Site 2: 100 years from now

Today, Site two is dominated by tall hardwoods to the west and supports white pine to the east in stand 3. The site shows signs of change, however, and over the next 100 years the structure and composition of the forest will transform. Seedlings in the understory indicate strong red oak and sugar maple regeneration across the site. This is most apparent in stand 3, which has hardwood regeneration everywhere and no sign of white pine seedlings. By the year 2111 it is likely that oak, maple and shagbark hickory will have spread across the entire site. This will happen as small-scale disturbances create openings in the canopy and saplings are able to grow. This will also diversify the vertical structure of the forest creating multiple age classes of trees.