Page 21 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #10
P. 21
Auditioning for canid camera – the
Autumnwatch USA, coyote is one of
clockwise from left: New England's
black bears rack dog species; the
up some calories wings of the barred
before hibernation; owl can be 125cm
programme makers across; the cardinal
hope to track down shouldn't be too
the shy bobcat; hard to spot…
Vermont, Massachusetts more common then, while oak and beech
and Connecticut before were the predominant broadleaf species in
eventually reaching Rhode those ancient forests. The maples, renowned
Island in late October. today for their blazing autumn foliage
displays, comprised just 11 per cent of the
Lesser spotted leaf-peeper region’s trees in the early 17th century,
We’re not the only ones who are drawn to compared with 31 per cent today: they are
enjoy the fiery fall hues of New England. one of the first tree species to sprout readily
Each year millions of tourists, who are in a clear-cut area and grow quickly.
known locally as ‘leaf-peepers’, make a It was the actions of settlers that drove
pilgrimage to enjoy the vivid-coloured these dramatic changes in arboreal habitats.
foliage. Yet this spectacle bears little New England’s forests were the riches that
resemblance to the late-succession forest fuelled the great American experiment.
(undisturbed for a long period of time) that Their timber was logged in vast quantities
greeted the region’s original Pilgrims – the and sent back to 'Old England' for the
first European settlers who landed here shipbuilding trade, and their animals
almost 400 years ago. trapped and exported for their valuable furs.
Slow-growing evergreen trees such as By the mid-19th century, up to 80 per cent
white pine, hemlock and spruce were much of New England’s forests had been felled,
October 2018 BBC Wildlife 21
