Travis Beck, author of the new book Principles of Ecological Landscape Design, recently wrote about one of Hurricane Sandy's more positive effects. Here's an excerpt:
Superstorm Sandy reminds us, however, that humans are not the only ones to fell trees. Her strong winds uprooted or snapped the trunks of over one hundred trees in the Forest. Where these trees fell, gaps now exist in the canopy, creating opportunities for the next generation of trees to grow. Our records show that Sandy was the most damaging storm in the Garden’s history to impact the [Thain Family] Forest, but hurricanes, nor’easters, and thunderstorms are part of the natural disturbance regime for northeastern forests. Such storms open gaps in the canopy and allow for new growth to fill the space.Read the entire post on the New York Botanical Garden's Plant Talk blog. And don't miss Travis speak at the Van Alen Institute in New York City TONIGHT!
