Nature Notes: The Black Oaks Of Yosemite National Park, The Video

When the snows of winter come to the Yosemite Valley, the black oaks with their dry, rattled leaves add intriguing texture to the setting. Screen grab from Nature Notes: Black Oaks.

Many of us associate trees with our national park visits. Aspens and lodgepoles in Rocky Mountain, Grand Teton, and Yellowstone national parks, for instance, hemlocks in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, or cypress in Everglades National Park.

In Yosemite National Park, the black oak is one of the iconic trees, one that strikes Steven Baumgardner, the park's videographer, in particular. In the latest episode of Nature Notes, Mr. Bumgardner takes a look at these majestic trees "in (their) various seasonal moods," and also tells "the story of the mighty acorn and the importance that this seed plays in the lives of animals and people."

Enjoy!