Us too! Some of what we imagine is no doubt incorrect, but I feel like keeping open many possibilities about how forests were in the past also keeps open many restoration approaches and we need to try many different things to restore habitats where specialized species can thrive.
There also used to be a lot more openings in forests due to the high population of beavers on rivers and streams. Beavers create large clearings around their dams, and then later on when beaver ponds are abandoned, they silt in and create the once-common "beaver meadows". Without these ecosystem engineers in the landscape, the niches for many native plants and animals become scarce.
There ARE still occasionally beavers around Princeton, NJ. I've seen signs of them over the years in Mercer Co. park and in Mt. Lakes right here in town. And there was the scandal a few years back where the then animal control officer was found to have killed beaver at Mtn. Lakes at the behest of some misquided state official who had threatened his job if he did not kill them even though they are protected. Thankfully, that got outed. But in general, beavers are not let alone around here to dam things as they would like, and so they tend to move on. Or, they are killed.
I'm pretty sure I've seen a stand of purple milkweed on the lake side of the towpath (between the canal and Carnegie Lake) in Princeton just a few hundred yards in, on the right, as you walk from the Harrison St bridge towards the Washington St bridge. There are really old trees nearby. It's the same kind of meadow environment as in that power line cut of the Sourland Mts. Sadly, sometimes the D&R Park maintenance people get carried away and MOW this swathe down as weeds. Several of us have tried to lobby them not to mow weeds along the towpath at all, because it is such a rich habitat for wildflowers, snakes, birds and rabbits. But they still seem to. What is it with the urge to make every place into lawn?
Totally with you. A lot of the most diverse wildflower habitats are roadsides, trailsides, ROWs, in part because of the extra sun. If we managed these places thoughtfully, they could be wonderful havens for native plant diversity.
Wonderful information. We need to keep whatever old forest we have left.
Great video!!!
Like the vibe. Pretty deep subject matter too.
welcome back - I've waited a long time for this new ep!
Great presentation! I enjoyed the artwork too
Excellent video lots of valuable information
i wish i could see what these forests used to look like
Us too! Some of what we imagine is no doubt incorrect, but I feel like keeping open many possibilities about how forests were in the past also keeps open many restoration approaches and we need to try many different things to restore habitats where specialized species can thrive.
I’m in NJ… come botanize with me and I’ll show you where to find Muhlenbergia capillaris.
Ha! You can't lure me into the woods that easily. Well, actually... you know where to find me, right? Be in touch.
There also used to be a lot more openings in forests due to the high population of beavers on rivers and streams. Beavers create large clearings around their dams, and then later on when beaver ponds are abandoned, they silt in and create the once-common "beaver meadows". Without these ecosystem engineers in the landscape, the niches for many native plants and animals become scarce.
Great point. It's easy to forget what important ecosystem engineering was performed by large populations of beavers.
There ARE still occasionally beavers around Princeton, NJ. I've seen signs of them over the years in Mercer Co. park and in Mt. Lakes right here in town. And there was the scandal a few years back where the then animal control officer was found to have killed beaver at Mtn. Lakes at the behest of some misquided state official who had threatened his job if he did not kill them even though they are protected. Thankfully, that got outed. But in general, beavers are not let alone around here to dam things as they would like, and so they tend to move on. Or, they are killed.
I'm pretty sure I've seen a stand of purple milkweed on the lake side of the towpath (between the canal and Carnegie Lake) in Princeton just a few hundred yards in, on the right, as you walk from the Harrison St bridge towards the Washington St bridge. There are really old trees nearby. It's the same kind of meadow environment as in that power line cut of the Sourland Mts. Sadly, sometimes the D&R Park maintenance people get carried away and MOW this swathe down as weeds. Several of us have tried to lobby them not to mow weeds along the towpath at all, because it is such a rich habitat for wildflowers, snakes, birds and rabbits. But they still seem to. What is it with the urge to make every place into lawn?
Totally with you. A lot of the most diverse wildflower habitats are roadsides, trailsides, ROWs, in part because of the extra sun. If we managed these places thoughtfully, they could be wonderful havens for native plant diversity.