A Shady Spot

A Shady Spot: At the top of the ridge, notice the scrub oak understory has given way to a blanket of pine needles. This is the largest white pine grove in this part of the forest. When white pines reach a certain height and density, their shade suppresses any new growth. Over time, this can have a detrimental impact on the health of the forest as most young plants are not able to grow in dense shade. Periodic fires help to fix this and maintain a healthier environment by killing off many of the white pines.