Deciduous trees loose their leaves in fall, while coniferous or cone-bearing trees are evergreen.
Many forests are composed of only one of these types. At the Nature Center many of the forests are mixed. Hemlock, Spruce and Pine shelter wildlife from snow and wind and their cones and needles are food and nest lining. In the shade beneath the forest canopy, shrubs, wildflowers, mosses, ferns, lichens, and fungi thrive in the moisture and shade created by the trees. As leaves, branches and trees fall to the forest floor, the materials are quickly used for homes or food.