Naturalist leads Bliss Woods tree tour in Sugar Grove

SUGAR GROVE – Naturalist Ben Katzen of the Forest Preserve District of Kane County led a group of 11 people Oct. 8 through a guided tour of Bliss Woods in Sugar Grove.

Katzen earned his forestry degree from the University of Florida. As a naturalist, he studies how forestry fits in with the landscape and how to preserve it.

Leading the group, Katzen explained that Bliss Woods is one of the nicest forest preserves in the county with a special designation.

“Bliss Woods is an Illinois State Nature Preserve that has a higher level of protection with higher fines for misuse,” Katzen said. “You’ll notice this is a well maintained woodland with no bushes or weeds. You can see through the trees. There are two types of woodland in Bliss Woods with an oak woodland and maple woodland.”

Katzen carried a book called, “Forest Trees of Illinois,” with him on the walk. The book contains nature descriptions with a map of trees, fruit, twigs, leaves and different habitats. Tree bark is also mentioned in the book since it will change from when trees are young to when they are mature, and the book helps to narrow down any questions, Katzen said.

This fall, trees are one week behind the norm when it comes to the leaves turning and being able to notice a color change. If the temperature drops quickly, we won’t be able to notice the gradual color change, Katzen said.

The group learned how and why leaves change colors during the fall season. Katzen explained deciduous trees lose their leaves through a process called translocation where trees take nutrients back from the leaves and color change follows.

In the oak woodland at Bliss Woods there are mainly older trees – up to 150 years old – that grew after Illinois was settled. Katzen explained that the trees in Bliss Woods aren’t nearly as old as what you would find in the Redwood National and State Parks where trees are 1,000 years old.

The oak woodland doesn’t have a problem with buck thorn and honeysuckle, Katzen said, noting that sun is hitting the ground which is essential for acorns that depend on the sun to sprout and develop. Moving forward, Katzen hopes for young, medium and old trees in the oak woodland.

Katzen demonstrated how to use a measuring tool to determine the height of tree. The tree he measured was 80 feet tall.

The other section of Bliss Woods contains a maple woodland, a mixed-age forest, where visitors will notice a range of young and old trees. Katzen informed the group that this woodland is a perfect example of reseeding, where larger trees are left alone to reseed and are called the Mother Tree.

“The maple woodland is a wetter area where dense plants and trees can grow,” Katzen said. “This mixed-age forest has a lot of young maples. It’s maintained as a nature habitat.”

Katzen mentioned the Forest Preserve District's Big Tree Program where anyone who believes they have one of the biggest trees can nominate their tree.

“The Big Tree Program lets people nominate big, beautiful trees,” Katzen said. “Volunteers will come and measure it. They have three measurements they go by such as how tall it is, how big around [it is] and how big the crown is. If they do have the biggest, they will get a plaque and certificate.”

For more information on the Big Tree Program, call 630-444-3190 or email programs@kaneforest.com.