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In late 2004 and early 2005, we treated the up-slope side of the trail here. Coarse Woody Debris was dispersed from nearby windrows, trees were marked for retention, and unmarked fir trees were girdled, topped, or pulled. Look up and take note of the topped trees (the ones whose tops have been cut off). By topping these trees, we:
- created more material to become CWD on the forest floor
- opened up the canopy, thereby increasing the amount of light that reaches the forest floor
- made it possible for surrounding trees to get enough light to live
- added significant new habitat for wildlife
- added structure to the canopy in the form of standing dead trees ("snags")
The down-slope side of the trail is untreated at the moment, as it provides an immediate visual comparison with the treated area (in other words, it serves as a "before picture"). Speaking of "before and after" pictures...
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