It appears that the forest here is healing. Continuing 50 year process of healing after being cut down.
A local who had know this forest since he was a child, his father was the caretaker of this land and collected resin from the pine trees says….
He says: There are more birds visiting my land than there were in the past. I have put in more plants which the hummingbirds and butterflies like and am going to propagate each year for exponential growth.
He says: Because the cows have been kicked off the land there is more small plant growth. And I guess I can see that. The nearby lands don’t have small plants and trees. They get trampled and eaten. So I have more capuline, more baby fresnos, etc.
Overall the forest is in a state of healing here since these hills were deforested long ago. It was re-planted with pines, which though they represent mono-culture, but they can serve as shade for a new generation of the native trees and plants returning.
And I am helping that along by planting more of the native species along with other valuable trees and plants. And I have planted native baby orchids from the orchadarium in Morelia. Quite a few died though. We are propogating the native epiphytic cactus which lives in oaks so we can reestablish it. Attempts to propogate the native bromiliad from seed have thus far failed. And I took cuttings of local natives from nearby microclimates to put in here. I suspect that some where here but did not survive the deforestation period. Another thing which matters a lot of the human element… the forest has always been manicured… wood taken out, trees cut down… oak leaves on the ground harvested… I am letting it go back to natural. For example right now there is only one dead old tree on the property. A natural forest would have many. That one tree houses lots of birds, since some birds can only next in dead trees. I girdled a dozen trees so they will die, which clears a view spot over time and will also provide more bird housing. Dead snags make great bird housing. Also I am making more spots with water the birds can get at in the dry season. They love that.
It is encouraging to hear this and see this. I am pleased.
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