Why Are There Logs and Stumps at St. John Point?
If you’ve visited St. John Point Regional Park recently, you may have noticed piles of logs and stumps lying in the lower field above Kadonaga Bay. These pieces of wood, also known as coarse woody debris (CWD), play essential roles in ecosystems, and have been intentionally placed at St. John Point as part of efforts to restore habitat for native plants and animals.
How Does Coarse Woody Debris Help?
Coarse woody debris provides critical habitats for various wildlife species. Birds, small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles use it for shelter, nesting, and foraging. For instance, amphibians like the endangered red-legged frog survive the winter by sheltering in rotting logs, which act like a warm blanket. The microhabitats provided by CWD support a diverse range of organisms, including mosses, lichens, and fungi.
As coarse woody debris decomposes, it gradually releases nutrients back into the soil, enriching it and supporting plant growth. The energy in the wood powers the food web: starting with fungi and insects, the energy and nutrients are passed on to plants, birds, amphibians, bats, mammals, and other wildlife.
CWD helps retain moisture in the soil, which is especially beneficial for plants growing in dry environments. Despite being deep, the soils in the field at St. John Point are quite sandy, making summer water availability a barrier to the establishment of native plants. The field has gone decades without a natural canopy of trees. As a result, the soils are now lacking in CWD and associated benefits.
Isn’t All That Wood a Fire Hazard?
Logs and stumps lying flat on the ground contribute less to fire risk than other types of fuel, such as tightly spaced trees and elevated dead dry branches. As wood decomposes, the energy that would feed a fire will instead feed local plants and animals. The more the wood decomposes, the less fuel is available for fire. We have spread out the woody debris to maximize contact with the ground, which retains moisture and results in faster decomposition.
2 Comments
JohnG · 10/18/2024 at 10:06 am
Thinking that some serious pruning of that dead wood might be a good preventative maintenance option? Might also provide added CDW materials!
Rob Underhill · 10/25/2024 at 10:11 am
Hi John,
Yes, I agree there is work that can be done to change the location of wood in our forests that would decrease fire risk while potentially increasing habitat or facilitating vegetation recovery. For example thinning really dense Douglas fir and aggregating the small diameter trunks into what is called an ‘assembled nurse log’. Essentially creating a large diameter log that will decompose and provide habitat. Read more here if interested:https://www.raincoast.org/2023/03/maxwell-creek-watershed-project-field-files-part-5-experimental-forest-restoration-methodologies/