Lovely! Although I’m no expert, my thought about the competition/cooperation relationships do occur in tandem, as you posited. In my ideal world, I’d like to think that all of the relationships in forests are geared toward the benefit of the community as a whole.
I believe Simard implies we wouldn't have forests if plants didn't cooperate in some way. We would have something else, who knows what. It benefits each individual plant to establish a connection with another plant.🙂
This is so wonderful! The idea of pocket forests popping up is delightful. It has been a dream of mine to take over the sloping grass banks along roads and in parks - planting them with wildflowers and native grasses. So hope you take some “before” photos of your adopted median and give us all some tips!
Fifty-three native woody plant species are commendable. In Massachusetts, Myawaki forests have 30 to 40 species. In an East Cambridge forest, cottonwood grew from 4 feet to about 9 in one year! It has the most giant leaves I ever seen on a cottonwood—a happy tree. However, the leaves on branches closer to the ground are much smaller, only the size of silver doors. I think that's because the stem was grown in a nursery. Distant from other plants, the tree did not benefit from the wood-wide web of the mycorrhizal network. Whenever a plant cell signals over the hyphal strands for an enzyme or nutrients, bacteria that manufacture it make it available to all plants via the network. A great diversity of woody plants thrives when grown together, sharing all resources freely. As a result, these trees draw down ten times the carbon dioxide compared to a stand of one tree type.
I’m obsessed with this. I love everything about it. Trees are so fascinating. Do you need to plant 7 more cedars for your lone little cedar to thrive? I don’t think it’s competition, I think it’s community.
Last Spring I planted a bag of random local wildflower seeds in several pots on my balcony and before long there was a menagerie out there of bees, hummingbirds, crows, spiders. It was heaven on a 2’x2’ patio. It reminded me of these mini forests and taking over small plots of land in order to grow wild.
I’m also obsessed with nurse logs and talking trees. Thank you for always sharing such wonderful articles! This post was chef’s kiss! 👌
I hope that these pocket forests spring up at every single school across the US. If they help to keep the buildings cooler, there’s less need for constantly running Air Conditioners, and every child will be happier because they can see butterflies and hear birds singing.
Your little cedar is most likely setting its roots deep into the soil for its first few years, preparing to spring up in top as soon as its feet are steady.
It does look a wee bit lonely tho, maybe plant a little friend or two near by(?)
While I live fairly rural ( that will be ending soon with the amounts of building permits this town is giving out) I have 2 acres part of a 70 plus acre property that was subdivided when I bought my home. Nothing is built yet. I still have the view of all the fields that our being reclaimed by the forest. I’m thankful it has taken this long (4 years now) that nothing has real approval. Much different than this wonderful pocket forest idea. I absolutely love this. My back acreage is turning to forest. We try and keep some of the field. We mow paths to walk and had it totally taken down once. Now 4 years later it’s about time I do this again. The lower pasture is all reforesting. Interestingly I had to take down 30 ash trees dead and brittle from the emerald ash borer. This is reforesting as well.
We do all we can . A gentleman stopped by today and asked if he could put hives in the back next spring. Yes I said.
Love this piece. I wish more urban areas like our spreading downtown would do this. So much habitat is being lost.
I’ll hope to take your piece to the town manager. Have him read this. Thank you for this information.
I love this. It reminds me of the Knepp estate in England, where they were failing as farmers, and one year they just decided to stop and allowed everything to grow. Now they are an ecotourism destination.
My home is far from an estate. It’s a 200 year old modest farmhouse. With a large barn predating it. We have a 2 seater outhouse and a 3/4 bathroom probably an afterthought looks to be about 40s era .
I hope approvals for the monstrous homes they want to build will be delayed and delayed again. This I can only hope for.
Wow! Just wow. Just wandered this informational path you laid out so beautifully and learned so much, felt the warming rays of hope and heard that encouraging ring of truth. This is a gift, Amanda. Thank you for pulling these threads together into such a hopeful, thoughtful cord. I'm smiling and my imagination is spinning.
Really cool to see how much impact a tiny forest can have in just a few years. Good luck with your median project—it sounds like such a great way to bring some life to the neighborhood!
Don't give up on your cedar! I planted a few spruce trees that didn't seem to grow at all for 3-4 years, and then one spring they took off, growing a foot or more a year. There's hope for your cedar! :)
I would have loved this when I was in elementary school. I wasn't into gardening then, but I remember that they did introduce a small garden in one of the gravel playgrounds -- and I was so disappointed that they didn't let me help. I think it was just the adults gardening. Most of where we played was just large gravel fields, and it got so hot going into summer. The one place that would have cooler (the irrigated grass lawn with some jasmine bushes) was off limits to kids.
Lovely! Although I’m no expert, my thought about the competition/cooperation relationships do occur in tandem, as you posited. In my ideal world, I’d like to think that all of the relationships in forests are geared toward the benefit of the community as a whole.
Thanks Julie 🙏🏻
I believe Simard implies we wouldn't have forests if plants didn't cooperate in some way. We would have something else, who knows what. It benefits each individual plant to establish a connection with another plant.🙂
This is so wonderful! The idea of pocket forests popping up is delightful. It has been a dream of mine to take over the sloping grass banks along roads and in parks - planting them with wildflowers and native grasses. So hope you take some “before” photos of your adopted median and give us all some tips!
Thanks for the inspiration! Yes, I'll have to document my median adventure and share learnings.
