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For anyone taking walks in the woods or driving
around in the country, this year has been a spectacular
autumn. The
colors of the maples have been and still are in many cases
more brilliant red, the yellows of the birches and the
quaking aspens have been marigolds against the sky with
every shade of red from orange to magenta.
Such autumns were not always possible.
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Two hundred years ago this state was almost barren of
trees. I have
read that one could stand on the highest hill in Worcester
and see the tall masts of the ships in Boston
harbor. While
this may seem an exaggeration, there is no doubt that most
of the woods of Massachusetts
are less than 200 years and in most cases less than l00
years old. This state was primarily a farming state as was
Connecticut
and
Rhode Island. The rocky
outcrop of land we call
New England
has the good fortune of having one of the most resilient of
environments. We
may have at most six to twelve inches of top soil, long
winters, millions
of rocks dumped by the glaciers and Nor’easter’s no one
could envy. Yet
these same winters store the energy of summer and the
ocean storms bring rainfall in even drought years.
These forests have just begun to be restored to their
former glory. Before
1600 when the
Indians were stewards of the land the forests were amazing.
A group of six to eight adults holding arms wide open
together could not get their arms around one tree and there
were many like it.
Cape Cod
alone was covered with enormous Beech trees. These forests
were burnt, cut made into homes, furniture, eating
implements, spinning wheels and the list goes on.
While it is true that the Indians used burning to
clear the forests of brush thereby increasing game animals
and once quite by mistake, almost burnt down the entire
forests of
Rhode Island, this process left the larger trees to grow and thrive.
Once the land had been stripped and made into pastures and
eventually abandoned, the forests returned, yet not to their
former glory. Of
note, it is not so in the rain forests and many other
environments in other parts of the world. In
the rain forests, as the heat and moisture work so quickly
the tropical climate allows for only a tiny layer of top
soil and once gone these forests are unlikely to return.
Ninety percent of the world’s deserts have been
caused by man, not nature. Once the trees are gone in these
areas- the rain
stops and land lays barren. So as November comes and the
last beautiful leaves fall off the trees and
branches sway in the wind, take heart. There
is a savings account for a lush
green spring. We have such a wonderful gift in this land.
I will be walking in the woods yet will have to keep
in mind that the hunting season has begun. The state refers
to our forests as “multi-use”. Sunday is the best day
for hiking since there is no hunting at all allowed on
Sunday in Massachusetts. And
while hunting is allowed almost year round for some animals,
beginning October l9 to November 23, bow hunting for white tail deer is
permitted. From
December 2- 3l shotgun
or muzzleloader deer hunting is permitted.
Deer season is very popular with many hunters.
Though it would never be my sport of choice, I add
here that the hunters do perform a service in keeping the
deer population in check, probably saving the herd from
starvation and disease.
During
the late autumn and deer hunting season
I will be hunkering down, slowing from the fast paced
activities of summer and thinking of having friends and
family in for visits.
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