Hartwick Pines - July 4th  

Upon the advice of a good friend I headed out for a day of adventure at Hartwick Pines.  The East Branch of the Au Sable runs through the eastern side of the park.    

Au Sable River 

After walking through a red pine plantation you come upon the river.  There was a very vocal group of Ravens in the distance along with a white throated sparrow.

Looking down at the river from the bridge half of the river bottom was rocky and the other sandy.  This should be a clue that the water is moving at two different speeds.  Where the water moves faster the sand particles are carried away leaving a more rocky bottom.  While the slower moving water deposits the sand along the river bottom.  I did not venture into the river to verify this idea, however, I would hypothesize that different macro-invertebrates make use of the two different river bottoms.

Ceder growing in the crux
of a stump 

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I followed the trail along the river for about a mile to the second stream crossing.  It is worth noting that bug spray was a good idea as there was a plethora of mosquitoes. At this location I noticed  this young White Cedar growing on the stump.  Here I waited patiently in hopes of spotting a Belted Kingfisher.  After about ten minutes of watching in silence along down the stream came one calling out!

Any forest or ecosystem has a way to recycle and utilize nutrients. Theoretically nothing is ever lost just moved around - basis for the law of the conservation of matter.  The trees making up the Old growth forest hold a great amount of nutrients.  Smaller under-story trees are just waiting for additional light to make it to the forest floor for their opportunity to shoot up.  When a tree does fall or loses a limb the nutrients stored in the wood are not wasted but used as moss and eventually herbaceous plants start to grow on the log.  Eventually this will appear like the forest floor with an area slightly raised up.  A great book to enjoy learning about this is Reading the Forested Landscaped by Tom Wessels.

Looking up through the forest at the
towering White Pines >120 feet Tall 

Under-story of the Old Growth Forest

In the midst of the old growth forest was a quaint little chapel.  Inside the chapel was a lovely prayer that I will leave for you to consider:

Inside the Chapel of Hartwick Pines

"Our heavenly father, creator of all that is nature, we humbly come to you in the midst of nature's splendor to thank you that as Americans we are free to worship as we please, work as we please, and live about as we please to enjoy all that is nature. Its mountains, its hills, its valleys, its lakes, its streams, and the living things that dwell therein. We pray unto you that someday the world may be at peace and all men be free to enjoy nature's abundance. We ask you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that we be guided to protect this priceless heritage which we in a america are privileged to enjoy. Amen