Reason to be Hopeful

If you have nothing better to do some day take a drive along the western shore of Lake Michigan from Kenosha County to Door County.  It’s easy as you can stay on a four-lane highway for the entire stretch. 

If you are observant you will see large swaths of dead trees.  On either side of I-43 in Ozaukee County you will note that a considerable portion of the visible forest is either dead or dying.  The destruction is horrifying in southeastern Wisconsin and is becoming more evident in Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Kewaunee and Door Counties. 

This is the handiwork of the emerald ash borer – an insect native to Asia that was discovered in southeastern Michigan in May of 2002.  It likely traveled here in the wood of a packing crate and in short order Michigan and Ontario became ground zero to this destructive insect.  Like the radiating ripples formed when a stone is cast into a pond the invader continues to expand its range.  The host for this killer are native ash trees.  And because ash in North America did not co-evolve with the borer these trees have no natural defense or resistance.  

Around here ash makes-up a sizeable component of the forest canopy.  It is well-suited to the heavy clay soils and thrives in the wetter bottomlands where it is a dominant species.  Green, black and white ash replaced much of the elm that died several generations ago.  You cannot miss the dead ash trees in and around Sturgeon Bay.  And in the vicinity of where I live I’ve noticed some sick-looking ash, crown die-back, bark flaking and woodpecker activity.  The ash is dying. 

It is easy to become discouraged by the grim notion of large woodlots of dead trees and the impact-upon all of the critters and resident landowners that make their home here.  The direct impact upon Jill and me is mitigated to some degree by the composition of our woods.  Because we planted most of it – it happens to be diversified.  Just like building a stock portfolio when you start a forest from scratch you plant an excess of a larger variety so as to account for mortality and not concentrate your bets.  Nevertheless, there is no getting around the reality that we also have a sizeable number of ash.  Some was  already here and thousands more were planted.  Most all of it carries a death sentence. 

As a consequence my retirement will include dropping trees, bucking logs and an endless supply of stove wood along with plenty of fresh air and exercise.  That is heartening.  There are additional reasons to be encouraged.  For starters it is not unusual to find elm still growing around here.  They are few and far between and it doesn’t get very large before it dies.  Strangely-enough not every last elm was killed so it persists in small numbers.  Maybe the ash will follow suit. 

There is also encouragement to be taken from the fact that trees planted decades-ago are propagating.  If I walk our woods I’ll find numerous small tamarack and spruce cropping-up in the understory.  If the deer don’t eat them all maybe enough of them will eventually fill-in where the ash die.  Forests have a way of healing after-all. 

And this year we’re finding tiny swamp white oaks growing all over the place including our yard.

I certainly didn’t plant them – some critter did.   The oaks we planted several decades ago were no larger than the tiny trees pictured above.  Since then they have become mature oaks and are now producing these.   

Click on images for a closer look

From acorns grow mighty oaks. 

Witnessing this natural regeneration is reason to feel encouraged.  So if your glass is half-full – you raise a toast to sustainable forestry.

Cheers!