Rockwood Nature Center

03/07/2024

Tomorrow, March 8th, is the last day that this account will be active. Please follow us over at Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation to see our content in the future!

03/05/2024

Jade the rough green snake would like to know: have you "followed" our content over to the Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation page yet?

Don't forget and miss out on our great nature content, as well as information about programming, events, and park news! This page will be discontinued this Friday, March 8th.

03/01/2024

If you missed our post yesterday, here's your reminder to follow our content on over to the Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation Facebook and Instagram pages! We'd love to keep sharing our animal ambassadors and nature information with you.

03/01/2024

As part of Chesterfield Parks and Recreation, Facebook content for Rockwood Nature Center is transitioning to Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation so that we can have a cohesive and centralized location for information such as programs and classes offered to the community. Please Like👍 and Follow✅ the Parks and Recreation page so you won’t miss a post or any of the nature content you’re used to finding here. You’ll continue to find “What is it?” Wednesday, as well as posts about programs, events, and all our animal ambassadors here at Rockwood Nature Center on that page.
While this page is being phased out on March 8th 2024, don’t worry, the nature center team, the programs, and the animal ambassadors are still here for you at Rockwood Park!

02/28/2024

This week’s topic is: Wind!

What is wind?

Wind is basically just moving air. Wind is created when there is a difference in atmospheric pressure (basically, the weight of the air) causing updrafts or downdrafts of air. The moving air can bring in pressure fronts which can carry or cause weather!

Why is some wind so strong?

The movement of air from a high-pressure system (think blue skies, sunny weather) to a low-pressure system (think cloudy, rainy days) often causes wind to move faster. These strong winds are most often noticed before a big storm. Sometimes, the movement of air is so strong that the wind can cause damage to trees, powerlines, and even houses.

How do we measure the wind?

Because we cannot see the wind, meteorologists (scientists who study weather) will use a device called a wind vane to measure the direction and speed of the wind. Wind is often measured in miles or kilometers per hour, but it is also measured in a unit called “knots” by sailors.

When is wind helpful to humans?

Wind is not only important for the weather that helps Earth sustain life- it has also become an important method for creating renewable energy. Wind-capturing devices, called wind turbines or wind mills, have been in use by human civilizations for thousands of years. In current times, wind energy is often converted to electricity to help power cities, homes, and even transportation.

02/26/2024

Are you as excited about the spring weather as we are? 🌷
The animals in the nature center often become more active in the springtime despite living indoors. They will spend more time basking under their heat lamps, like Norbert our nothern copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) is doing here.

02/16/2024

Have you heard of the Great Backyard Bird Count? 🐦🦉🦅
Hosted every year in February, the great backyard bird count is a weekend for the birds! This worldwide citizen science project is meant to encourage people to enjoy and become acquainted with the birds that live around them.
With just 15 minutes of your time, your contribution to science can help ornithologists (bird scientists) to learn more about birds all over the world. You may even run into one of the Rockwood Nature Center educators if you choose to birdwatch at Rockwood Park!
Learn more at: https://www.birdcount.org/participate/

02/14/2024

Welcome back to "What is it? Wednesday"!
This week’s topic is: Mushrooms!

What are mushrooms?

Mushrooms are not a plant or an animal, they are a fungus. The part that we often see, also known as a “toadstool”, is actually only a small part of the fungus, known as the fruiting body. The fruiting body is only produced by the fungus when conditions are perfect, otherwise, many fungi exist as a stringy, often white substance called mycelium.

Why are some mushrooms poisonous?

Because mushrooms spread by spores, which are often spread by the wind or by contact with a surface, the fruiting bodies of mushrooms are an important part of the reproductive process. They often store these spores inside the gills, pores, ridges, or teeth underneath their protective cap. Therefore, many mushrooms have developed poison in their flesh to deter animals (and people!) from eating their fruiting bodies.

How many species of mushrooms exist?

There are approximately 14,000 species of mushroom in the world that have been described, but mushroom scientists (called mycologists) estimate that there are many more out there that have not yet been discovered.

When do most mushrooms grow?

Mushrooms don’t have a “season” like most plants and animals do- these fungi will produce their fruiting bodies whenever conditions are right. During an especially mild and wet winter, you may see mushrooms appear on food sources such as rotting logs and wet leaves. Even if the mushroom isn’t visible, the mycelium is most likely right underneath the leaf litter!

02/12/2024

You may have heard of “ephemeral wetlands”, “ephemeral streams”, or “ephemeral plants”, but what does the word “ephemeral” mean?

Ephemeral means that something only exists for a short period of time. It is often used to describe natural phenomena that occur briefly, usually in the spring. Pictured here is an ephemeral stream in Rockwood Park that is dry most of the summer, but is currently flowing and creating a surrounding wetland environment. This seasonal accumulation of water is very important to the processes that lead to spring blooms and booms!

Also pictured are some of the park’s ephemeral orchid species.

02/11/2024

02/10/2024

02/09/2024

Have you heard the news? Limited archery practice sessions and beginner classes are being held at the newly remodeled Beulah Recreation Center on select weekends in February and March. Final preparations are being done today for the first sessions that start this weekend! Find the complete list of archery programs online at https://www.chesterfield.gov/161/Programs and sign up to get in a little practice before the spring outdoor season hits!

02/09/2024

02/09/2024

Didn’t get a chance to stop by today and visit Gee, our ambassador woodland box turtle?
Don’t worry! We are open Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5pm.

02/08/2024

02/07/2024

Happy from Gee our full time box turtle, part-time animal ambassador at Rockwood Nature Center! He's prepping himself for visitors this weekend.

👋 Stop by to say "hi" during the nature center's open hours, Friday to Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.

02/07/2024

Happy "What is it? Wednesday"!
This week’s topic is: Galls!

What are galls?

Galls are an abnormal, swelling growth on the outer layer tissues of plants, especially leaves. Galls are similar to a human wart. They can be caused by various parasites such as insects, fungi, viruses, bacteria, and even other plants.

Why do galls grow?

Insects create galls on plants as a food source, as a habitat, and even as a nursery for their young. Galls can offer a great amount of protection to vulnerable larvae. Other gall-formers such as fungi, viruses, and bacteria often form these growths to extract nutrients from the host plant.

How do galls affect the host plant?

Most of the time, galls are benign- meaning they do not cause harm to the plant overall. The host plant may drop the leaves that are affected, but otherwise continue to grow. However, in some cases, and with some kinds of galls, the plant may not survive.

When was the first gall formed?

The earliest known fossil of a gall, made by an insect, was estimated to be about 385 million years old. Certain types of galls tend to hold up well as fossils due to their hard outer shell!