I finally wrapped up my data collection at the birch/red maple stand. Thanks to Johanna and Elaina, I have some real numbers to work with -- we identified the trees in the plot, took DBH measurements, and counted stumps (there were several). Now I'll be able to provide teachers and other users of our site tour with substantial evidence for my conclusion -- that this site was heavily logged about 30 years ago.
The trees are all a similar size and therefore a similar age; the stumps are much larger, so the trees that were cleared were old and tall. I think the larger trees created so much shade that few trees lived in the understory, and once the large trees were cleared from the land, the pioneer red maples and birches came in and took over. These pioneers are the trees we see at the site now.
I hope the activity I created for my site guides students to this same conclusion, and to have a stronger grasp on how to read the landscape. I look forward to examining my tree cores tomorrow, to examine the trees' age and get an even closer look at my site.
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Your tree structure and size analysis is contributing nicely to your observations of your site. I also look forward to reading your tree cores. I wonder if the stems that are sprouting from the same stump originated at the same time?
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