Woods of Wonder

Woods of Wonder

Oh, That's Old! Imagine you're in a dark, lovely forest. Trees with trunks wider than cars tower overhead. Smaller plants soak up what little light they can find. Pine needles and other dead leaves cover the ground. Like something out of a fairy tale, an old-growth forest is a place of wonder and mystery.

Some old-growth forests look like this scene. Others look very different. Some have only one type of tree, while others have many. Some have trees that seem to touch the sky. Others have trees shorter than a house. Because of all these differences, scientists do not have one definition for an old-growth forest. However, they have found some things that many old-growth forests share. Many scientists agree that an old-growth forest must be at least 150 years old. The trees within the forest might be many different ages, though, including large trees, both living and dead (or dying). Standing dead trees, called snags, and fallen trees provide food and shelter for different animals, plants, and fungi.

The forest's canopy should have more than one layer. Fallen trees make holes in the canopy where young trees can find sunlight to grow. Old-growth forests are some of the most beautiful and interesting places on Earth. By studying and taking care of them, we can learn a lot.

United States Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California together cover more than 1, 353 square miles (3, 504 sq km). They hold more than 300 square miles (777 sq km) of old-growth forest, made up mostly of coniferous trees. Among these are giant sequoias, found only in California. These huge trees are among the oldest on Earth. They can live for more than 3, 000 years. A giant sequoia known as the General Sherman Tree is the largest tree in the world.

The Pacific fisher lives in the parks' old- growth forest, under the thick canopy. It hunts birds and small mammals. Its favorite meal is porcupine. Because its habitat is limited to old-growth forests, some states are taking steps to protect it.