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's 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.
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.
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
Arcticulates' Feed
