The trees you see in this picture are red pines. The place is Martha’s Vineyard. Yes, the trees are dead and/or dying. No, it was not a forest fire. The red pines were planted many years ago by a landowner hoping to be able to cultivate a crop of lumber which he would be able to sell. The problem is red pines were not native to Martha’s Vineyard; they are not rugged enough to survive long term in a sandplain ecosystem.
At first the red pine trees seemed to do well, almost too well. A large forest of this invasive species grew tall and thick all but suffocating any growth at the forest floor. But long before any trees could be harvested for lumber, fungal barbarians known as diplodia pinea ravaged the forest inflecting the trees from the shoots and rotting them to the core. The blight has taken over 99% of the red pines.
All that is left is an oddly eerie sight of the dead forest trees. Healing has begun and some of the more traditional vegetation has begun to regrow.
A “pine cathedral” is what the Vineyard Gazette calls it on the island. But there are other areas of Martha’s Vineyard where red pines were planted with a similar intent and similar outcome. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is working on clearing the other dead red pine forests across the island. They worry about the fuel these trees could add to a wildfire.
This particular pine “memorial” is now part of the Cedar Tree Neck Sanctuary in West Tisbury, Massachusetts. This area has not been cleared. The sanctuary made a decision to let “nature take its course” and allow visitors see and learn from the misguided efforts and environmental impact of those who try to bring an invasive new species to an area.
~Lisa
Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County of Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.
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The Scott Loper Team
Scott Loper - Associate Broker
Lisa Loper - Sales Associate
Gina Wherry - Sales Associate
RE/MAX Realty Group
439 Main Street
Harleysville, PA 19438
Ph: 215-256-1200 x-213
