Layers of the Forest

Imagine you are a small snail inching along the ground. Or an olive-sided flycatcher flitting around up above. Right now, as a human, you stand somewhere in between. A healthy forest has a place for each living thing, providing the necessary habitat, food sources and protection for many species.

Looking around, you can see the layers of the forest. Underneath your feet is the foundation for everything surrounding you. In the soil live the microorganisms that create nutrients for plants to grow. Fungi spreads in large networks, creating communication channels between living things. With a healthy soil layer, everything else can emerge.

The forest floor comes next. Bend down and have a look up close. You will see the mosses, fungi, and seedlings that grow right next to your feet. This is also an important habitat for small wildlife who find shelter under large plants, hiding from predators.

At your level is the understory, filled with shrubs and herbaceous plants, often an important food source for wildlife and humans alike. On SḴŦAḴ | Mayne Island, the ground cover and understory is often bare, or greatly reduced, due to the high deer population that browses these layers down to the ground.

Look up, and you will see the forest canopy over head: a mix of open spaces where light can get through, and tree branches offer shade. Can you see the different types of trees above your head?

The olive-sided flycatcher lives in this space, perching in tall trees and catching large flying insects from the air.

People often hear this song as “quick, three beers!”

Olive-Sided Flycatcher © Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library

As you continue on your way, keep an eye on the ground below your feet, and the sky above your head–you might just see something you’ve never spotted before!