Sofia Grossman
Fall Forest Foliage
Here is an image taken on the morning of October 17th at Lake Needwood at the Rock Creek Regional Park. You can see the beautiful fall colors of the trees reflecting off of Lake Needood’s still waters. This picture shows the intimate interaction between earth system components and their effects on the environment. The forest in this park plays an important role in maintaining soil health and filtering the water that runs off into the lake. The trees slow down water runoff so there is a higher percolation rate into the soil and reduces the amount of harmful contents from going into the lake. The tree’s roots are woven into the soil and hold the nutrients and soil’s contents in place. The forest also supports a much more diverse ecosystem than if it were not there. This shows the interaction between the biosphere (the forest), the lithosphere (the soil), and the hydrosphere (the lake). According to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15 “Life on Land,” “Forests have a significant role in reducing the risk of natural disasters, including floods, droughts, landslides and other extreme events,”(website link below). Forests also play a role in carbon sequestration which is important in mitigating climate change. Forests are beautiful, not just because of their fall colors, but also because of the important role they play in different earth system components and supporting a healthy environment.
United Nations Sustainability Goal 15: Forests website:
Fall Forest Foliage
Here is an image taken on the morning of October 17th at Lake Needwood at the Rock Creek Regional Park. You can see the beautiful fall colors of the trees reflecting off of Lake Needood’s still waters. This picture shows the intimate interaction between earth system components and their effects on the environment. The forest in this park plays an important role in maintaining soil health and filtering the water that runs off into the lake. The trees slow down water runoff so there is a higher percolation rate into the soil and reduces the amount of harmful contents from going into the lake. The tree’s roots are woven into the soil and hold the nutrients and soil’s contents in place. The forest also supports a much more diverse ecosystem than if it were not there. This shows the interaction between the biosphere (the forest), the lithosphere (the soil), and the hydrosphere (the lake). According to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 15 “Life on Land,” “Forests have a significant role in reducing the risk of natural disasters, including floods, droughts, landslides and other extreme events,”(website link below). Forests also play a role in carbon sequestration which is important in mitigating climate change. Forests are beautiful, not just because of their fall colors, but also because of the important role they play in different earth system components and supporting a healthy environment.
United Nations Sustainability Goal 15: Forests website: