Vultures and hornets and bears, oh my!
What will fill the void left by the storm?
From staff reports
What trees, plants and animals will repopulate the area of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore that was decimated by the Aug. 2 megastorm — particularly Alligator Hill?
We asked that question of the National Lakeshore’s chief of natural resources, Kevin Skerl.
“It’s hard to say, because native species respond in different ways,” he said. “We expect the regrowth of saplings and trees that are tolerant to open conditions. Oaks, maples and cherry trees will take advantage of new sunlight, whereas beech trees might not tolerate the open environment. We expect northern hardwood forest to return.”
“Mushrooms also do well among decaying trees, but they don’t not necessarily grow under open sunlight.”
Which animal species will benefit from the storm’s arboreal carnage?
“Some species will leave, but this will benefit woodpeckers, owls, flying squirrels and small mammals,” Skerl said. “When downed logs decay, it creates a habitat for snakes, salamanders and insects.”
We asked Glen Arbor residents what changes they’ve seen to animal-life in their backyards and in the National Lakeshore.
The answers include lots of hornets, wasps, bees and angry yellow jackets, as if they blamed us for the storm. The public also reported seeing turkey vultures flying over Alligator Hill, termites on Dunn’s Farm Road, more hummingbirds, displaced woodland creatures burrowing into the walls of homes that were hit by fallen trees, frogs in their pets’ swimming pools, and even small foxes running in circles as if they were lost.
Missing until recently have been the songbirds, and the deer.
“The trees that came down displaced many birds,” said Skerl. “And there are fewer deer, too. Deer want to walk through the forest understory, and take the least labor-intensive approach to find food. An area with downed trees prohibits them from moving easily through the forest.”
One Glen Arbor resident predicted that black bears, who made frequent appearances this spring, might find a happy home on re-shaped Alligator Hill. Skerl wouldn’t deny that the fallen trees might provide a good habitat for bear dens.
As for the hundreds of dead old-growth trees creating an environment for forest fires risk, Skerl emphasized that the risk, if there is one, is not an immediate one.
“We have time to think about it,” he said. “The freshly downed trees don’t provide a fire risk, yet. The trees are still green … The Park will monitor how the forest changes, and what the major impacts may be.”
Skerl added, however, that the tendency of private property owners to clear tree brush off their property and push the debris into piles on the margins does pose a fire risk. He urged residents to resist the temptation to do so.
