 ... ALASKA'S ESSENCE AU NATURALE ... |
... ALASKA'S ESSENCE AU NATURALE ... |
March 15, 2009Arcticulates ®Focusing on Alaska's BeautyAuthor: K. Fields~ ~Alaska's Essence Au Naturale ~ ~Alaska presented our first float au naturale called "Spirit of the Wild" in the Rose Parade this year! The design of the float was completely covered with organic material, using some indigenous plant material from various regions in Alaska. This beautiful float showcases Alaska's copious wildlife, vast and abundant natural beauty, breathtaking scenery, rich history, and the indigenous cultural traditions. It won the National Trophy, which goes to the float that best depicts life in the USA: past, present and future. (Click on photos to enlarge in new window)
This float is 22 feet wide, 55 feet long and 18 feet high, and within that space it has a sled with 6 realistic sled dogs, representing the famous Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, which recognizes mushing as an Official State Sport of Alaska.
There is also a Grizzly Bear carrying a Salmon in it's mouth (which is symbolic of Alaska, it is also what is depicted on U.S. Mint’s 49th commemorative quarter in its 50 State Quarters program , a Bald Eagle nested in a tall tree stump, a King Crab, Puffins (state bird - many thought they were penguins) and Walrus, plus... my favorite... a wonderful fully antlered moose, which like the bear, moves it's head realistically back and forth.
It also had 5 different types of masks, each representing one of Alaska’s major Native cultural groups that use their beautiful artistic abilities in creating things that carry traditional and historical themes.
There is(not pictured) steam rising from the Alaska railroad engine (Alaska Railroad has been involved in nearly every major economic development in the state) that is coming out from a tunnel built in the side of a mountain which represents "Denali/Mt McKinley the highest mountain in North America.
A very special thank-you goes to: Ketchikan Convention & Visitors Bureau They provided several boxes of a feather moss, scientific name: Hylocomium splendens, more commonly known as Stair step moss. It is one of the most abundant of the mosses that flourish in the boreal (another word for temperate rain) forest of southeast Alaska. It can be found on rocks, trees, etc. and its color is affected by the amount of sunlight it is exposed. The moss was collected from fallen trees in a forested area in Ketchikan. Alaska Botanical Gardens They provided three types of vegetation: Spruce Boughs One of the most dominant tree species in the sub-arctic or "boreal" forest is Spruce, and the most common type of spruce in South central Alaska and the Alaska Botanical Garden is White Spruce Alder "cones" Alder twig catkins, cone-like fruit are representative of a very common shrub. Alaska has a variety alders some of grow as shrubs and other which can reach tree-size Moss-like hanging tree lichens The mossy-looking plant that hangs from trees in many Alaskan forests is actually one of a few different types of lichens, it is called Gray horsehair lichen (Bryoria capillaris) is pale gray to a darker smoky brown; it is most common in old growth forest and forested peatlands Later... K Fields See Also: High One or Not?
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