Horton Park is a mini arboretum established by the city of St. Paul, Minnesota. In keeping with the educational goals of the mini arboretum, many of the trees are accompanied by identification signs. One summer, I set myself a goal of reading the signs and learning to identify a new tree every few days. As I learned the names of the trees and how to recognize them, they shifted in my awareness from background greenery to individual beings. If you live in the area, I hope these maps will help you get to know the trees and their stories.
Resources for getting to know your park and who lives there
Start with a Park - The activities in the 'Awareness' section of Start with a Park guide you through getting to know multiple aspects of a park in your area. Start by finding a park and getting to know your neighbors.
St. Paul Parks & Recreation - The Parks page helps you find a park with maps and searches by amenities or facilities. The maps page also includes individual maps of larger parks.
Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board - Information about parks, lakes, gardens, trails, public art, and more.
If you live outside the Twin Cities, look for your local Parks and Recreation website.
National Phenology Network & Nature's Notebook - The National Phenology Network is a citizen science project that gathers observations from volunteers throughout the country of when seasonal events occur--trees budding, flowers blooming, fruit ripening, leaves turning color and falling, migratory creatures arriving or departing. Scientists can then use the observations from different times and places to learn about patterns. You can use the Nature's Notebook app to submit observations from your neighborhood.
PictureThis App - The PictureThis app uses image recognition to help you identify trees and plants. Simply take a picture, and the app will compare it against a database to determine what it is.
Cornell Lab All About Birds - All About Birds contains information about thousands of bird species, including photographs, recordings of songs, range maps, and key points for identification. Each species also includes a list of similar species and tools for comparing among them. The Merlin ID feature lets you enter the time and location of a sighting and characteristics such as color, size, and behavior, and gives you a list of probable species.
Yoga With Adriene - A key part of awareness is being present and paying attention to your surroundings. Mindfulness practices, like yoga, help build habits of awareness. I appreciate Adriene's down-to-earth, accessible approach and her emphasis on meeting the practice where you are. She has a YouTube channel with hundreds of practices for every level and mood, ranging from less than ten minutes to hour-long sessions. If you have trouble deciding which practice to do, she also offers a calendar each month with a curated selection of videos.