Photo from WikipediaIn July, 2007, the North Neola fire destroyed 12 homes and burned 43,500 acres of the Ashley National Forest and surrounding area. Five hundred people were evacuated. Three men died.
One year later, grass and wildflowers returned to the fire-blackened landscape.
Now, two years after the fire, new aspen trees in the burned forests are 3 feet high. Fire kills the mature aspens but the stress stimulates the colony's roots to put out new shoots, which grow rapidly without the shade of larger trees.
Where the forest did not burn, the undergrowth looks completely different -- grass and assorted underbrush, but no new aspen.
Through fire and death comes new life. In the ashes lie seeds of spring growth.
I love how nature points these truisms out to us! Lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the photographs Janie !! This is so beautiful..Great shot...Also I Have Started My Own Website And Would Like You To Have A Look At It.I Would Love To Have Your Comments On That Also.Unseen Rajasthan
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how quickly an area can rebound after a devastating fire.
ReplyDeletethat is a wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post. We all need to remember what comes after the fires.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it wonderful how nature regenerates itself? Thanks for the fascinating photos of the new growth in the forest.
ReplyDeleteHi Janie, I hate to hear about forest fires anywhere---but sometimes it is nature's way of replenishing itself.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the new Aspens..
Hugs,
Betsy
Hi Janie, I hate to hear about forest fires anywhere---but sometimes it is nature's way of replenishing itself.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the new Aspens..
Hugs,
Betsy
It's really amazing to see all the new aspens - God Bless the men who died in the fire!
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my page & commenting
Fire is truly part of the natural cycle. The sooner we learn that the better the forests will be. Although I am sorry for loss of life and home. I love seeing the young Aspen's neon glow.
ReplyDeleteInasfar as I learned from the Aboriginal culture here down under, the indigenous people purposely practice clearing to stimulate seeds propagation ... whatever that is called.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind permission for me to copy your wild flowers. Much appreciated.
This reminds me of a scripture that says "He gives us beauty for ashes..." This past February, my kids and I visited Bok Tower gardens in Florida. They practice prescribed burning there to maintain the ecology of the sandhill habitat. The longleaf pine's cones will only open under the extreme heat of a fire to relase it's seeds. I thought that was fascinating.
ReplyDeleteLooks like the area will slowly come back to life!
ReplyDelete