Slow Growers

Rural Ways has been quiet for at least a fortnight.  While there is surely some laziness involved, the weather can also be blamed:  We've had a three week run of spectacular Indian summer weather.  It has provided a good opportunity for seeing new places.  Indeed, a colleague has often mentioned that he knew of a place near the Sevier River in southern Utah where 40-inch old growth Engelmann spruce were common.  I got him to take me there last week.

Southern Utah is known for its red-rock canyons, but much of the state exists at elevations above 9,000 feet, and even 11,000 feet.  Conditions in these places often feature ecosystems more frequently associated with Montana or Alaska.  In the case of forested systems, some of the most common disturbances—such as logging or fire—are absent for long periods—sometimes many hundreds of years.  The result can be slow growing trees that reach large sizes.  In this case, a 42-inch spruce, with an estimated germination date of about 1600.