Have you seen the golden leaves shimmering around Greenway Park on sunny, breezy days this fall? Do they remind you of the Aspen trees you see in the mountains? This is our November plant of the month, the Cottonwood tree! Cottonwoods are cousins of the Aspen that thrive in elevations below 6500 feet. The Cottonwood is the fastest growing tree in North America (adding up to 6-feet in growth in one year).

Cottonwoods are native to Colorado, and grow well in riparian areas. A riparian area is the land near a stream or river. Riparian areas in our state can be very wet or dry, depending on how water is flowing in the river. The National Parks Service states that riparian areas make up less than 2% of land area in the southwest, but are home to many plants and animals. Cottonwood trees are very special, because they have deep, strong roots that help stop soil from getting washed away of a river floods. Cottonwoods also help "clean" water from the river, so useful nutrients stay in the soil. And, according to the Army Corps of Engineers, Cottonwoods provide a habitat for 82% of Colorado's bird species, including our November animal of the month (the American kestrel).

Cottonwood trees have edible bark (though people report that it is quite bitter). Tribal nations, such as the Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Comanche, used the cottonwood for medicine, including for treatment of fever and burns, as well as pain relief. Cottonwood leaf tea has the same main ingredient as aspirin. Cottonwoods get their name from their seeds, which travel in cottony clusters each early summer.

The smallest falcon in North America, and one of the fiercest predators in our area--meet the American kestrel! Kestrels weigh about 3-6 ounces, which is the equivalent of 34 pennies. The female kestrel is larger than the male, and they look very distinct. Female kestrels have orange shoulder and wing feathers, while males have blue. Females have dark bars across their tails, while males have gray tails.

These small raptors hunt insects, snakes, lizards, rodents (mice or voles), and even other birds. Kestrels are also becoming popular for organic farming, according to the National Science Foundation. They eat pests like grasshoppers or invasive bird species that eat cherries and blueberries in orchards. Kestrels, like other birds, see ultraviolet light, which includes being able to spot urine trails from mice or voles. They hunt by swooping down from a perch, or even hovering above prey to get a better look.

Kestrels may be fierce, but their numbers are declining as cavity nests made by other birds (like woodpeckers) are in shorter supply due to human activity. Kestrels are also prey to larger raptors. But kestrels will live in box nests that humans build.

(photos by Jake Nackos, Jeremy Hynes, unsplash)

Zero Waste Snack Recipe of the Month: Flatbread Crackers

Vegetarian Dinner of the Month: Baked Sweet Potatoes & Tahini