From Field to Forest

From Field to Forest. . , The east coast, from New England to Florida, was once dominated by the Eastern Deciduous Forest. Humans shape the landscape, but if left alone the land reverts to a natural state through a process known as forest succession. The wooded lot in which you stand is an example of forest succession., In the first few years, cleared land will revert to a meadow as grasses and wildflowers are allowed to regenerate. A local example is the meadow in Ben Brenman Park. Meadows provide habitat for many plants and animals that aren't found elsewhere and are among the fasted disappearing landscapes in the east., If the land is not managed to remain a meadow, shrubs and trees begin to grow. These pioneer plants include species such as Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana), and Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia). A local example is the meadow complex at the Duke/Telegraph Interchange. Pioneer trees require high levels of light and grow quickly., While the pioneer trees dominate the forest canopy, other trees that aren't as dependent on high levels of light begin to mature, such as hickories (Carya spp.) and oaks (Quercus spp.). These slow-growing, long lived species will eventually replace the canopy as the pioneer trees begin to naturally die back., This is the stage of succession taking place right here. Notice some pines still stands, while other have died and are left on the forest floor to naturally break down over time. While they decompose, they enrich the soil and provide habitat for numerous other life forms., In the case of this woodland, the oak forest was clear-cut during the Civil War but resprouted and grew among the old field vegetation that persisted onsite into the early 20th century.