One of our popular guided activities here at Tutka Bay Lodge is hiking our trail system out the backdoor. The lodge owns 12 acres of property and leases an additional 20 acres on the adjacent peninsular headland from the State of Alaska.
These 20 acres are untouched, virgin old-growth forest. Our trailhead starts on the beach, but the ecosystem transforms instantly to a luxurious, temperate rainforest. This transition takes guests’ breath away – the expanse of 200’ tall, 300 year old Sitka Spruce giants, the undergrowth alive and thick with fields of fern and layer upon spongy layer of sphagnum moss.
A closer look at this preserved ecosystem shows how interlaced and utterly connected it all is. The 300 year old Sitka Spruce canopy provides the cover that the lush ferns and mosses need to thrive, and the bits of dappled sunlight flickering to the forest floor allow for another assortment of species to flourish: Devil’s Club, Sitka Alder, and blueberry.  The interspersed standing dead trees provide habitat for an assortment of cavity nesting birds, animals and fungi. The fallen logs, especially once the bacteria and fungi have their way with them, provide the ideal growing medium for the next generation of spruce. Thus the cycle continues.
It seems like in this day and age, there are few places still untouched by chainsaws and the hand of man. This forest is one of the now rare habitats that likely provide nesting habitat for a seabird called the Marbled Murrelet.
The smart little buggers, much to the surprise of researchers, nest in the tree tops of the great Sitka Spruce, tucked into the naturally growing clumps of moss high in the canopy. Although a fabulous idea in theory – perhaps the equivalent of a premade Posturepedic nest – the habitat requirements for this arrangement are 150+ year old Sitka Spruce groves.
These old growth stands of trees, sadly, are in steep decline in the Pacific Northwest. Consequently the Murrelet numbers continue to decline and they are currently listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Yet another example of species’ inter-dependencies, forest complexity, and thus the necessity to protect and preserve these existing areas.
So as we guide our guests through our backyard forest, we hope to teach, to inform and hopefully to instill a greater understanding, knowledge and therefore appreciation of these complex ecosystems. Â It starts there – with knowledge and understanding.
I couldn’t resist commenting. Exceptionally well
written!
Link exchange is nothing else except it is only placing the other person’s website
link on your page at appropriate place and other person will also
do similar in favor of you.
Hello I am so glad I found your webpage, I really found you by error,
while I was looking on Aol for something else, Anyhow I am here
now and would just like to say kudos for a fantastic post and
a all round thrilling blog (I also love the theme/design), I
don’t have time to read it all at the
moment but I have bookmarked it and also added your RSS feeds,
so when I have time I will be back to read a lot more, Please do keep up the
awesome work.
Usually I don’t read post on blogs, however I wish to say that this write-up very pressured
me to take a look at and do so! Your writing style has been amazed me.
Thank you, very nice article.
Very great post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to mention that I have truly loved browsing
your blog posts. After all I will be subscribing on your feed and I’m hoping you write again very soon!
I’m not sure why but this weblog is loading very slow for
me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a issue on my end?
I’ll check back later and see if the problem still exists.
First off I would like to say wonderful blog! I had a quick question in which I’d like to
ask if you do not mind. I was curious to find out how you
center yourself and clear your thoughts prior to writing.
I have had difficulty clearing my thoughts in getting my thoughts out.
I do enjoy writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are generally lost simply just trying to figure out how to begin.
Any suggestions or tips? Many thanks!
Thanks to my father who shared with me about this
blog, this website is actually remarkable.
Great weblog here! Also your web site loads up fast!
What host are you the use of? Can I am getting your
associate hyperlink to your host? I want my site loaded up as fast as yours lol
Hello, I check your blogs like every week. Your humoristic style is witty, keep
up the good work! adreamoftrains best web hosting 2020
Hi! Someone in my Myspace group shared this site with us so I came to look it over.
I’m definitely enjoying the information. I’m bookmarking and will
be tweeting this to my followers! Terrific blog and amazing design.
It’s amazing to pay a quick visit this web site and reading the views of all mates regarding this article,
while I am also keen of getting knowledge.
Fantastic goods from you, man. I have take note your stuff prior
to and you are just too excellent. I really like what you
have received here, really like what you are saying and the way by which you say it.
You make it enjoyable and you still care for to stay it sensible.
I can not wait to learn far more from you. That
is actually a great site.
Hi there to all, how is all, I think every one is getting more from
this site, and your views are good designed for new users.
I pay a quick visit day-to-day a few websites and websites
to read posts, except this webpage presents feature based writing.
I’d like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this site.
I am hoping to check out the same high-grade content by you later
on as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own site now 😉 cheap flights 34pIoq5
Everything is very open with a precise clarification of the challenges.
It was truly informative. Your site is useful. Thank you for sharing!
Admiring the commitment you put into your site and detailed
information you offer. It’s great to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t
the same unwanted rehashed information. Excellent read!
I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my
Google account. 2CSYEon cheap flights
Do you mind if I quote a couple of your articles as long
as I provide credit and sources back to your weblog?
My blog is in the exact same niche as yours and
my users would definitely benefit from some of the information you present here.
Please let me know if this ok with you. Thanks a lot!
Howdy just wanted to give you a quick heads up and let you know a few of the images aren’t
loading properly. I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue.
I’ve tried it in two different internet browsers and both show
the same outcome.
Since the admin of this web page is working, no
hesitation very soon it will be famous, due to its feature contents.
3gqLYTc cheap flights
Excellent beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your site, how can i subscribe for a blog web site?
The account helped me a acceptable deal. I had been tiny bit acquainted of
this your broadcast offered bright clear concept
Hi, just wanted to mention, I enjoyed this blog post. It was inspiring.
Keep on posting!
Its like you learn my mind! You appear to know a lot about this,
like you wrote the guide in it or something. I think that
you can do with a few p.c. to power the message house a bit, however instead of
that, that is wonderful blog. An excellent read.
I will definitely be back.
I do believe all the concepts you’ve offered in your post. They’re
really convincing and will definitely work. Nonetheless, the posts are too short for newbies.
Could you please extend them a bit from subsequent time?
Thank you for the post.