Guide to the Cultural and Natural History of the Four Soldiers Path

Forest Succession

Just as we are born, grow, change, and move
toward our golden years, so to do forests.

Forest succession is the development of any forest type over time from the seedling stage, to young, then mature forest, and onto the last stage of development called climax forest. Forests change as succession progresses. These changes include tree size, structure, density, and diversity of flora and fauna. Forest succession is a continuum with sometimes-blurry lines between stages.

Typical forest succession in our mixed northern hardwood forest begins with a disturbance of some kind, leaving either nutrient-rich or nutrient-poor soil exposed. The soil helps determine which so-called “pioneer” species of trees will colonize the new opening. Typically, the first stage of forest succession will consist of rapidly growing poplar, cherry, and paper birch, along with raspberry, alder, and other shrubs and small trees.

Next, in 20 to 40 years or so, sugar maple, beech, and yellow birch will enter the picture and grow to the point that they crowd out the early successionals. As these trees reach maturity and create a closed canopy of shade over the forest floor, softwoods, such as hemlock, spruce, and fir, will sprout and grow. Maple, beech, and yellow birch are also shade tolerant, meaning that their seeds can germinate and grow in their own shade. After about 60 to 80 years, the mature, mixed hardwood stands we see today are dominant. Given enough time—well over one hundred years—needles dropped from the softwoods will make the soil acidic, preventing the offspring of the maple, yellow birch, and beech trees from flourishing. Finally, in the climax stage of succession, the spruce-fir forest will dominate. If the area is disturbed, the process will start again.

Forest succession can be managed to create stands of valuable timber, specific kinds of wildlife habitat, or a visually-pleasing experience for forest visitors. For this, foresters employ techniques such as clearcutting, selection cutting, and tree thinning, which imitate natural disturbances like fire, blowdowns, and washouts.

Note: Four Soldiers Path displays varied states of succession, especially in the most recently logged sections on either side of the height of land. Logging provides visitors a chance to monitor rapid early successional forest growth. Early successional pioneer species such as raspberry bushes and cherry trees abound. A fine stand of mature mixed hardwood forest—with beech, ash, sugar maple, white and yellow birch, along with hemlock—can be found at a point on the trail closer to town, at the first stream crossing heading west. These trees were likely spared the loggers saw because of the steep terrain in this small ravine.

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