Morning fall walk to the oak savannah in Forest Park

Rudy and I went for one of my favorite Saturday morning walks in Forest Park -- from the Art Museum, past the Osage "tree in tree", to the oak savanna. We saw an owl, and I took some pictures of the glorious autumn oaks, as well as a ginkgo.
This small oak savanna near the southeast corner of the park is a beautiful spot. According to the nearby wayside, "oak savannas dotted this continent for thousands of years, but more than 99% of them are gone. They were either cleared for farms and ranches, or declined with the end of natural fires ... along with prairies, oak savannas are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world." What a wonderful thing to have in our city, especially for oak lovers such as myself.

Posted on November 6, 2011 02:54 AM by joepolman