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Tree House
They may look like they’re resting once the leaves have fallen, but trees are busy all winter long, providing habitat for all kinds of critters and plants. This winter, take a hike through the woods at a state park near you, and see what wild things you can find living in a tree habitat.
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Seed & Nut Cafe
Woodpeckers, squirrels, opossums, raccoons, even hungry coyotes and bears like to snack all winter long on nuts dropped by hardwood trees. Trees with softer seeds, like maple “helicopters” and dogwood “berries” also make a meal for critters fattening up for winter.
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Critter cones and sticks
 You'll need:
- Pine cones or sticks
- String or ribbon
- Peanut butter or shortening
- Oatmeal or corn meal
- Bird seed
Tie the string around the top of the pinecone or stick for hanging. Mix ½ cup peanut butter or shortening & ½ cup oatmeal or cornmeal in a bowl. Spread this mixture all over the pinecone or stick with a butter knife. Roll the pinecone or stick around in the birdseed until it is covered. Now it’s ready to hang on the tree!
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Treetop Penthouse
 On a dreary winter day, a flash of bright red in the treetops is a welcome sight. Ohio’s colorful state bird, the northern cardinal, is a year-round resident. The cardinal can crack open nuts or seeds, and snip off buds with its strong sharp beak.
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Basement Hangout
 Some tree-loving bugs are happy to hang out underground for quite awhile in a tree’s root cellar. The periodical cicada (si kã’ duh) lives in a burrow two feet below the soil surface for 17 years before popping out on a warm spring day. After it emerges, the cicada climbs to a handy branch where it makes a slit to lay its eggs. Once the new batch of cicadas hatch, they drop back down into the soil to wait another 17 years before coming up to say hello.
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Bark Apartment
 Some tree bark wears a velvety coat of lichen (lî’ kuhn). The lichen is actually made up of two plants; fungus and algae (al’ jê). The fungus can soak up water and minerals from the air, while the algae makes food from the energy of the sun. The lichen does not harm the tree, and in fact, is a sign that the air nearby is not polluted.
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Branch Campus
See that cluster of leaves tucked between the tree branches? It’s a squirrel nest, or drey (drã). It may look like a jumble of twigs and leaves on the outside, but inside, it is warm and cozy, lined with fur and feathers.
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Snack on a string
You’ll need:
- Waxed dental floss
- A darning or embroidery needle
- Fresh cranberries
- Plain popped popcorn (stale works best)
 Measure & cut 3 feet of dental floss. Tie a knot in one end of the floss & thread the other end through the needle. Poke the needle through the soft part of a piece of popcorn. Pull the popcorn along the floss to the knot. Add popcorn & cranberries until the floss is almost full. Take out the needle & tie a knot in the end. Hang the popcorn garland on a tree to feed hungry critters!
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A Root with a View
 Mushrooms above the ground mean that there is a fungus underground, snuggled up with the tree roots. Mycorrhiza (mî’ kõ rî’ zuh) is a friendly family of fungus that helps the tree roots draw in water and minerals from the soil. The fungus may be shy, but come spring, it’s sure to send mushrooms peeking up above ground. One of the best known is the morel mushroom.
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