A photographer captures life in America's last remaining old-growth forests
David Herasimtschuk's photography highlights the interdependence of wildlife and trees in Pacific Northwest old-growth forests, emphasizing salmon's role in nutrient cycling and ongoing legislative efforts to enhance forest management.
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David Herasimtschuk, a conservation photographer, has dedicated his work to capturing the intricate relationships between animal life and trees in the old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest. His photography highlights the biodiversity of these ecosystems, showcasing species from salmon to mountain lions and emphasizing their symbiotic connections that are crucial for both forest health and planetary welfare. The Northwest Forest Plan, established over 30 years ago, has been instrumental in protecting these ancient forests, which are vital for carbon storage and climate change mitigation. Herasimtschuk's project aims to educate the public on the importance of preserving these ecosystems, particularly the role of salmon in nutrient cycling, which significantly benefits forest growth. As salmon populations decline, the nutrient flow to forests diminishes, impacting their ecological potential. The photographer also notes the importance of fallen trees in maintaining moisture and providing habitats. Current legislative efforts aim to enhance forest management policies, focusing on the protection of mature forests and the restoration of salmon populations. Herasimtschuk's work serves as a reminder of the complex interdependencies within these ecosystems and the need for informed decision-making in forest management.
- David Herasimtschuk captures the relationships between wildlife and trees in old-growth forests.
- The Northwest Forest Plan has protected these ecosystems for over 30 years.
- Salmon play a crucial role in nutrient cycling, benefiting forest health.
- Legislative efforts are underway to improve forest management and protect mature forests.
- The decline of salmon populations poses a threat to the ecological balance of these forests.
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8 commentsWe don't live in a true old-growth forest, but it's pretty close. There are definitely many hundred year old trees.
We manage our five acres very, very minimally, and we're actively re-foresting most of the ~1ac of yards that were mowed prior to us moving here in 2020.
As another commenter said, this is the most beautiful natural environment I've ever seen, and we're extremely grateful that this has become our forever home.
I suspect it was fern spores that I had an allergic reaction to, because I had a similar experience in an area of New South Wales that has a lot of ferns.
It still turned out to be a great trip. We drove up to Seattle, stopped at El Chupacabra, then went out to North Cascades National Park for a couple of days before heading home.
Washington is such a beautiful state with so much diversity in the landscape. I love driving through the state from East to West because you see it all. Even better, I flew from Seattle to Minneapolis once and it was a clear sunny day for the whole trip. The view out the window was breathtaking and seeing the landscape change from forest to desert to forest to prairie and farmland was just the coolest thing. And flying over the mountains and seeing lakes up there all secluded. Beautiful.
There are no footpaths, the undergrowth is both dense but also strong - we aren't talking stuff you can push aside.
That said, I do feel conflicted about this type of forest management. It may work on the Olympic Peninsula where risk of fire is minimal. It does not work in the large forests of California which are tinder-dry and experience very hot summers.
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