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Hikers gained a deeper appreciation for old-growth forests along the trail
For Earth Day weekend, hikers joined Environment North Carolina Advocate Emily Mason to appreciate, learn about and help protect North Carolina’s oldest forests. Participants walked along the Chestnut Oak Trail at Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area, which the Old-growth Forest Network has designated as an old-growth forest area.
The hikers learned about trees and plants native to North Carolina and the importance of older trees within our forest ecosystems. Mature and old trees are already a rare sight in North Carolina, and are further endangered by logging practices which put them on the chopping block in national forests. Logging will remain a threat to our old-growth forests unless the Biden administration ensures strong protections and the U.S. Forest Service changes its current management practices.
Peter Schubert, a local botany expert, shared his love for our forests by explaining in detail the types of trees and plants found there and how they all form symbiotic relationships.
“I enjoyed Pete’s insight about the history of the area and what forests might have looked like a few hundred years ago as well as how current organizations are working to keep the forest in its most natural state,” said hiker Adena Hockaday.
Hikers learned how the mature and old-growth trees interspersed throughout the forest are an important part of a healthy forest ecosystem. These trees, some estimated to be at least a hundred years old, provide benefits by soaking up greenhouse gasses and providing food, shade and shelter to the wildlife around them.
Older trees don’t only provide benefits above ground. Peter explained how symbiotic relationships form between fungus and tree root systems: The older trees get, the more fungus can form along these root systems, improving the health of the soil.
Old trees continue to benefit the forest ecosystem when they fall, because their nutrients and stored carbon seep into the soil as they decompose, making the forest floor a natural “carbon sink.” Decaying older trees support new life, allowing new trees to grow in their place, and strengthen the soil for new plants. Beyond this, the carbon they stored while standing is then recycled into the soil.
When people log mature and old-growth trees, it hurts native plants and animals and lets carbon escape into the air. Because of human interference, less than 1% of trees on the United States’ East Coast, including those in North Carolina, have lived until “old-growth” stage.
Currently, two planned logging projects in North Carolina threaten our rare mature and old-growth forests. If we don’t protect mature and old-growth trees from logging, it will take decades to hundreds of years to grow them back. We must protect these crucial natural treasures.
We are urging the Forest Service to recognize the importance of our rare mature and old-growth trees and let them live to old age instead of logging them.Tell the Forest Service that our mature and old-growth trees are worth more standing, and send a message to the Biden Administration to protect our oldest trees.
You can help us prepare for a new year of protecting our environment. Will you donate to Environment North Carolina's Year-End Drive?
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