Forest Ecology

On any one property, the rate of forest succession from a young, early-successional forest to an older, late-successional forest is difficult to predict. The rate of succession is affected by a variety of different factors including:

• Soil types and depths
• Presence or absence of groundwater
• Slope and aspect of the terrain
• Microbes in the soil
• Presence and abundance of fungi, plants, and animals
• Climate
• Microclimate on the forest floor
• The surrounding landscape
• Human activity and past land use
• Previous timber harvests
• Natural disturbances (e.g. wind, fire, ice and disease)

Although you can’t influence many of these factors, you should know that they may vary from one part of your property to another. These factors can affect the options you have for your property and how easily you can achieve an objective. Where possible, work with not against these natural conditions and processes.