What Do You Think This Is?

Week of September 14, 2025 – September 20, 2025

by Katie McLaughlin, Environmental Educator

asked as an Environmental Educator when out on the preserve is “What is this?”, but I almost never respond with the answer. Instead, I ask “What do you think it is?” to help guide them to the answer.

Now, what you need to know about me is I am not the best at knowing what something is on sight. Sometimes I still need to look up the names of plants, mushrooms, and animals, however, I know what key characteristics to look for when trying to figure out what exactly it is that I am looking at. Do you know what to look for?

I find myself with a guide in my hand if I am not sure what I am looking at. Recently I picked up Fern Finder: Identifying Native Ferns of Central and Northeastern North America by Anne C. Hallowell and Barbara G. Hallowell in one of my adventures because I was being asked a lot of questions about the ferns where my friends and I were in the Adirondacks. If you haven’t used the “Finder” series, it takes a little time to get used to but that’s okay. In this case ferns don’t move and I can study them closely. 

This “Finder” series uses a dichotomous key, or a tool that asks questions to narrow your search down to the right answer. You might start by looking at how the shape of the plant is, then move to the fronds themselves. Eventually you get to the point where you are identifying characteristics before you get to the question. (Which is where I am!) Even with the lack of a guide in hand I can look up these traits afterwards to figure out what I saw while out in the woods.

Even as someone who spends a lot of time out in the woods, I don’t know everything about what I am seeing. The easiest way for me to learn is get out there! Nature always offers opportunities to explore. Next time you are out on the preserve, take the time to get up close to the plants on the trail, you might not know their name but you can get to know them. 

We invite our members to enjoy a weekly blog written by our naturalists. Every blog will be uniquely different but always inspired by nature. We may share a memory from a recent hike at The Woods or teach you about an animal or plant that lives on the preserve. No matter the topic, we will be sharing with you our passion for nature and celebrating the connections we all have to the natural world. Each blog will be connected to a weekly set of activities and ideas to help you put nature in your hands, even if you’re at home!