Bannockburn Elementary PTA

A New PTA Commissioned Mural Celebrates Our School’s Local Ecology

What was once a well-worn shipping container, is now the canvas for a vibrant new mural celebrating the rich biodiversity that is present right here on our school grounds.  The mural was inspired by multiple years of hands-on ecological work by our neighborhood volunteer Woodland Stewardship group, which has led more than 40 workdays removing non-native invasive plants and nurturing native plant species that support more stable and vibrant ecosystems.

Most prominently featured in the scene are the ecological connections between the Sassafras tree, Joe-Pye weed, and the Spicebush Swallowtail (shown in both caterpillar and butterfly form). Look closer and you’ll also spot a Blue Jay carrying an acorn, a DeKay’s brown snake, native bees, large White Oak trees and even a bald eagle.  All these species are present on the grounds at Bannockburn ES, many right on the edge of the soccer field.  Watching over it all is our school mascot, the bobcat (not shown in the above picture), highlighting the role this property plays as a place for our next generation to explore.

We hope this mural encourages curiosity and a sense of connection to the vibrant natural areas on our school grounds.

What Plants and Animals do I see on the Mural?

With nature the more time you spend looking, the more detail you see. The mural is designed with a similar principal in mind. Some elements are big and visible from far away, while others require a viewer to observe from a closer spot. We hope you find enjoyment, and an appreciation, in understanding more about what is going on in our neighborhood’s woodlands.

Forgetful Farmer – Our blue jay is our forest’s forgetful farmer. They bury hundreds of acorns in fall and winter around the forest, but only remember to collect a subset of what they bury. The rest are perfectly planted for new oaks to germinate and grow. Read more here

Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar Has a BIG Secret! The “eyes” that you see on its head, are not real! They are fake eyes, made to make the caterpillar resemble a snake (mimicry) and be perceived as a riskier meal for predators. The caterpillar’s real eyes are small and on the front underside of the caterpillar. Read more here

Hungry Homebuilder – Our pileated woodpecker knocks out holes in trees in search of insect meals. At a later time, after the woodpecker is done, these holes are often used as pre-made homes by other birds and animals in the woodlands. Read more here

Bald Eagles – In the 1960s that there were only 417 known nesting pairs in the lower 48 states. We had gone from over 1 million Bald Eagles in the country when settlers arrived, to about 1 thousand. But thanks to changes humans collectively made. Now their numbers are back above 300,000 again, and you will even see them living and flying along the Potomac River near us; over the grounds of the school.

As our National Bird, they are a PROUD symbol of our country and also an important reminder that our choices have real impacts on our natural environment. Read more here and also here

Monarch Butterfly – These butterflies complete one of the longest migrations in the world! The Monarch’s we see in fall, have a 2,000-3,000 mile journey ahead of them and will fly all the way down to Mexico to overwinter.

They remind us that even when you are small, you can still accomplish amazingly big things.

Sassafrass Trees – This tree is fun because it will have 3 different leaf shapes on one tree; simple leaf, two lobed leaf (oven mitt!) and the 3 lobed leaf (dinosaur footprint)! See here! Its like it wants us to remember that its ancestors hung out with dinosaurs!
Also, this tree is the host plant for the Spicebush Swallowtail, meaning the insect must have this plant to survive. We need to make sure our Sassafrass trees, Spicebush shrubs, and Joe-Pye Weed plants are safe in our woodlands, so that we can have a suitable home for our local Spicebush Swallowtails!

White Oak Trees – The mural shows the distinct bark on the trunks of white oak trees. We are fortunate at BES to have 3 enormous white oak trees framing the soccer field. They watch over and provide stabilization for our woodland environments. They also provide all sorts of food and habitat for the insects and animals that call our neighborhood home. If you walk up under them and look up, their branches and size are awe-inspiring. These trees are well older than the Bannockburn neighborhood.

When you observe our woodlands, what do YOU see?