Yay For The Little Guys!
With majestic Ponderosa pines towering up to 130 feet overhead, I find that it’s easy to overlook the understory life quietly persisting on the forest floor. Scattered among the pine needles and shade, small Oregon Grape saplings like this one struggle for light and moisture, their holly-like leaves turning brilliant shades of red in early fall. Soon to be blanketed by snow in this northern Montana wilderness, these hardy little plants face a long battle for survival in the shadow of giants.
This photo was taken in early September in the Kootenai National Forest, just a few miles south of the Canadian border. The towering pines shape the forest ecosystem, influencing light and soil conditions, while the delicate balance of understory vegetation sustains much of the forest’s diversity.
Yay for the little guys!
_DSC4388
© Stephen L. Frazier - All Rights Reserved. Reproduction, printing, publication, or any other use of this image without written permission is prohibited.
Yay For The Little Guys!
With majestic Ponderosa pines towering up to 130 feet overhead, I find that it’s easy to overlook the understory life quietly persisting on the forest floor. Scattered among the pine needles and shade, small Oregon Grape saplings like this one struggle for light and moisture, their holly-like leaves turning brilliant shades of red in early fall. Soon to be blanketed by snow in this northern Montana wilderness, these hardy little plants face a long battle for survival in the shadow of giants.
This photo was taken in early September in the Kootenai National Forest, just a few miles south of the Canadian border. The towering pines shape the forest ecosystem, influencing light and soil conditions, while the delicate balance of understory vegetation sustains much of the forest’s diversity.
Yay for the little guys!
_DSC4388
© Stephen L. Frazier - All Rights Reserved. Reproduction, printing, publication, or any other use of this image without written permission is prohibited.