with the bucket loads offish of the past. But the warm, crispy fillets more than filled our empty stomachs.

Our only unanswered question was, "What time do we want to get up tomorrow to fish again?"

P.J. PEREA
is a staff writer for Outdoorlliinois. This article was reprinted from the February 2003 issue of Outdoorlliinois with permission granted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

52    linois Parks and Recreation

OUR NATURAL RESOURCES NEWS BRIEFS

Grant announcements

The Department of Natural Resources recently announced recipients of four annual grant programs. Press releases containing complete listings of grant recipients may be viewed at http://dnr.state.il.us/pubaffairs/pubaffrs.htm.

• The Public Museum Capital Grants Program released $36 million in capital grants to 56 public museums to help improve facilities and develop new exhibits. The program is designed to assist museums in expanding and upgrading facilities, as well as in creating new exhibits. DNR's Division of Grant Administration and the Illinois State Museum administer the Capital Grant Program. For information, contact the Illinois State Museum Grants Program office at 217. 782.5992 or visit http://museum.state.il.us/programs/musgrants/mgrants.html.

• The Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development program awarded $17.6 million in grants for 57 projects that include acquisition of land for new local parks, development of park lands and improvements to recreational facilities throughout Illinois. As a result of the program, 12 communities will acquire land for local parks, while another 45 communities will benefit from park development and improvement projects. To apply for grants for the coming year, contact DNR, Division of Grant Administration, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702 or call 217.782.7481, TDD 217. 782.9175, Ameritech Relay 1.800.526.0844, or visit http://dnr.state.il.us/finast.htm.

• A variety of projects, including prairie plots, butterfly gardens, outdoor learning centers and weather centers, will be developed by school children at 11 locations thanks to grants provided by the Illinois Conservation Foundation. The maximum grant is $600, and winners also receive related classroom materials, a sign to post at the habitat site, free tree and shrub seedlings and prairie forbs from DNR's nursery stock and technical assistance from DNR's wildlife biologists. The program is underwritten by the Jadel Family Foundation. To receive a copy of the 2003 Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant application, call 217.524.4126 or email: teachkids@dnrmail.state.il.us. The application also is available online at http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/education/classrm/grants.htm.

• Long-term protection of open space and natural areas has been provided through the release of $36 million in Open Land Trust program funds. Eighteen local projects will receive $19 million in grants to protect nearly 2,600 acres, while state acquisitions will total nearly $17 million for another 7,600 acres. The Open Land Trust program has been the largest acquisition program in the history of the state and has provided local agencies with up to 50 percent of the cost of acquiring land from willing sellers. These grants are the fourth and final round awarded through the program.

Students help hawks

Students at Rogers Elementary School in theTazewell County community of Marquette Heights presented the Illinois Conservation Foundation with $1,677 to assist with habitat enhancement for threatened red-shouldered hawks in Illinois. Since 1996, teacher Patti Massaglia has coordinated wildlife education programs for students at Rogers Elementary. Funds raised have benefitted a variety of rare animal species in the state, including river otters, Illinois mud turtles, eastern massasauga snakes and Indiana bats.

Red-shouldered hawks were once common and abundant in the eastern Midwest. Local populations diminished during the 1800s and 1900s as large tracts of forested lands were converted to farmland. The donated funds will be applied toward acquiring and protecting tracts of contiguous forested lands, with an emphasis on bottomland hardwood and flooded deciduous timber.

The Illinois Conservation Foundation, an IRS 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit corporation established in 1995, has raised more than $15 million to support the programs of the Department of Natural Resources. Contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. To make a donation to the Foundation, call 217.785.2003 or email: icf@dnrmail.state.il.us.

Plan to combat Asian carp

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to erect a second, more permanent barrier in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in an attempt to protect Lake Michigan and the ecology of the Great Lakes from invasion by Asian carp. Construction is expected to begin this spring, with completion by the end of the year.

An experimental, temporary barrier erected by the corps has been operating there since last April. The barrier sends an electrical current across the canal that is strong enough to turn fish back. The barrier is not harmful to humans.

March/April 2003     53

Several species of Asian carp—bighead, silver and black—are of concern because of their great reproductive capacity, large size, voracious eating habits and their ability to leap from the water into boats. Bighead, silver and black carp are native to China and were introduced to the aquaculture industry in the southern Mississippi River area and in Arkansas for the purpose of controlling plants, algae and snails in fish ponds. Problems arose after some carp escaped into the wild and began breeding.

Wildlife Preserve Fund grants

Applications are being accepted through April 15 for the Small Project Program of the Wildlife Preservation Fund. This program is funded through a voluntary check-off designation to the Wildlife Preservation Fund on the state income tax form. Small Project Program proposals may address many types of projects, including management, site inventories or education. Grants will be effective July 1, 2003-June 30, 2004. For a copy of the 2004 Illinois Wildlife Preservation Fund Small Project Program packet, call 217.785.8774 or email: SpecialFunds@dnrmail.state.il.us.

Positive chronic wasting disease cases

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has been detected in a total of seven deer in northern Illinois. All positive cases have been from Boone, McHenry and Winnebago counties. The samples were taken as part of DNRs CWD surveillance of deer harvested during the firearm deer season. Testing was conducted at the Illinois Department of Agriculture disease laboratories. About 4,000 samples of hunter-harvested deer were taken in 36 counties around Illinois during the 2002 firearm deer season. Tests have been completed on approximately 2,300 samples, with only the seven positive results. CWD is a fatal neurological disease found in deer and elk. The disease affects the brains of infected animals, causing them to become emaciated, display abnormal behavior, lose coordination and eventually die. It is not known to be contagious to livestock or humans. For updated information about CWD, including answers to frequently asked questions and the Department's rules, visit http://hnr.state.il.us/pubaffairs/2002/CWD.htm. From that Web site, participating hunters can check the status of test results for deer sampled during the firearm deer season.

Final firearm deer harvest totals

Illinois hunters harvested a preliminary total of 102,336 deer during the 2002 firearm deer season. The preliminary figure compares with a harvest total of 99,906 deer taken during the 2001 firearm season. The preliminary second-season (Dec. 5-8) harvest total of 34,415 compared with the 2001 second-season harvest of 37,145. This years preliminary first-season (Nov. 22-24) deer harvest was 67,921, compared with a first-season harvest of 62,761 in 2001. The figures do not include deer harvested during hunts on state sites where special permits are issued.

54     Illinois Parks and Recreation