Post #5 Open Spaces are Great Places

Post #5, Open Spaces and Great Places, marks the fifth stop of the Rankin Ridge Nature Trail.

NPS Photo / Anania Tekurio

Even in the densest forests, natural events can create open spaces. Fire is probably the most significant force in a pine forest, but something as commonplace as the falling of a large tree can open the forest canopy and let sunlight reach the forest floor. Then, for a few years in that sunny place, conditions are right for the growth of grasses, wildflowers, and some shrubs. Conditions are also right for the sprouting of pine seedlings from the surrounding trees. This combination of grasses, shrubs, and seedlings provide ideal cover and food for wildlife.