Old-Growth Forests: Pit and Mound Formations

Old-Growth Forests: Pit and Mound Formations. . , The rolling topography of the forest floor is in part the result of natural disturbances such as fallen trees., All around you are indicators of this forest's great age. Observe in front of you the uprooted stump of a white oak that fell in a wind storm in 2004 at the age of 277. Its roots were ripped up from the forest floor, creating a pit. As the roots and clinging soil decayed, they formed a mound. Over time, pit and mound formations create a rolling topography that is a characteristic of old-growth forests. The exposed mineral soil in the pits provides nutrients that plants need to grow, while the moist mounds of decaying matter and rich soil are home to fungi, lichen, bacteria, invertebrates, amphibians, and plants., This is an old-growth forest, having survived for thousands of years although nearly all of the historic woodland that once covered much of New York City was cleared for farms and settlements beginning in the 17th century. Today less than one percent of the woodland in the northeastern United States is considered old growth. Old-growth forests, while subject to natural and human disturbances, are generally resilient., The Thain Family Forest is part of the Old-Growth Forest Network. Forests in the network will forever be protected from logging and open to the public.