By Roger McKinney
rmckinney@joplinglobe.com
The rain the area has received over the spring and summer, paired with mild temperatures, creates good conditions for fall colors, say two foresters from the Missouri Department of Conservation.
“Because we’ve had such a great year, we would expect it to be fantastic,” said Gary Smith, district forester in the department’s Neosho office. “Normally, I would expect it to be spectacular. Having said that, I’ve been fooled before.”
Jon Skinner, urban forester with the department’s Joplin office, said the weather has helped maintain the health of trees and leaves into the fall season. He said what is required now for the brilliant fall colors is relatively warm, sunny days and cool nights. He said that would trigger the chemical reaction that shuts down photosynthesis in the leaves.
“It still comes down to the chemical processes that are yet to occur,” Skinner said.
He said the changes may be evident within a few weeks.
“Early to mid-October is usually our peak of fall colors on average,” he said.
Skinner said sassafras, flowering dogwood, smooth sumac and poison ivy have started to change. Other tree varieties, including Bradford pear and silver maple, are showing signs of spotty coloring.
“The dogwoods are staring to get orange and reddish,” Smith said. “The sassafras is starting to change. Those both can be pretty brilliant.”
Smith said that because the conditions are good, he is hopeful that the season will be good.
“We’ve had just about as good a year as you’re going to have: plenty of moisture and no extreme temperatures,” Smith said
The Missouri Department of Conservation posts weekly fall color updates on its Web site: www.mdc.mo.gov.
Smith said that when the leaves change, some good locations for viewing them include Roaring River State Park at Cassville and Big Sugar Creek State Park at Pineville. He said Noel and Purcell also are good locations for viewing fall colors.
Tim Smith, park naturalist at the Ozark Chinquapin Nature Center at Roaring River State Park, said he is predicting that fall colors will peak around Oct. 18-25. He said he doesn’t have a crystal ball, but he would expect that because of the moisture and mild temperatures, the colors could be vivid this year.
He said Sugar Camp Scenic Drive, south of the park off Highway 112 in the Mark Twain National Forest, is an excellent location for viewing fall colors.
Fall foliage photos
Jon Skinner, urban forester in the Joplin office of the Missouri Department of Conservation, said residents may e-mail him their fall foliage photos for possible inclusion on the department’s Web site. The e-mail address is jon.skinner@mdc.mo.gov.
Local News
Moisture, mild temperatures may produce vivid trees
- Local News
-
-
City wants to buy weather radios for those without
Phil Jones had been working on a construction project outside his house all day on May 22 and was unaware that a tornado watch had been issued. Once he was inside, though, his weather radio went off, and he learned that a warning had been issued.
-
Architects present preliminary JHS plans at community meeting
Reaction appeared mostly supportive Thursday night among the roughly 50 people who attended a community meeting at which architects presented their preliminary site plans for the future combined Joplin High School and Franklin Technology Center.
-
Confessed shooter testifies against co-defendants in Pittsburg murder case
Rickey Smith testified Thursday that as he came in the back door of Ryan Bailey’s home in Pittsburg with a 9 mm pistol in his hand, Bailey looked up from the couch in his living room.
-
School district’s proposed street-closing plan questioned
Plans to close some streets near the proposed Joplin High School drew questions, including a challenge from a former Joplin mayor, during a public hearing this week.
-
Neosho council approves new golf cart contract
The purchase of golf carts was back on the agenda this week for the Neosho City Council. City Attorney Steve Hays said there were errors in the financing terms that were part of a bid approved last month for the purchase of 55 gas-powered carts from E-Z-Go for $144,195, so the purchase of a new fleet was rebid.
-
Mike Pound: Spirit of competition evident during double-overtime game
When I played basketball in high school, I played in several very close games.
Now, some people who may have known me in high school are probably laughing right now and saying, “What Mike meant to say is that when he was in high school, he came very close to playing in some games.” -
Mo. optometrist filed $40 million refund claim
A southwest Missouri optometrist who filed a tax return claiming a $40 million refund has been sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison.
-
Okla. receives waiver from No Child Left Behind
Oklahoma’s top education official reacted with glee Thursday with the announcement that the state is one of 10 states being granted a waiver from the federal No Child Left Behind law that requires students be proficient in reading and math by 2014 — but focused on getting students to “just pass the tests.”
-
Kan. House approves bipartisan redistricting bill
Power in the Kansas House is likely to shift next year from rural parts of the state to the Kansas City area after members overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan bill Thursday for redrawing their districts.
-
Fugitive in 1993 British heist arrested in Ozark
A man suspected of stealing about $1.5 million from a security van in England in 1993 has been arrested in southwest Missouri.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
