Beaver Creek Township near Higgins Lake in Crawford County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Thinning the Forest
| | Forest Heritage Trail | |
Photographed by Joel Seewald, July 4, 2025
1. Thinning the Forest Marker
In the 1950s, Michigan foresters began experimenting to find the perfect amount of space a tree needs to grow. By removing, thinning, certain trees, those left have more room to grow and less competition for nutrients.
Thinning is one technique professional foresters use to manage a forest. It results in larger, healthier trees.
Look Straight Ahead
The stand of trees ahead was planted in the 1960s and never thinned. These red pines are tall, but very skinny. While they provide valuable habitat and oxygen, they stay small in diameter because of the limited space they have to grow.
Image caption: These red pine trees grew from seed as part of operations at the Higgins Lake Nursery. The Nursery closed in 1965 before the seedlings could be transplanted.
Erected 2023 by Michigan History Center and Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Environment • Horticulture & Forestry • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1964.
Location. 44° 31.055′ N, 84° 45.513′ W. Marker is near Higgins Lake, Michigan, in
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Northern Michigan Lower Peninsula. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Great North Woods, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: State Forest or State Park? (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Tree Progeny (about 500 feet away); Ram Pump (about 500 feet away); Civilian Conservation Corps Museum (about 600 feet away); Seed Beds (about 600 feet away); Civilian Conservation Corps
Photographed by Joel Seewald, July 4, 2025
2. Thinning the Forest Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on July 18, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 18, 2025, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 71 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 18, 2025, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.
