A Rare Find on the Southeastern Border

 

I was "like a kid in a candy store," that's how I left you off trail in the woods, on a hill between Scott road and 142. I hope to make it up to you as we pick up where we left off in To What Did Our East-West Hike Lead Us?

Somewhere between a rock and a hard place lies hope.

As we entered these woods I felt them change. It was as if the woods had begun to speak to me, but about what I wasn't yet certain. I think that Wayne heard it too and so he gave us the space and time we needed to consider why.  This is how it is for us and how a 3.9 mile hike turns into hours of hiking.

When stone rises up from level ground, it's an invitation that I cannot refuse. 

Sometimes isn't life just like this? 

Something or someone to hold us securely in place even as it is lifting us up.

Perhaps this is why some stones are stacked for no other purpose than to claim the highest point; while other's are chosen as corner stones. 

Wayne patiently waits below.

While I think about climbing down....or not. 

and so he waited a while longer while I lingered at the top.

No, I've never liked rushing through the woods.

I like to find understanding, to quench my wonderings. 

There! Do you feel it? It's arriving here now, things that I think that I know are finding their place in these woods.

There is so much to see, so many choices all around you, so many dreams to be dreamt, 

and so many plans have been made. Yes, thoughts and troubles carried into these woods and dreams and hope carried out, all crossing paths in this one place.  But what am I seeing? Dreams and plans aside, what is here now?

Blue paint spattered on the bark of a Pitch pine tree.

 Left to right: three needles per fascicle, single flat needle two white stripes underneath, five needles per fascicle.

 Pitch pine! This is truly a wonderful find!

 It took me some time to narrow down that this is in fact  Pitch pine. So unusual is it to come across these trees in VT, that I decided to contact a forester to confirm it. 

I located an article while working on identifying the tree which stated: The Pitch pine Sandplain Forest in Colchester, VT is considered one of Vermont's rarest habitats.*

If the term "Sandplain" sounds familiar to Vernon residents, it most likely is because, Vernon is home to another of Vermont's very rare habitats, the Outwash Plain Pondshore we know as Lily Pond. Both the Pitch Pine Sandplain and our Outwash Plain Pondshore were formed by glacial deposits of gravel and sand. 

"...but most often pitch pines are early seral and are replaced by oaks... and other hardwoods in the absence of fire." (USDA Pinus rigida)

Red oak tree bark

 The only sign of fire that we located on this stretch of trail. 

Clues are often found under foot.

Mycelium has taken advantage of this old pop top bottle.

Ten unearthed in all, begging me to wonder how these woods have changed since the gathering that left them on the ground. 

Birch 

This hardwood was passed by,

As was this softwood.

The point of my posting so many pictures of trees and bark is to show that this mixed hardwood forest would most likely be at the Stable Climax stage of successional growth had it not been for the disturbance caused by logging. Pitch pine trees take advantage of disturbances and are a pioneering species with an average life expectancy of  200 years. Pitch pine trees however, typically take advantage of disturbances caused by fires.**

White oak or Black cherry

Sometimes I wonder if others are equally intrigued by sites that trees are growing on.

Do others become confused by trees wearing disguises? 

It's time to examine the litter in this compact area. What do you see?

Does it help to identify this tree?

Young American beech trees retain their leaves throughout the winter. Birch trees do not.

A Red maple leaf; but I haven't yet found the White oak leaf that I am searching for.

A flat cut.

And just like that, we found a trail.

Standing sentry 

While this would be a natural place to take pause, I've decided to press on and complete my writing about this hike in two parts.

A porcupine's dinner 

A tree who attempted to heal. What damaged this tree?

A harvested natural resource. White pine seeds soon take advantage of the light.

While the remains of the harvest are reclaimed.

An opening in the canopy caused this pine to lean too far to withstand this winter's wind and snow.

It won't be long before another seed sprouts.

Each kind finding it's niche within a niche. 

Their own purpose, their own story to recite.

Wayne and I made sure to honor the landowners request in spite of the expired dates. We wonder if there will be enough open land to complete our goal.

 

Wayne checks his app to help him navigate around the posted parcel

while I locate a new friend.

White birch 

The trees in this area are particularly tasty.

Wayne, my Editor and Chief has informed me that I have attempted to share too much in this posting. So once again, I am breaking my promise to finish up in two parts. In the third and hopefully final part, the terrain dramatically changes. -Norma Manning

Further Reading:

Caring for one of Vermont's rarest habitats, (Pitch Pine Sandplain Forest) 

Pitch Pine Study Forest Plot, Salisbury, VT by Chris Fastie 

Ossipee Pine Barrens (NH), The Nature Conservancy.