Wander Through the Woods and
Discover Secrets of the Forest
Post card images of Maine's forests tend to show fiery foliage, vast green expanses, or snow draped panoramas. These scenes accurately portray our forests, but they leave another seasonal aspect out of the story of Maine forests. Venturing out into Maine's forests after leaf drop and before major snows gives you an intimate, almost “behind-the scenes” look at the trees, rocks, soil, streams, and other elements making up a forest. It is like having an acquaintance take you aside to say, "I've never told you this about me but...".
Why is it so insightful to wander through woods in late fall? Those wonderful deciduous leaves that allow photosynthesis, produce oxygen, and eventually display a bright palette of fall color also hide the "bones" of the woods. Secrets hidden by full foliage and deep snows are exposed to the passing eye in late fall. Again, like a long, slow walk with another person reveals much about them, a long, November forest walk unearths things previously unseen.
Now that leaf drop has occurred and broadleaf trees are naked, sight lines in the woods are much expanded. One feature to look for in hardwood forests is rock walls. Whether you are hunting, bird watching, mountain biking, walking a dog, or whatever else brings you into the woods this late fall, you are quite likely to come across a rock wall, one of the hallmarks of the New England landscape. If you do, consider taking a contemplative moment on one of these cultural icons.
It seems that idling by rock walls is never a waste of time. For one, these long, thin plies of rock carry more significance than just looking pretty on calendars and making convenient seats. They bear witness to our heritage. The laboriously placed stones tell a story of geology and land use. Slabs of rock broken off the local bedrock mingle with boulders and cobbles deposited by the retreating ice sheets last seen in Maine 11,000 to 12,000 years ago. Rock walls running under shady canopies demonstrate the regenerative ability of Maine forests and the shrinking of our farmland. According to research by forestry expert Lloyd Irland, the forest cover in Kennebec County has risen by 150 percent since 1880. Forest interiors bisected by rock walls provide testimony to this statistic.
Rock walls remain a part of our personal and regional histories. The next time you discover a rock wall hidden deep in the forest, think of all that rock wall has seen. Some walls gave a much-needed seat to weary farmers sending their boys of to die for the Union. Walls watched as Mainers headed west to more productive plots in the heartland of our country. Walls noticed that fewer and fewer plows came by and more porcupines and hares ambled past.
As you enjoy the woods this fall, keep your eyes out for rock walls. If you come across one, remember that rock walls don't just run through our fields and forests. They also run through our history.
To experience rock walls this fall (or any time of year) on Parks and Lands properties, check out any of these destinations (only a sample of stone wall destination):
Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal
Pineland Public Reserved Land Unit in Gray
The Kennbec Highlands accessed in Rome
The Androscoggin Riverlands accessed off the Center Bridge Rd in Turner
Special thanks to Rex Turner, Outdoor Recreation Planner at the Bureau of Parks and Lands, for providing this article.