By Kerri Williams

My favorite way to start the day is with a walk in the woods. And with fall upon us, those walks are even more special.

The crunching beneath my feet, the feel of the crisp air on my face, and the sight of the leaves in the morning sun all combine to create a magical experience. It’s no wonder that I have been reading lately about the health benefits of getting out in nature.

As LM Montgomery once wrote, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

Westporters are especially lucky with so many parks and public places to explore.

Sherwood Island

Tree Board Chair Sarah Adair recently let me in on one of her favorite fall views in town. She loves to go to Sherwood Island State Park in October, following the path along the beach towards Compo.

While on the path, be sure to pause frequently to look up, she said. Not only will you see a great variety of leaves in different hues, but you also might spot an eagle or an owl in those trees.

“It’s your best chance to see different colors,” she said.

Lillian Wadsworth Arboretum

Sarah also recommends an excursion to Lillian Wadsworth Arboretum this fall, which she enjoys for being a “quiet, serene place.”

One of the different things to experience there is the pawpaw trees, which are native and produce fruit with a tropical flavor. The leaves on those small trees turn a gold shade in autumn. “They are fun and unique,” Sarah said.

Earthplace

The arboretum backs up to Earthplace, and sometimes classes of kids from there will come through the arboretum as well, adding to the enjoyment.

Riverside Park

The arboretum also makes the short list of fall hikes for David Floyd, chairman of Parks and Recreation Commission. But if you don’t have as much time on your hands, he also recommends the short walk around Riverside Park, which is perfect for getting into nature for a few minutes. It has a couple of spots where you can look up and down the Saugatuck River, offering “amazing views,” he said. 

While out on your adventures, you might notice that the leaf colors are a little more muted than other years. That’s because Westport is in the second or third year of a “severe to moderate drought,” Adair said.

Keep watering

The lack of water means that the trees struggle to bring out their color, she said. It’s also important to watch the amount of rain we are getting for the trees in our yards.

“Everyone turns off the irrigation system in the fall,” she said. “But the trees that you love, especially the younger ones, need water.”

Sarah recommends watering those trees by the roots in addition to applying mulch around them. But remember not to push the mulch up against the tree trunk and to never apply it more than 2-3 inches deep, she added, as that will hurt the tree.

Scavenger hunt

To add to your enjoyment of trees this fall, the Tree Board has a scavenger hunt on its website to help identify trees at four town parks. Participants can print out a PDF of the signs, take it along to the parks, and attempt to match the signs to those on certain trees.

Grace K. Salmon Park

There’s always something to learn when it comes to trees, Adair pointed out. One example is a grove of birch trees at Grace K. Salmon Park that can be hard to identify. While birch trees are known for their peeling, paper-like bark, these older trees do not look like that at the base of their trunks, she said. You have to look up to see the more characteristic bark, she said.

Winslow Park

If you are looking for the most diverse variety of trees, Winslow Park is where to go, Sarah added. One of the unique trees to identify there is the white fringe. “Not a lot of people know about it,” she said.

For all these reasons, I hope you get out to enjoy the trees in Westport this fall. It can be a magical experience. Just don’t forget to pause and look up.

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Kerri Williams

^{_{Kerri Williams is an award-winning writer and journalist. She has worked as a reporter at the Norwalk Hour, as Living editor at the Darien News-Review, and managing editor for the Norwalk Citizen-News. For Westport Journal, she is a reporter as well as a gardening columnist, writing “Cultivating with Kerri.” She recently published her first children’s book – “Mabel’s Big Move,” based on her daughter with special needs.}}