Patterns in bark.
Patterns in bark.
When you are forest bathing you can see lots of amazing things. Something which has really stood out for me is the patterns in bark of trees. I never really took any notice of the bark of trees before. I would see a tree, and perhaps know the variety, but that is where it would end. I would carry on my walk noticing from the corner of my vision trees passing by. Now that I am walking slowly, and actually noticing what is around me, I am amazed by all of the different varieties of bark.
The Trees For Life website has a lovely article which explains in details all about bark. It is essentially similar to our skin. There are several layers to bark. It is the outer layer that we see, which protects it from the sun and wind and fungi. It is in this layer that tiny animals sometimes live. The bark of trees are different, as they have adapted to the environment which they are living in. It also explains how after a tree has died creatures live in or under it.
This weekend, I witnessed creatures living on a dead tree. There were lots of ladybirds running around on a tree whose top layer of bark had fallen off. The swirls and patterns on the tree were amazing. I have added several photographs of them to this post so that you can see for yourself.
