Stop 10 Foresters Trail
Shortleaf pine is common in pure and mixed species forests on dry uplands. These pines, along with other pioneer species, need direct sunlight to grow. This area was probably an open field that was abandoned around the time of the Depression in the 1930s. These pines were able to take advantage of the sunlight and occupy the opening.
Look for small maples, sourwoods, and beeches in the understory. These deciduous trees are more shade-tolerant and will gradually out-compete other species in the forest canopy. The older pines will eventually die, and new pine seedlings will be unable to replace them as they cannot tolerate shade. As the species and composition of the trees change, so do the species of wildlife.
This area provides ideal wildlife habitat because it has variation in tree size, an abundance of hard mast, is close to water, and provides good cover. Wildlife residents include bear, deer, songbirds, small mammals, reptiles, and insects – all finding their niche in this ecosystem.