Q.: What are the three stages of plant succession we see around the trail?Ī.: Plant succession is the orderly, predictable change in a plant community over time. After that, trees are able to dominate the site and can take care of themselves. The forester does the same thing except that it is usually only necessary for the first few years of the 60-100 year life of the forest. Since most farm crops or flowerbeds are short-lived, eliminating plant competition is an on-going process. Thus, the farmer and homeowner do their best to keep their fields and flowerbeds weed-free for the life of the crop. Q.: How does a forester, farmer, or homeowner use the concept of plant competition?Ī.: Eliminating plant competition frees up more water, nutrients, and sunlight for the desired plants. They are an integral part of the food chain. But, out in the woods they would probably be considered ‘good guys’ because they help decompose dead trees, stumps, etc. If in the walls or foundation of a home, they would probably be considered ‘bad guys’. Q.: Are termites, ants, and fungi ‘good guys’ or ‘bad guys’ or …?Ī.: The answer depends on when and where they are found. Though its common name is laminated root rot, many people simply call it Poria or Phellinus. Q.: What is the name of the root disease?Ī.: The scientific name is Phellinus weirii (formerly known as Poria weirii). Q.: What kind of cones do pine trees have? Fir trees? Douglas-fir trees?Ī.: Pine trees have pine cones fir trees have fir cones and Doug-fir has Doug-fir cones. The oak’s acorns were a major part of the native’s food supply. The fires also maintained the oak savannas typically found in the Willamette Valley and surrounding foothills.
This open land was better habitat for wild game, berries, and other foods eaten by Native Americans.
Keeping it free of trees kept the land mostly in grass, brush, forbs, etc. Q.: How did Native Americans manage a forest?Ī.: They periodically burned it to keep it free of trees.
Q.: How long have people lived in the Coast Range of western Oregon? Q.: What is the very â€tippy-top†part of the tree called? Problem is, humans always have to feel like there making something happen instead of letting something happen.This “Trail Trivia†goes with the grades 4-6 Trail Passport. The same acreage in a "purchased food plot" can't begin to compete with "nature's plan". After 5 years, your perimeter consists of bare earth, 1,2,3,4,5 year growth and stays that combination as you then always till under the 5 year old portion. Each year youtill adifferent 1/6 of the perimeter. Maybe you should consider allowing the 25' perimeter of the field to go fallow. What you may want to consider is a fallow ground 5 year rotation, but your 25x25 plots aren't going to cut it. Rabbits need thick vegetation for cover, green forage during the three mild seaons and young woody plant growth to get thru winter. If farmers were randomlyrequired to allow land to go fallow 1 year in 5 the quail population would explode.
They benefit most from small new growth forbes and insects in that environment. Quail benefit most from land which is allowed to go fallow for 1-3 years, Then it begins to lose value to them.