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Ghost wood

YOUR MISSION

They say that the suburbs are areas where “they chop down trees and then name streets after them.” Can you find the hidden trees in your own suburban or inner city area?

Completed mission: Where an explorer has completed a mission
Mission cluster: A group of missions

Mission ID: 3098
Tags: map maps mapping cartography cartographic buildings development urban woods wood National Geographic Geography Awareness Week

legend

Completed: 54

They might be street names or clues might be elsewhere. Create a map of this ‘lost wood’ and then populate it with ‘lost’ local wildlife. If you live in the countryside what kind of “nature ghosts” can you find evidence of?

Tips: Take a look at old maps of where you live while doing this mission. You will find lots of clues. Make sure your own map includes these important elements: a title, a legend or key, a scale bar, and a compass rose. You can do this mission in some detail. You could do some research to find out if the trees you found were local species or see if they were used just because the trees have pretty sounding names.

Click here to learn more about maps.

Geography: Urban sprawl has removed large areas of natural vegetation across the U.S. Subdivisions are sometimes named after natural features that were once present and can give clues to the past. Geographers are often involved in decisions about locating, planning and naming new urban developments. Place names are often derived from local landscape features.

BONUS QUESTION

What "urban livestock" is featured in this article about New York city? Tip: Visit this website to find out.

Get permission, take care and do this mission in a team (3 is a magic number). If you find yourself on ‘Lion Street’ watch out for the big cats.

Risk overall: Medium. Keep your wits about you, anything could happen.

Ready to explore?

Rewards for this mission

Mapping Badge

Mission points

Question points

241

Challenger

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Risky business

Doing missions on this website can be dangerous. Always get permission before exploring and make sure your plans are reasonably safe. A place that is safe one moment can become dodgy the next so keep your wits about you. We cannot take any responsibility for any injuries or harmful effects resulting from your actions. It's your job to survive your explorations intact.

To increase your chances of success complete our training and safety tips before starting. That way you are more likely to win points and keep your head on.

Extras

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