Studying Trees

I (Lina) got a chance to do some field work this week. Most of the time my job is in the office, in front of a computer. So it's a treat to get out into the woods. Plus, it's a good reminder that field work is very challenging and the desk job is the easier route.  The work was out in the Coastal Range of Oregon. We were studying trees in plots that were established in 1935.  Every 5 years the plots are remeasured to assess mortality and regeneration. The plot we worked in was very challenging because there was a wind storm in 1996 that knocked down most of the big trees. We had to crawl over and through and under and around the big logs, searching for every tagged tree on the plot. It was very challenging since the logs were wet, slick, and covered with moss. Sometimes I had to shimmy across logs that were suspended 15' above the ground. Once, from a high, mossy perch, I gazed down and mused how glad I felt that I didn't have to find a way down to the ground in that particular spot. As I was looking down at the ground and leaning over, my hammer fell out of my vest. Ah! I had to go down after all! We made it through the entire plot and found and remeasured all the trees. It was a good day's work and I was grateful to get through with only a few bruises.

Logs and logs and logs. It's hard going, and even more challenging to find every tagged tree on the plot.

 

This stand is regenerating. See all the smaller stems? Mostly hemlock.We tagged new trees and remeasured trees that were already tagged.  One of the people on the crew had first been to the site in 1983 -- thirty years ago. There is something very cool about long-term studies. For forests of long-lived trees, there's no other way to really learn about them. Every decade tells another story.

The field crew! Lim, from South Korea, then Rob, Suzanne, Lina, and Alex. Our field vests are full with field gear: hammer, flagging, pliers, nails, labels, diameter tapes, notebook, compass. This picture was taken at the end of the day, just before we got back into the van to drive home.