Station 22: Measuring Wood

This pile of wood is a standard cord, a stack 4' high, 4' wide and 8' long, or 128 cubic feet.

It was constructed of spruce logs cut from this plantation in 1993. The cord is a volume commonly used for firewood and pulpwood.

Just to the right of this stack are the remains of a similar cord made in 1972. Notice how rapidly even fairly large pieces of wood decompose under shady, moist conditions when they are in contact with the ground. A yellow birch is making use of the nutrient rich wood-pile remains.

Gap opening created by fallen white spruce

The white spruce that died and fell here left an opening for sun-loving plants and trees to become established.

Many white pines have taken advantage of this opening, as well as yellow birch and vigorous raspberry and blackberry shrubs. Succession can occur on the small scale of forest openings like this, or on the larger scale of abandoned fields and clearcut stands.

As the forest grows in again, sun-loving species in the understory will gradually disappear. As the white spruce canopy dies, this stand will continue its natural succession to a mixed hardwood and pine forest.