Trees of the Refuge

Trees of the Refuge

Trees.  What would we do without them?  Trees are the lungs of the earth’s atmosphere, storing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen.  They nurture us, providing food and shelter for living things large and small.  They shade our headwater streams and our backyards in the summertime.  Birds sing to us from their branches, and even frogs find home there among the green leaves.  Joyce Kilmer and Emily Dickinson are among the many poets who have been inspired by trees over the generations.  We need trees, and they need us.

• There are many tree species and forest types on the refuge.
• Some former agricultural fields have transitioned quickly into young forest dominated by red cedar, tulip poplar, sweetgum and other “pioneer” species.
• Swampy forests on the refuge are dominated by red maple and other water tolerant species.
• Forests that were harvested prior to refuge acquisition, like on the Wright Tract, are dominated by loblolly pine, transitioning to hardwoods.
• Mature forests like those found at Toby’s Point are places for old oaks, hickory and beech to flourish.
• All these habitats are important as they provide niches for different species of wildlife to survive.
• To know them is to love them.  Enjoy!

Click on the buttons below to see detail about the trees found on the Refuge

QR codes can be found on tree identification signs along the Bobby’s Byway and Judy Allen trails at the Hutchinson Unit