• 
• 
• 

Locations

Old Growth In The East

From Florida to Maine, rare photo opportunities can be found among forests with tree stands dating back to the 18th century and earlier

There are few of us who have stood among the ancient colossal old trees of the West without a feeling of awe and reverence. If you have ever visited the enormous redwood forests of California’s coast, or perhaps seen the giant Douglas fir and Sitka spruce found in Washington’s Olympic National Park, you have some sense of the quietude and feelings of serenity that permeate these forests.

Fortunately, the West Coast isn’t the only place to visit and photograph such magnificent places. There are areas from Florida to Maine where giant old-growth trees still exist. And although they’re not nearly as large or tall as some of the western behemoths, these relict woodlands are still giant by any standard and serve as a remarkable link to our country’s natural ancient heritage.

So What Exactly Is Old Growth?
In the East, any forest stands with a large number of trees more than 120-150 years in age are considered to be attaining characteristics one would consider "old growth." These include large bole (trunk) size, distinctive bark found only on older individuals, buttressed or flared bases, and boles with few lower branches. Because the average size of eastern old growth doesn’t come close to the size of western trees, generally any tree over 30 inches in diameter is ascribed old-growth status.

The presence of large standing snags and many large logs on the forest floor is indicative of older unlogged forests. You’ll often find a unique pit and mound topography that’s been created by the huge root masses of toppled trees. There’s also just a different "feel" to these forests—in many cases, the understory is more open, with less brush and saplings, giving a sense of spaciousness not found in younger forest stands.

Among the oldest eastern trees you’ll find are white cedars. White cedars older than 300 years are common, and many exceed 450 years. Some have reached the age of nearly 1,600 years.

In Longwood, Fla., a massive bald cypress resides in Big Tree Park and is estimated to be 3,500 years old, while another bald cypress in Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge, La., is estimated to be between 700 and 1,000 years old. But these are rare exceptions. Most eastern species never reach such antiquity even under the best circumstances. Trees of 300 to 500 years in age are about the limit for most eastern species and are considered to be old growth.

Add Comment