Re[2]: [at-l] Remaing Old Growth in Maine, WV, East

[Bob Cummings <ellen@clinic.net> (Bob Cummings)]

"...Nature endures and adjusts."

Absolutely true. Fire ravaged 3,000 acres of Baxter State Park and several
thousand acres of adjacent private paper company land a quarter century ago
after a windstorm blew down great numbers of trees.

 There ensued a massive debate after both natural events. But the land in the
 park, where the blown down trees were mostly not salvaged, few visitors in the
 park today even notice the wind and fire damage any more.

 In contrast, the trees on the adjacent private forest were salvaged and the
 brush left laying on the the forest floor. When the fire came through the
 raging brush fires almost totally burned the top soil away.

 I pointed out the contrast to paper company foresters at the time. They assured
 me that the trees would recover more quickly in the "mineral" soil of the
 salvaged lands than in the scorched forest duff in the park.

 Just the opposite has proved true. AT hikers north of Abol Bridge see mostly
 scrub and stunted aspen. In the park a diversified forest has emerged.

IN fact the paper company apparently despaired of growing useful trees and sold
most of the fire damaged land to the park a few years ago.

In the park the most visible damage remaining are the great fire breaks
bulldozed in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the blaze. In the end only rain and
shifting winds quieted the flames.

One of the advantages of having been involved in these debates for decades, is
the perspective of being able to compare the predictions of the experts with
what actually happened.

The disadvantage is the inability to explore easily, given the inevitable
deteriorations of age.

Weary