Exploring an Oak Savanna

Exploring an Oak Savanna. . When the prairie transitions into a forest, you will probably see an oak savanna like this one. They are open, grassy spaces at the edge of the forest with a few scattered trees. Oak savannas are a very important piece of our landscape. Their plants provide food and habitats for animals and insects Oak trees help make our planet healthy by removing carbon dioxide from the air and giving us shade and oxygen. , , Did you know oak savannas are more endangered than the rainforest? Before settlers came there were 50,000,000 acres in the Midwest. Now there are only 30,000 acres left here. That's less than 1 percent! If we don't protect these oak savannas now, they might just disappear! , , Believe it or not, oak savannas actually benefit from periodic disturbances such as wildfires. When a fire burns an oak savanna, it clears away invasive plant species, renews the soil, and causes some plants to drop their seeds, which brings new life to the forest. , , A snag tree is dead, but can still be used for perches and nests., A den tree is big enough for an animal to make his home. , , A mast tree produces fruit or nuts, like acorns, for animals to eat. , , The karner blue butterfly, which eats wild lupine found in oak savannas, is endangered! You can help save it by planting wild blue lupine around your house. , , Can you tell how old a tree was after it's been cut down? All you have to do is count! Each ring represents one year of growth. Can you tell how old the wood cookies in the play area were? , , , Hide and seek! , An oak savanna is home to unique wildlife. Can you spot any of these creatures? , . White-tailed deer , . Gray squirrel , . Red squirrel , . Turkey vulture , . Raccoon , . Wild turkey , . Karner blue butterfly , . Red-headed woodpecker ,