We have a tendency to observe things at eye level. I know I did, and sometimes, still do. But not all that nature offers is in the trees or atop flower stalks. When I’m out nature snooping (which is almost daily) I’ve learned that there are birds near the ground, frogs and toads at our feet, beautiful forest flowers and fungi, and countless other organisms to behold by focusing my eyes a bit lower.

First, it must be noted again that plants’/trees’ photosynthesis is the key to life here on earth. So, all plants around us are supporting life whether it is the topmost leaves on an 80 foot red oak, or some three-foot tall goldenrod or steam side shrubs.

But remember, the forest under story that is lush with vegetation is feeding more animals than you may realize. The trails that you and I may follow in a state park which wind through mature hemlocks or oaks may be beautiful, cool and relaxing, but that forest setting is more sterile.

When large trees’ canopies block sunlight from reaching the forest floor, that usually limits the plants that may be growing there. I noticed this recently on a few treks through some fern blanketed forests. The ferns were beginning to die and getting that pretty yellow hue, and with some sunlight filtering in, the forest was beautiful. However, turkeys, grouse, deer, eastern towhees, hermit thrushes, etc., find little browse on which to feed, few shrubs in which to hide, or few nesting locations.

The most productive forest floors are those found among timber that has not yet matured. Here, green briars, dogwood and witch hazel, and countless maple and oak seedlings thrive. This is not the “Hallmark Card” looking forest floor, but “boy” does it produce.

We have much less timbering occurring in Pennsylvania today. Probably, the result of cheaper foreign lumber entering the markets. Home construction materials have changed too, with less and less demand for the harvesting of some of our giant white pines, etc. These mature forests limit the sunlight reaching the floor where partial shade loving ferns thrive. Ferns out-compete the new oak and maple saplings and the forest looks more “city park like.”

That doesn’t mean that those mature forests aren’t important. First, think of all the carbon dioxide the leaves of mature trees are taking from the air in order to make food. Secondly, at the same time, those trees are dumping oxygen back into the air. In the Times News region, these forests with their large extensive root systems are perfect at capturing and storing the precipitation that falls there.

The shade of the canopy also tends to keep those areas a few degrees cooler, helping wildlife survive summer’s heat, and very importantly, shading some of the beautiful mountain streams. The shaded streams stay cooler, hold more oxygen, and hence support more invertebrate life and cold water fishes.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission owns extensive tracts of forested lands and their foresters wisely harvest timber (for the lumber resource) and at the same time, “open up” the forest floor to more sunlight promoting vital underbrush for wildlife. These clearings may not look aesthetically appealing but are much better overall for wildlife habitat.

Whether it’s a mature forest with a rather sterile under story, or a thick re-vegetating hillside after timbering, the forests are critically better than black-topped parking lots or warehouse roofs soaking up sunlight, warming the earth, and leading to excessive runoff and a terrible loss of precious groundwater.

Get out there, enjoy, and do what you can to help preserve forest resources.

Test Your Outdoor Knowledge: Look at the photograph above of a snake from our region. First, is it venomous or non-venomous? Extra Credit. Can you identify the species?

Last Week’s Trivia Answer: In the peak summer growth time, a buck’s antlers can grow an inch a day.

Contact Barry Reed at breed71@gmail.com.