Burnwood Trail Stop 9: Old-Growth Habitat

An old-decayed stump of a fallen tree with an increment borer propped up next to it.

Thomas Saladyga

Quick Facts

Location:

38.07773, -81.07582

Significance:

Old-Growth Forest Network

Old-Growth Forest Hike Stop 9 - Old-Growth Habitat

Large dead snags are a critical component of old-growth forests. Snags are classified as microhabitats, or small features that differ from the larger ecosystem and provide unique habitat for specialized species that depend on these features. These two large white oaks on the right side of the trail had the top of their crowns blown over during a windstorm in the summer of 2021. Infrequent disturbances like windstorms, ice storms, and wildfires that may kill a few trees within a larger forest stand are some of the dynamic processes that shape the Appalachian forests.

The windstorm may have killed these two white oaks, but these trees still provide a vital ecological role by serving as habitat for many species of wood eating insects, mushrooms, moss, and birds. The large crowns will slowly decompose on the ground, providing habitat for decades to come and recycling nutrients back into the soil. A beam of light now shines through the opening in the canopy, allowing for young tree seedlings to grow. The deciduous forests of Appalachia are self-sustaining and in a constant state of change, where the end of one organism means new beginnings for others in the cycle of life and death.