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OfflineNoBeginningNoEnd

Registered: 09/16/11
Posts: 471
Last seen: 7 years, 1 month
Hooray! Found my first Hemlocks today -- giant ones, unmistakable
    #15731293 - 01/28/12 09:15 PM (12 years, 2 months ago)

I took out my new snow shoes for a nice walk today in a part of my city that I'd never been before.  Without the snow shoes, it wouldn't have been possible.  I won them at work, and I was trying them for the first time today.  I love them, they're very adjustable and comfortable and have a good shape so I'm not tripping on them like I sometimes do with my other cheaper pair.

I had read something on the Internet that described the largest old growth forest in my city, and I headed down there...it turned out to be only 20 km from where I live.  I discovered enormous Hemlocks and rather large Beeches too (though not as enormous as the ones I found in a different area previously).  I instantly recognized the Hemlock from all the reading I've done.  Beautiful tree, unmistakable when you see it in person, the leaves and twigs are very distinctive. 

The old Hemlocks and Beeches towered over me and reached very high, and I felt like I was in the presence of great spirits.  It's amazing to be in a mature Hemlock forest...and it's very open with no underbrush, so it's easy to navigate.

I had been reading so much about Hemlocks, worrying that I wouldn't recognize or be able to distinguish them, but they're actually pretty distinctive, just like the beautiful super smooth Beech.  As soon as you see one in person, you know that it's a Hemlock, there's no question -- just like Beech!  Caerulipes sure likes to associate with cool tree species!

Hemlocks were high in my list of species I wanted to find, and sure enough I found some giants today.  Awesome temps, good exercise, I had the place to myself, it was sweet!  Until I got lost and it started to get dark...then two dogs started barking at me in a threatening manner, and after I shat a brick in my pants I asked the owner how to get to the park where I'd left my car.  She showed me a very narrow path that I would never have thought to try (and which I didn't remember taking earlier on my way into the forest), and sure enough, I found my car just before dusk.  Phew!  I could have been sleeping in the woods tonight...I kept going in circles and seeing the same things over and over.  After a while, everything started looking familiar and the same, and I even started to see forks and paths that I hadn't noticed on the way in.

Man, I love this hobby, and I'm getting pretty good (except for the getting lost in the woods part)  :laugh:  I look forward to visiting these areas in the summer time after warm rains  :cool:

Edited by NoBeginningNoEnd (01/28/12 09:22 PM)

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OfflineFungi01
John Plischke
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Registered: 06/29/08
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Re: Hooray! Found my first Hemlocks today -- giant ones, unmistakable [Re: NoBeginningNoEnd]
    #15731924 - 01/29/12 12:13 AM (12 years, 2 months ago)

Sounds like you had a great time.  I think you will really enjoy hunting under the hemlocks in the fall. 

John

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OfflineRoy
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Registered: 05/21/08
Posts: 523
Loc: Eastern USA
Last seen: 6 years, 6 months
Re: Hooray! Found my first Hemlocks today -- giant ones, unmistakable [Re: NoBeginningNoEnd]
    #15732789 - 01/29/12 08:59 AM (12 years, 1 month ago)

Quote:

NoBeginningNoEnd said:

Hemlocks were high in my list of species I wanted to find 




As they should be, epecially for a mushroom hunter.  Hemlock forests are some of the most important forests here on the east. And are unfortunatly slowly dying off.  They creat a "macro" climate like no other. They keep out sunlight which keeps the temps cool and grounds moist and soft.  Very little undergrowth which, for us hunters, makes an easy path to travel.  On top of that the sheer hundreds of mushroom species associated with them, indluding some of the best edibles.  Hundreds of years ago, before widespread logging, hemlocks where the most abundant tree on the east, hemlock and white pine dominated every landscape.  But now thanks to logging and the wooly adelgid they are only a small fraction of what they were.  Can also be linked to the rapid decline of native brook trout, whithout the trees the streams warmed and threw off the ph balance, which eventually killed off the trout.  Brook trout are often called hemlock trout because a stream flowing through a hemlock forest most always will have trout in it.

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Offlinedip
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Registered: 03/07/10
Posts: 173
Last seen: 11 years, 23 days
Re: Hooray! Found my first Hemlocks today -- giant ones, unmistakable [Re: Roy]
    #15734380 - 01/29/12 04:08 PM (12 years, 1 month ago)

Yep, hemlock/beech forests are some of the finest around!  And too, the hemlock wooly adelgid, an imported pest from Asia, is decimating the species all across the east.

