I try to spend June 21, the summer solstice, “in the outdoors” somewhere as a celebration of life on Planet Earth and managed to do so this year, albeit part of it traversing a 4-year old clearcut with a friend. Then we reached some of the remnant forest on a steep slope bordering a stream which disappeared belowground and reappeared at intervals, sometimes expanding into a small wetland. It was a mixed Acadian forest, with yellow birch, red maple, hemlock and red spruce up to 2+ ft dbh (diameter at breast height).
The air was cool, and the ambiance tranquil, in marked contrast to the clearcut we had just stepped out of. I was most struck by the intimate proximity of a large diameter yellow birch and a smaller hemlock which are often occur close together, but this was exceptional. An Acadian Forest Love Affair, I thought.
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