Columbia Springs

 Trees budding, ground cover growing, and moss still glowing from all the rain,at Columbia Springs Nature Center. This area is mainly an environmental education center, and in fact during my visit a school bus was parked in the lot and students were collecting pond samples to analyze. I attended a workshop here last year on foraging, and I've meant to come back before now to explore the trails. It turns out there aren't many trails to explore, and my young puppy, Hazel, was not satisfied for exercise by the time we had given the center a good looking over. I did bring my scissors and gloves to collect nettle, but none to be found. The tiny ferns growing on the moss covered trees are edible though. Licorice Fern (Polypodium glycyrrhiza) if you're interested.