The 1675 Grove: A Virgin White Pine Forest

[Lucas]

Click on image to see its original size

http://ecologyofappalachia.blogspot.ca/ ... orest.html

The 1675 Grove: A Virgin White Pine Forest

1675 Grove, Brighton, NY in the 'dacks

FYI A good blog.

[RayA]

Lucas,

Another excellent post, thank you!

[ElijahW]

Lucas,

I have a number of nits to pick with the details of this blog, but I won’t. Overall, it’s very good, especially the photos.

Elijah

[dbhguru]

Elijah,

Please don't hold back. Share your observations with us. I totally trust them.

Lucas,

Thanks for sharing these excellent sources with us. Please continue. I look forward to them.

Ray,

Did you see the image of that 10-ft CBH black birch in Elijah's post? NY is really starting to kick butt.

Bob

[RayA]

Bob, do you mean Elijah's Staatsburgh post?

I saw a black birch photo, but not a cbh measurement.

[ElijahW]

Ray, Bob,

The 10’ figure for the Black Birch was just an estimate. I didn’t measure that tree.

Bob,

I’ll take the bait, I suppose.

1. Red Spruce is Picea rubens , not pungens - innocent mistake, and I’ve made similar ones myself.

2. The 1675 (Elders) Grove is situated in more of a spruce-fir swamp or bog than a northern hardwood forest. I haven’t counted, but I’ll bet Red Maple is more common here than Sugar Maple.

3. The author is correct that White Pine old growth is rare, but the Adirondacks has a lot of it. It is not rare if you’re willing to really look, especially away from well-worn trails.

4. While White Pine seedlings are absent from the interior of the grove, they’re thick in the disturbed areas around it. My observation was that the most common seedlings amongst the old growth were of Red Spruce.

5. I believe the pine pictured as broken and splintered was standing when I first visited the grove about ten years ago. It was over 15’ in circumference due to an old injury or low limb that healed over long ago. It would have survived the 1995 wind event.

The out of date maximum height reference (160’) doesn’t bother me. I’m familiar with the tree in question, and it may well have been that tall at some point. I expect today it stands at about 155’. The trees in this grove have experienced a tremendous amount of crown breakage and regrowth.

That’s about it. All in all, good reading.

Elijah

[Erik Danielsen]

There's one more minor detail that needs major nitpicking- nearby Brighton, NY in the adirondacks was founded after the Seneca were driven out? Farming and brick-making were the historic mainstays?

There are two Brightons in NY. The author describes the one that's a suburb of rochester, paraphrasing the wikipedia page. No need to drive the seneca out of the adirondacks...

[ElijahW]

Erik,

Good points. I didn’t make the Brighton connection, but should have. I was pretty tired last night. Bob or perhaps Tom Howard would have a better idea, but if any native tribes were inhabiting that area, they would be Mohawks. A Google search might provide an answer, but I’m feeling a little lazy right now.

Elijah