successional

“It acted as an early successional species but eventually was outcompeted, we think. But there’s also a role for plants in ecological communities to ebb and flow. You want to have these pioneer species, and then the ones that are going to come on later.”

Some grassland birds also thrive in the early successional forests that grow after timber harvest.

“Mining doesn’t look pretty when it’s actively occurring but after it’s reclaimed,” she said, “it has made for some excellent early successional habitat.”

We love the matted-grass trails that are wide and enable us to easily stroll by the staghorn sumac shrubs and successional trees.

“In fact the best scientific data indicate that protecting late successional habitat also remains critical for the conservation of the spotted owl,” the notice read.