NATURE NOTE - Number 46 June 14, 2022
Introduction:
It’s easy to figure out if we are in a forest or not, but there is still a lot to the old saying of “not being able to see the forest for the trees”. Not all forests are the same, and scouts need to be made aware of the forest and not just the trees. Obviously, there are pine forests, mostly oak-hickory forests, or other forests where a few species dominate the trees we see. Other things, such as age of the trees can help describe the forest as well. But let’s look at something else in this NATURE NOTE. I’ll call it:
Our Current Topic: Forest Patterns
When we are at Camp Powhatan and look around, we see the forest in pretty much of a continuous pattern going up the mountains surrounding us. It’s all trees. The camp and lake represent a break in that continuous pattern, but that’s about all. Now think of when you drive down the highway through rural or farming areas. Driving along I-81 or US 460 are good examples. You see some forests that are very large areas going up the side of a mountain, but you also see many small forests intermingled with fields of pasture land or crops or farm buildings or other roads. These vary in size, but they are forest “patches”. The more of these patches you see, the more forest “edges” you notice. That is, where the patch meets the field or highway or yard of a home. This pattern of smaller forest blocks is called “forest fragmentation”. These smaller wooded parcels certainly contribute to the overall value of all forests, in that they provide oxygen, wildlife habitat, soil protection, etc. But there are differences between these smaller blocks and the large, uninterrupted forest that goes on for perhaps miles. A major difference is in wildlife habitat. Many animals, bears for example, want that deep, large forest where they can roam long distances undetected in search of small animals and roots, berries and nuts of plants that prefer that deep forest. Other animals, such as some birds, quail being a good example, don’t want that deep forest. They want that edge between forest and field. This is where they will find cover as well as the many things in their diet: seeds, insects, and berries. This is very noticeable with many species of birds. Deep in the forest you will find thrushes, warblers, Pileated woodpeckers, Broad-winged hawks, Barred owls, etc. Along that edge, there is actually more variety of food for more birds, such as sparrows, goldfinches, Catbirds, Indigo Buntings, Brown thrashers, Red-tailed hawks, and many others. Then there are other animals that use both areas, such as turkeys and deer.
The edges also create a totally different plant environment as well. The edges will normally get much more sunshine that the deeper forest, so plants and trees that are “shade intolerant” will grow here instead of the deeper, more shaded forest. Eastern Redbuds are a great example. In early spring you will see these beautiful red blooms all along highways on the forest edge before most other plants and trees are blooming. But notice that they are seldom seen beyond that forest edge. Smaller plants and wildflowers also show different degrees of shade tolerance. Some, like Redbuds, will only grow where they can get bright sunlight most of the day. Only the forest edge provides this. Insects that rely on pollen will gather where their favorite flowers grow. Therefore, they too will gravitate to the edge or deeper forest to find their food. Since many birds seek insects for their food, they will seek the habitat of the insects as well. This edge-effect actually provides a more diverse habitat than the deep forest or open fields, and therefore attracts a lot of wildlife species.
Some of these patches are often connected with forested corridors of varying width, often along a stream or river, or maybe along a fence or road. These corridors serve as important and concealed routes for animals to move between various patches to feed or seek mates. These corridors also offer abundant edges and thus offer a wide variety of plants.
Opportunities:
All of these forest patterns can readily be pointed out to scouts in a variety of places. Making them aware of their existence and why they are important adds to their overall understanding of nature and the variety of habitat that is available to wildlife. Challenge them to find different plants and animals in different parts of the forest. You may be the only person to be in a position to point out these out to these scouts. Do it.
As always, thanks for visiting NATURE NOTES. Let others, such as parents, know about this feature and encourage them to help point out parts of nature to scouts as well. Let me know of any thoughts you have at
Bob Garst
