Fire Ecology at Tarkiln Bayou - May 14

Back in May I went out to see some of the aftermath of a controlled burn at Tarkiln Bayou Preserve State Park. Here are some of the shots.

After a fire, anything that hasn't been burned to ashes (several inches above ground). Is so exposed to the heat that it turns brown and dead. Some of these plants will grow back but, after burning over a few decades (every few years), the weedier species will die off.

The fire can't burn if the ground is too wet. Here, wet ground has kept the fire from passing a certain line. Ecologists burn forests to increase biodiversity--it keeps weedy species from getting a monopoly on growing space and offers a chance for more sensitive species to take hold.

Mushrooms poke through the ashes almost as soon as the fire is passed, demonstrating that only a few centimeters below the surface, life goes on as normal. Roots and mycelia are unaffected by the blaze. Many species are specially adapted to periodic fires and do much better in their presence. People have been starting controlled fires in America before Europeans arrived on the continent, but for different reasons. Early Americans burned to make hunting and defence easier. In a more open forest, both prey and enemies could be seen from a safer distance. Inadvertently, these tribes and nations created an ecosystem of their own tastes, and animals and plants adapted to survive specifically in a fire-frequented environment.

A young six-lined racerunner makes the most of the fringes of the burn. Bugs are easy to spot out here.

My favourite species of carnivorous plant, Drosera tracyi. The long, delicate leaves curl around stuck insects that blundered into the sticky droplets of dew. The black specks here are gnats that will soon be digested by the plant.

West Coast Trail - Part V: Walbran Creek to Cullite Creek

Getting water from the Walbran Creek. We prefer to filter our water instead of using pills. Primarily because it tastes better filtered and natural.

We thought this ladder was long. Ha!

I have my faithful biology teacher to thank for my love of plants. Now, whenever I see fuzzy little plants like these I exclaim, "Oh! How delightful! Look, father, at all the wonderful Lycopodium!"

Many wildflowers caught my attention along the way. This indian or labrador tea is actually a species of Rhododendron, R. groenlandicum.

The bog laurel, Kalmia polifolia, is very similar to the Rhododendron growing
near by, but is toxic. Not a good idea to confuse the two when out collecting for
tea.

Drosera rotundifolia. Drosera are among my favourite plants. First, they are carnivorous, snaring unsuspecting insects in the droplets of "dew" on the leaves which quietly fold over to seals the invertebrate's fate. Second, they are down right gorgeous and just saying "Drosera" brings joy to the heart.

So we climbed way up this ladder and then back down just to cross a giant bridge
to more ladders which go all the way back up before coming back down.

The largest bridge of the trip was the Logan Creek bridge.

Looks precarious.

Our packs seemed especially heavy as gravity attempted to pull us off of this crooked ladder ascending a sheer cliff.

The construction team in charge of this one had a good laugh. I'd hate to have to do it without the support.

Farther along, roots and mud became more common occurrences.

Once again, plant oddities catch my eye. These are liverwort thallus in their gametophyte, non-reproductive stage.

Bogs are great places to see interesting plant life.

Approaching the campsite at Cullite Creek, a young Steller jay watches us suspiciously.

Arriving at Cullite just after noon means we have time to explore. And just as well, because the whole Creek is enclosed by a cliff at each side. It was so secluded and enclosed, yet amazingly beautiful, I felt like I had arrived in paradise. Albeit, a very cold paradise.

Harlequin ducks and pigeon guillemots rested on the cliffs and rocks around the cove.

The ducks seemed to be feeding on something close to the wall's side.

The north side.

The boulders of the north wall created a unique landscape of almost maze-like quality. Small fossils, mostly clams and snails, can be seen within many of the crumbling boulders.

This male harlequin duck was very frisky. 

Dad collects some firewood. We were the only ones in the who site; everyone else made five or six nights out of the trial. We did seven.

A fallen spruce dwarves my father.

A curious fungus coats the bottom of a log.

With time to spare, we hiked up Cullite Creek for some distance. There are many salmon fry in the creek.

Keen sandals are perfect for these kinds of semiaquatic excursions.

Looking back at the temporarily unneeded cable car over Cullite Creek.

We do practice no trace camping so no one would ever know we had been there. But it is certainly easy to tell when we are there. As messy as our house.