Tree Fall/Rotting Trees Habitat

“At the time a tree dies, it has only partially fulfilled its potential ecological function,” writes Dr. Jerry Franklin, a leading forest ecologist from the University of Washington. Part of the biodiversity crisis faced globally is rooted in ecosystem simplification -- basically when humans clean up wild areas and control what grows and doesn’t. Dead or dying trees, known as snags when upright, or logs once they have fallen, become homes for ants, beetles and other wood-boring invertebrates become meals for many birds. Birds other cavity nesters, view snags not only as a food source, but also as a place to take up residence and nest. Here we see the importance of leaving snags and logs as part of the delicate balance of life present in the park.