Human Impact

Human Impact. . , We are all stewards of this forest. By staying on the trails and not removing plants or other wildlife, you can help to ensure the survival and beauty of this incredible resource for future generations., Though old-growth forests such as this one have not been cut or otherwise developed, they are still affected by people. Soil compaction from foot traffic was one of the first documented signs of human influence in this ecosystem in the mid-20th century. Healthy forest soil is light and fluffy, while hard, compacted soil inhibits forest regeneration by preventing the growth of seedlings. By staying on the designated trails, you can help steward the Forest., Over-collection is another cause of plant species decline in the Forest. In 1911 New York Botanical Garden co-founder Elizabeth Knight-Britton confiscated 410 jack-in-the-pulpit plants (Arisaema triphyllum) that had been uprooted by visitors. Only a few of the plants survived and were replanted in the Forest. Other species have not recovered. Trailing arbutus (Epigaea repeus), which was once a popular holiday decoration, is one of several species that are not extirpated, or locally extinct, in our Forest because of over-collecting., Climate change impacts forest worldwide. At the Botanical Garden, the Forest has been affected by air pollution, extreme weather events, recurring seasonal droughts, and thriving pests and diseases, all exacerbated by climate change.