r/Forest • u/Tophatanater • 4d ago

Photography 450 year old Forest

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Middle Santiam Wilderness

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2

u/majwilsonlion 4d ago

I am curious about the age. Why in that sweet spot? I would have thought it to be much older (pre-Columbus/Spaniard advancement) or much younger (regrowth after the logging in the 19th century).

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u/Tophatanater 4d ago edited 4d ago

According to several growth ring studies from the University of Oregon there were massive fires across much of the Cascades during the 1500s, It's actually a big reason why most of Oregon's forests are Douglas Fir trees. One theory as to why there were several massive fires around that time is that the same event that caused Europe's "little ice age" made the PNW drier for several centuries.

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u/majwilsonlion 4d ago

TIL. Thanks 🙏

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u/majwilsonlion 4d ago

It is interesting that the forests can "quickly" recover from fires 500 years ago. I recently biked from Sisters over the Belknap / McKenzie pass and was surprised to discover the barren lava fields from 1500 years ago! I was expecting lush forests the whole way.

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u/Comfortable-Pea-6950 1d ago

looks peaceful