Cornucopia of color

Best fall leaf viewing yet to come

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Saturday, September 13, 2008

Each year residents of Otter Tail County look forward to late September and early October, anticipated peak of fall color, when leaves are at their brilliance. Most hope that fall 2008 will be no exception.

One of the best locations to see nature’s beauty is Maplewood State Park, six miles east of Pelican Rapids. The Friends of Maplewood will again host Leaf Days, this year on Sept. 27 and 28 and Oct. 4 and 5.

Food and refreshments will be served at the new picnic shelter recently dedicated to fallen soldier Josh Hanson.

Glendalough State Park near Battle Lake also displays fall colors. At Glendalough and elsewhere in Otter Tail County, four main groups of biochemicals are responsible for the various yellows, oranges, reds and browns that we see in the fall.

Fall colors vary from year to year and place to place for several reasons.

Weather is most critical in determining the colors displayed each fall. Colors are best when foliage is exposed to sunny, cool fall days.

Light frosts may also help, but hard freezes can ruin the display.

If it’s too dry to produce the vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges, a drought will create a landscape filled with the subtler colors of tans, bronzes and auburns.

People can now follow the changing fall colors like never before with the help of a new Web page unveiled by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

“Minnesotans traditionally like to get out and hike, bike, camp or just take a scenic drive to enjoy the splendors of our fall colors,” said DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten. “This new site provides a variety of information that helps them do just that.”

Minnesota state park staff update the fall color information every Thursday, just in time for the weekend.

The new site features a color-coded map that shows where the fall colors are at their peak.

There’s a “top picks” section, which highlights the Minnesota state parks with the best options for viewing fall colors and the best viewing areas within each of the 72 state parks and recreation areas — including Maplewood and Glendalough state parks.

People can also upload photos on the site, sharing their fall color experiences with fellow Minnesotans.

The brilliant colors of fall inspire Minnesotans, including Otter Tail County residents, to try to capture some of these beautiful images with a camera.

“But too often, the great scene we saw may not translate into a great photo,” said Explore Minnesota Tourism photographer Paul Stafford. “With a little extra thought and care, we casual photographers can catch some of the magic of fall in our pictures.”

• Frame your subject with branches or other elements in the foreground to call attention to it.

• To avoid a static, symmetrical look, set up off-balanced compositions. Place the focus of interest away from the center of the photograph.

• Shoot early and late in the day. Early morning and late afternoon light turns a golden color, bathing everything it strikes in a warm glow.

• Try using a polarizing filter, which deepens blue skies and enriches fall colors by removing glare and reflections in shiny leaves.

To view the DNR’s fall colors page, visit www.mndnr.gov.

Fall colors a result of biochemical changes:

Four main groups of biochemicals are responsible for the various yellows, oranges, reds and browns that we see in the fall — chlorophyll, carotenoids, anthocyanins and tannins. Each has its own color and chemistry.

Varying amounts of these chemicals will give subtle variations in color from one leaf to the next or even from tree to tree.

The green color that we see on most plant leaves throughout the spring and summer is due to the pigment called chlorophyll. It’s one of several pigments that gather energy from sunlight in the process of photosynthesis.

As day length shortens and temperatures get cooler, chlorophyll is broken down faster than it is produced.

The majority of the nitrogen migrates back to the twigs, being placed in storage for next year’s new growth.

Many of the yellows and oranges we see in nature are the result of the various carotenoid compounds. The best-known carotenoids are the ones that give carrots their orange color.

Carotenoids play a minor role in photosynthesis so they’re present throughout the growing season.

The reds and purples found during the fall are due to the anthocyanin compounds. These are produced when sugars combine with compounds called anthocyanidins. Many things affect the exact colors that are produced.

Very little photosynthesis will occur on cloudy days while rain can actually leach out the anthocyanins and carotenoids from the leaves. Various combinations of anthocyanins and carotenoids can result in yellow, orange and red leaves all on the same tree.

State parks a mecca of fall color:

Glendalough

When visiting this state park northeast of Battle Lake, the best area to view fall colors is along the entrance road and the Molly Stark Lake Trail south of the picnic shelter. Heath Aster, New England Aster and Blazing Star bloom along Molly Stark Lake Trail north of picnic area.

Leaf color should peak the first week in October. Fall wildflowers can be seen, so bring a camera.

Nice views of prairie grasses are available from the north side of Prairie Hill and along the Sunset Lake Trail. Blue Lobelia blooms in meadow on Beaver Pond Trail.

Touches of early fall color may be seen in wet areas. Prairie grasses turn red, orange and purple and are full of seed. Wild Sunflower, Joe Pye Weed (purple) and Goldenrod also bloom.

Prairie Onion (pink) blooms on Prairie Hill at Glendalough, and Blue Lobelia blooms in the meadow on the Beaver Pond Trail. Blazing Star (purple), White Heath Aster and New England Asters (light purple) bloom in prairie north of picnic area.

Maplewood

Each fall visitors come from near and fall to see the beautiful colors at Maplewood State Park east of Pelican Rapids. The best place to view fall colors is at the picnic area and Josh Hanson shelter near Hallaway Hill, in addition to the park drive.

Trees, flowers and grasses include Big Bluestem and Indian grass. There’s also various sunflowers.

The Friends of Maplewood State Park will host Leaf Days with food and refreshments at the new picnic shelter on Sept. 27-28 and Oct. 4-5.

Conditions that have an effect on fall colors:

Fall colors vary from year to year and place to place for several reasons.

• Weather is most critical in determining the colors displayed each fall.

• Colors are best when high quality foliage — a product of a warm, moist summer — is exposed to sunny, cool fall days.

• Light frosts may also help, but hard freezes can ruin the display.

• Physiological stresses placed on trees can impact fall colors.

• Cool, wet summers can cause premature displays of color.

• A mild summer drought may actually increase the display, but severe drought usually dulls colors noticeably.

• In some cases, foliage may die early and turn straw-colored due to a lack of water.

• Because it is too dry to produce the vibrant reds, yellows, and oranges, the severe summer drought will create a landscape filled with the subtler colors of tans, bronzes and auburns.

— from Jana Albers, DNR Forest health specialist, Grand Rapids