Since we've moved into our home 4 years ago at 3000 feet in the Sierra foothills, we've removed about 30 or so of the existing second growth black oak and cedar forest. The trees were way too dense, many unhealthfully thin for their height, having worked as they grew to achieve maximum height fast to get to the sun before their neighbor.
As a result of this action, we received a "thank you" from the California Dept. of Forestry Fire Division (Cal Fire) this summer from their inspection service. Cal Fire is the organization that is charged with protecting homes from wildfires. The other result, is we have a window of open space around our home which is defensible from fires and also allows light below the canopy.
Over the last 36 hours, we've seen 12" plus of snow here. Only about 70% of the foliage has dropped from our decidious oak trees. The snow load on these trees as a result is enormous. Combining the weight of the snow with the as yet not ready for winter trees, and the result is striking.
At present count, we are 3 trees toppled over from the roots and 3 other trees with some significant trunk or bough snapped like a pencil. The house, so far, has not been hit.
Living in an uncontrolled second growth forest as we do, provides an awareness most do not have I suspect. Through the elimination of the first growth forest, a hundred plus years ago being beyond memory, anyone living here would figure that the present condition is "sustainable". In fact it's not. The competition for light from the indigenous species when the area was clear cut, created weak trees. Each held each other up in a fabric of artificial tolerance. All were likely undernourished as they grew.
By eliminating some of these trees all around our house, we created a new perimeter for some trees to conditions they did not grow up being able to withstand. The impact is what I have here now. So far an interesting refresher of the axiom that every tweak of mother nature, in our case, twice, once 100 years ago and again in the past few years, can create some other unintended consequence. To some, it's a disaster or a catasrophe, but to nature, invested with no human emotion or financial investment, it's just snow. More snow is coming. I hope it holds no other lessons for us.