Fifty-three native woody plant species are commendable. In Massachusetts, Myawaki forests have 30 to 40 species. In an East Cambridge forest, cottonwood grew from 4 feet to about 9 in one year! It has the most giant leaves I ever seen on a cottonwood—a happy tree. However, the leaves on branches closer to the ground are much smaller, only the size of silver doors. I think that's because the stem was grown in a nursery. Distant from other plants, the tree did not benefit from the wood-wide web of the mycorrhizal network. Whenever a plant cell signals over the hyphal strands for an enzyme or nutrients, bacteria that manufacture it make it available to all plants via the network. A great diversity of woody plants thrives when grown together, sharing all resources freely. As a result, these trees draw down ten times the carbon dioxide compared to a stand of one tree type.
Yes! This was my hypothesis. Are you aware of any studies that confirm that's why they grow so fast?
Nicole Masters, For the Love of Soil, Videos by Christine Jones, Google Jena Biodiversity-Ecosystem Functioning Experiment
Thank you : )
I’m obsessed with this. I love everything about it. Trees are so fascinating. Do you need to plant 7 more cedars for your lone little cedar to thrive? I don’t think it’s competition, I think it’s community.
Last Spring I planted a bag of random local wildflower seeds in several pots on my balcony and before long there was a menagerie out there of bees, hummingbirds, crows, spiders. It was heaven on a 2’x2’ patio. It reminded me of these mini forests and taking over small plots of land in order to grow wild.
I’m also obsessed with nurse logs and talking trees. Thank you for always sharing such wonderful articles! This post was chef’s kiss! 👌
Thanks dreary! I've spent limited time in Oregon and Washington and want to learn more about nurse logs.
I'm thinking I'll crowd some lupines around that cedar.🤷🏻♀️
Yay!! Do it! I love a good lupine! 🪻
P.S. did you know there was a lupine-adjacent looking emoji? I did not! How very fun.
🪻nice find!
I hope that these pocket forests spring up at every single school across the US. If they help to keep the buildings cooler, there’s less need for constantly running Air Conditioners, and every child will be happier because they can see butterflies and hear birds singing.
Your little cedar is most likely setting its roots deep into the soil for its first few years, preparing to spring up in top as soon as its feet are steady.
It does look a wee bit lonely tho, maybe plant a little friend or two near by(?)
I hope so, too! Wouldn't it be amazing? Schools have a lot of concrete nowadays. I love that everyone is rooting for my cedar🙂
While I live fairly rural ( that will be ending soon with the amounts of building permits this town is giving out) I have 2 acres part of a 70 plus acre property that was subdivided when I bought my home. Nothing is built yet. I still have the view of all the fields that our being reclaimed by the forest. I’m thankful it has taken this long (4 years now) that nothing has real approval. Much different than this wonderful pocket forest idea. I absolutely love this. My back acreage is turning to forest. We try and keep some of the field. We mow paths to walk and had it totally taken down once. Now 4 years later it’s about time I do this again. The lower pasture is all reforesting. Interestingly I had to take down 30 ash trees dead and brittle from the emerald ash borer. This is reforesting as well.
We do all we can . A gentleman stopped by today and asked if he could put hives in the back next spring. Yes I said.
Love this piece. I wish more urban areas like our spreading downtown would do this. So much habitat is being lost.
I’ll hope to take your piece to the town manager. Have him read this. Thank you for this information.
Crazy thing, I was born in Japan.
I love this. It reminds me of the Knepp estate in England, where they were failing as farmers, and one year they just decided to stop and allowed everything to grow. Now they are an ecotourism destination.
I’ll have to look that up and read about it.
My home is far from an estate. It’s a 200 year old modest farmhouse. With a large barn predating it. We have a 2 seater outhouse and a 3/4 bathroom probably an afterthought looks to be about 40s era .
I hope approvals for the monstrous homes they want to build will be delayed and delayed again. This I can only hope for.
Wow! Just wow. Just wandered this informational path you laid out so beautifully and learned so much, felt the warming rays of hope and heard that encouraging ring of truth. This is a gift, Amanda. Thank you for pulling these threads together into such a hopeful, thoughtful cord. I'm smiling and my imagination is spinning.
Wonderful, simply wonderful and an amazing lift to my day.
So glad to hear this, Jerry!
Really cool to see how much impact a tiny forest can have in just a few years. Good luck with your median project—it sounds like such a great way to bring some life to the neighborhood!
Thanks : )
Don't give up on your cedar! I planted a few spruce trees that didn't seem to grow at all for 3-4 years, and then one spring they took off, growing a foot or more a year. There's hope for your cedar! :)
OK, fingers crossed! But I have to admit, I'm thinking about planting a bunch of native plants right up against it.
Please keep us informed! I feel a personal stake in that cute spruce now … perhaps you accidentally planted a mini-spruce, and it’s just perfect …
I agree … It may be a small cedar - but it’s charming!
I feel that a little disappointment may have been healed. Who needs all those big spruce? We need tiny spruce trees, too!
I would have loved this when I was in elementary school. I wasn't into gardening then, but I remember that they did introduce a small garden in one of the gravel playgrounds -- and I was so disappointed that they didn't let me help. I think it was just the adults gardening. Most of where we played was just large gravel fields, and it got so hot going into summer. The one place that would have cooler (the irrigated grass lawn with some jasmine bushes) was off limits to kids.
Thanks Michelle, for all this wonderful news, Maurice