Sycamore tree.
Jennifer Lumley has participated in our Audubon At Home Program (AAH) since 2018. As an AAH Ambassador, she consults with Wildlife Sanctuary Program applicants and creates thorough site reports to help clients establish, enhance and nurture wildlife habitat on their property. In 2022, Jennifer created and shared her simplified approach to gather information on site visits and spearheaded the creation of a post-site visit survey to gather client input. We look forward to receiving the survey responses and determining what we can do to be more effective in helping clients create and maintain their wildlife-friendly landscapes.
Jennifer’s favorite thing in nature is sycamore trees. She says, “Who can resist the combination of stout rootedness at the base—massive trunks with scaly gray bark—transforming as the eye travels upward into curving muscular branches that dance in white against any colored sky?” She continues by eloquently describing why she has a “long-standing love affair” with sycamore trees:
Its new leaves emerge as tiny, pale, downward pointing stars that stop me in my tracks with their downy softness. These same leaves then shoot to an immense size that inspires awe when I encounter them on the ground in front of my feet. The stipule of the sycamore clasps the stem in a little hug and holds on after the leaves have fallen, making it easy to identify young saplings whose bark has not yet acquired the characteristic camouflage appearance. When I am sad, this tree reassures me with its weight and stability. When I am joyful, its shining beauty resonates with the optimism I feel in the natural world.
Join us in celebrating sycamore trees and thanking Jennifer for all she does to help create a place where people and wildlife thrive together.