The Grand-Slaminal Quartet; The Permanent Campers of GRP
Sprawling across 3,400 acres with 18+ miles of trail, the Green River Preserve is home to campers during our summer camp season between June and August. The valley also welcomes campers during the Spring and Fall SEE programs, but some campers are year-round residents. The most recognizable four represent the four Woodcraft laws and are endearingly called Grand Slaminals. These include deer, bear, turkey, and two species of venomous snakes.
Rather unassuming, the White-Tailed Deer is integral to the Green River community. The White-Tailed Deer is a primary consumer, which allows them to take on the role of under-story management. In doing so, the overall risk of uncontrolled forest fires drastically decreases. Although the term ‘forest fire’ can carry a negative connotation, controlled fires are essential for forest ecology. Since the White-Tail Deer tend to the under-story growth, they’re inherently the caregivers of the forest. With their management of the land, they represent the Woodcraft Law of Love.
Being the only two venomous snakes found at Green River Preserve, the Copperhead and Timber Rattlesnake are the next part of our Grand Slaminal quartet. Commonly confused with the Northern Banded Water Snake (a native non-venomous species), the Copperhead differs in that the shape of its head is angular and diamond-like. In contrast, the Northern Banded Water Snake’s head is less angular. The Copperhead also possesses a pit organ for thermal sensing, while the Water Snake does not. With the end of its tail being crowned with a rattle, Timber Rattlesnakes are hard to mistake, and they are also not afraid to make their presence known if you venture too close. Since Copperheads and Timber Rattlesnakes cannot regulate their internal temperature, they are commonly found around the balds, under rocks, or anywhere the sun is readily available. Having intricate patterns with a lot of variety in the shades of color, these animals are representative of our woodcraft law Beauty.
Next in our quartet is the big, mighty black bear. When we think of bears, most of us have a preconceived notion of what we think bears are. Although bears can be aggressive and scary, most of the time, they’re just gentle giants. We especially find this to be true when talking about the black bears. These majestic creatures are gathers, which means they only eat berries, bugs, and occasionally dead animals. This is why they’re primarily found along the GRP’s upper road (Pinnacle Mtn. Rd). Conditions are perfect in satisfying their appetites. Long Rock has moss patches that offer homes to our bug life, and blueberries flourish along the trails. When foraging, the bear creates meal opportunities for other wildlife by flipping moss pads and opposing the interior of dead trees. This has earned them the title of fortitude within our woodcraft laws.
The last (but not least!) member of our quartet is the Turkey. Being the largest flightless bird in the U.S., they are unmistakable, with males having a large fan of tail feathers and females adopting a less flashy appearance. Being foragers, their diet consists of anything that they can fit in their beak. This includes seeds, berries, insects, snails, frogs, and even small reptiles. Being dubbed “natural detectives,” turkeys are extremely curious about the world around them and embody the Woodcraft law of Truth.
Not even an hour into our Opening Day, we did spot a Turkey out front. Since then, we’ve seen two venomous snakes, and just this morning, on a Mentor Hike, a group spotted a black bear descending from a tree within viewing distance from the trail. With just over a week remaining, a grand slam is in sight. They’re out there!
Story by Willie Brown, Drew Jackson with photos by Brandon S. Marshall