I found this article very interesting and intriguing.

One short paragraph grabbed me: "By examining annual growth rings in increment cores taken from tree trunks, we found that many pines at this site were more than 250 years old. Distinct injuries recorded within their rings denoted the passage of multiple low-severity surface fires that damaged but did not kill many of these trees. In all, 16 fires burned here between 1660 and 1909, after which fires abruptly ceased."

Great article. Thanks for sharing.

Excellent article. Thanks.

So, fires about every 15.5 years between 1660 and 1909, and then nothing? Why? I read further to find that the frequent fires were caused by people.

Ausable: "So, fires about every 15.5 years between 1660 and 1909, and then nothing? Why? I read further to find that the frequent fires were caused by people."

Make sense.. Regular contained fires kept brush down, promote blue berries etc. Probably did the same thing out west in prairie fire to keep brush and trees down, help restore the soil, etc.

With fire suppression been the norm since 1900's you have such a build up in fuel load that we get these horrific, hot fires...

dr bob

Interesting article. The key point is that the frequent fires that created these park like pine stands on the border were actually man made--because on the border route was where people were concentrated. And fires were more common on the border lakes, again, because that's where people were, probably going back to the time of dugout canoes. So we think of it as "untouched wilderness" but people were influencing the landscape probably as long as they've been around.

North of the end of the road in Canada.

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing.

American Indians in the Southeast US burned the woodlands to increase food for deer and bison. The open ground under the trees also made travel easier. When the Europeans arrived they said that the woodlands were open and parklike. The use of fire is still a recommended practice on timber tracts. It is increasingly difficult to use fire due to the expanding human population and the liability that results from the prescribed burning.

AtwaterGA: "When the Europeans arrived they said that the woodlands were open and parklike."

I believe that. If your canopy is old enough, thick enough, and high enough, not much will be sprouting on the forest floor.

P.S. - See what I did there, Jackfish?

As the undergrowth and tinder was kept to a minimum, the fires were much less severe. The trees survived.
Now the fires get so hot it destroys - EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!

KarlBAndersen1: "As the undergrowth and tinder was kept to a minimum, the fires were much less severe. The trees survived.
Now the fires get so hot it destroys - EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!"

Yep...

dr bob