Old Growth Forest

[sradivoy]

An old growth forest is like an amorphous "universal soul" where everything gets recycled. All stages of life are represented here from young to old, and it has this churning affect on me much like the ocean surf that curls back on to itself ... but on a much slower time scale. Individual "appendages" come and go, but the "old growth forest", metaphorically speaking, remains constant and unchanging. For me it cleanses my soul when I enter into it. and I feel spiritually renewed when I emerge from within as if born again. It truly is a sacred place to be cherished for all times!

[Joe]

I like old growth because I like to see what nature can do with little or no input from the "naked apes".
Joe

[mdvaden]

An old growth forest is like an amorphous "universal soul" where everything gets recycled. All stages of life are represented here from young to old, and it has this churning affect on me much like the ocean surf that curls back on to itself ... but on a much slower time scale. Individual "appendages" come and go, but the "old growth forest", metaphorically speaking, remains constant and unchanging. For me it cleanses my soul when I enter into it. and I feel spiritually renewed when I emerge from within as if born again. It truly is a sacred place to be cherished for all times!

So when fire naturally moves through some of these old growth forests and burns much of what's in sight to a crisp, as is normal over centuries, can we assume you find the same renewed feeling walking in there right after a burn?

Because I can to into recovering forests 60 yrs. after logging and get as nice a vibe sometimes as certain old growth areas that burned, or that may not have character that appeals to me on a certain day.

I appreciate old forests left to themselves best for a lot of reasons, but can enjoy forest of all ages.

[sradivoy]

So when fire naturally moves through some of these old growth forests and burns much of what's in sight to a crisp, as is normal over centuries, can we assume you find the same renewed feeling walking in there right after a burn?

Because I can to into recovering forests 60 yrs. after logging and get as nice a vibe sometimes as certain old growth areas that burned, or that may not have character that appeals to me on a certain day.

I appreciate old forests left to themselves best for a lot of reasons, but can enjoy forest of all ages.

I wouldn't get the same vibe until the charred remains of the forest became an old growth forest once again. I love old growth that has scars of ancient fires from long ago on the trunks of living trees and particularly old snags. I too can appreciate the "youthful vigor" of a young forest, but that is an entirely different experience unto itself. More often than not the most beautiful trees in terms of form are the ones that are in the prime of their life (much like people are) that haven't been ravaged by the withering affects of time (and weather). However, old gnarly trees are often times much more interesting in terms of character (likely elderly people often are). They have an ancient "wisdom" that I just find compelling and profound than any young forest.

[Joe]

Well managed forests with periodic silvicultural work can be nice too.
Joe

[mdvaden]

Actually, I don't recall walking in any fresh forest fire areas yet. I should try it sometime just to see how it feels.

[Joe]

Actually, I don't recall walking in any fresh forest fire areas yet. I should try it sometime just to see how it feels.

I walked in burned forest in Yellowstone a few years after the big burn- and hated it- though maybe that was because I was terrified of running into a grizzly.
Joe

[sradivoy]

No other place on earth encapsulates the eternal cycle of life as well as an old growth forest. For me at least it reveals an indestructible universal concept, or force of nature, that pervades the universe on a cosmic scale. It's a kind of "holy place" that we have access to right here at home but have lost touch with and now just beginning to reconnect with. Hopefully the Old Growth Network will eventually change people's attitudes on a political level. It's an important endeavor that may be too late.

[Joe]

I just took a look at the Old Growth Network web site at: http://www.oldgrowthforest.net/

It's a beautifully designed web site.

I presume most old growth is on public lands but there are probably a lot of small acreages of old growth on private land. Hopefully, much of that can be protected.

One of my forestry clients- in fact my largest client, Gould Farm in Monterey, Mass. is planning on dedicating a section of old (though not old growth) acreage as "forever wild".

Most states have a special tax rate on managed forest- with the objective of producing wood products and associated ecosystem values- however, I don't believe any state will allow some of the acreage under these programs to remain "forever wild" but they should.
Joe

[sradivoy]

I've been to the burned out areas of Yellowstone as well. Ugly as hell. I've also been through the blast zone of Mt. St. Helens which is much more interesting in terms of forest recovery. There is definitely a sense of forest renewal taking place there.