A Recovering Forest

A Recovering Forest. Mount Rainier National Park. Does this forest look different than the forest on the other side of the river? Multiple mudflows have raced down Mount Rainier’s slopes snapping off trees like toothpicks. When the mud stopped flowing, it set like concrete over tree roots, suffocating them. The younger trees here are beginning to heal the scar left by many mudflows. . . Look at the different species of trees in this forest. Many are Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and alder, some of the first to sprout through the thick mud. Staying on trails allows forests to recover naturally. This forest will continue to recover until the next disturbance occurs. . . (Inscription over the photo in the bottom left) . Look for the western hemlock with its droop limbs of flat needles, small cones, and a rough scaly bark. . . (Inscription over the photo in the bottom right) . Alders have leaves with teeth-like edges and smooth bark, often partially covered with lichens.