We've still got lots of them here in Wisconsin, primarily in the northern part, and so far, that adelgid isn't being reported in our woods.  What a disaster it is to be losing this species.

dip

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OfflineNoBeginningNoEnd

Registered: 09/16/11
Posts: 471
Last seen: 7 years, 1 month
Re: Hooray! Found my first Hemlocks today -- giant ones, unmistakable [Re: dip]
    #15734591 - 01/29/12 04:56 PM (12 years, 1 month ago)

Quote:

dip said:
Yep, hemlock/beech forests are some of the finest around!  And too, the hemlock wooly adelgid, an imported pest from Asia, is decimating the species all across the east.

We've still got lots of them here in Wisconsin, primarily in the northern part, and so far, that adelgid isn't being reported in our woods.  What a disaster it is to be losing this species.

dip




Yeah that makes me sad too.  And I hate it when young people carve writing into the Beech's smooth bark...a disadvantage of having such a smooth surface.  I wonder if something can be done about the adelgid without creating a new ecological disaster.

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OfflineNoBeginningNoEnd

Registered: 09/16/11
Posts: 471
Last seen: 7 years, 1 month
Re: Hooray! Found my first Hemlocks today -- giant ones, unmistakable [Re: Roy]
    #15734674 - 01/29/12 05:16 PM (12 years, 1 month ago)

Quote:

Roy said:

On top of that the sheer hundreds of mushroom species associated with them, indluding some of the best edibles.




Interesting!  I'm very interested in finding choice edibles as well (though of course the psilocybin species have a special place in my heart and excite me like no other).  What kinds of edibles can one find in hemlock forests?  In any case, after reading your post, I'm very excited for the next mushroom season.  I'll check out those environments in spring, summer, and fall, and try to document every species I find.  Hopefully caerulipes will be among them, hidden from all but the most shroomworthy (ME!) lol

Quote:


  Hundreds of years ago, before widespread logging, hemlocks where the most abundant tree on the east




I read that a few hundred years ago my city was entirely covered with giant Hemlocks, so I believe it.  Imagine how many caerulipes existed across the land back then, shit!

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Offlinesnoot
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Re: Hooray! Found my first Hemlocks today -- giant ones, unmistakable [Re: dip]
    #15737667 - 01/30/12 11:25 AM (12 years, 1 month ago)

Quote:

dip said:
Yep, hemlock/beech forests are some of the finest around!  And too, the hemlock wooly adelgid, an imported pest from Asia, is decimating the species all across the east.

We've still got lots of them here in Wisconsin, primarily in the northern part, and so far, that adelgid isn't being reported in our woods.  What a disaster it is to be losing this species.

dip




yeah I'm glad the adelgid hasnt hit wi yet; I would hate to see my hemlock friends parish.


--------------------



I am incapable of conceiving infinity, and yet I do not accept finity.
- Simone de Beauvoir -

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OfflineRoy
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Registered: 05/21/08
Posts: 523
Loc: Eastern USA
Last seen: 6 years, 6 months
Re: Hooray! Found my first Hemlocks today -- giant ones, unmistakable [Re: NoBeginningNoEnd]
    #15738541 - 01/30/12 02:55 PM (12 years, 1 month ago)

Well the edibles I seek are chanterells, trumpets, honeys and hydnums, which are quite abundant in Hemlock forests.  But you will aslo find a boat load of Amanitas Russulas Lactarius and Boletes, non of which I eat though.  Then the obvious Ganoderma Tsugae (Reishi) which gets its name from the Hemlock will be very common.

As a side note, the forests I search are pure stand Hemlock, meaning that over 90 percent of the canopy consists of Hemlocks. Which are usualy in ravines or north facing slopes or damp swamps.  Its a little different than just a northern hardwood forest with a lot of Hemlocks about.

Hemlocks are unique in that mature trees require direct sunlight, while sapplings and young trees require full shade, direct sunlight will kill them.  The tree will grow very slowly for the beginning of its life, but thrive living in the shade waiting for a mature tree to fall before taking its place.  So even small Hemlocks that are in the understory and look young can still be quite old.

I wish you the best in your adventures and appretiate your respect for the knowledge and importance of the trees

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InvisibleSheikCorp
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Registered: 01/09/08
Posts: 2,274
Re: Hooray! Found my first Hemlocks today -- giant ones, unmistakable [Re: Roy]
    #15739969 - 01/30/12 07:53 PM (12 years, 1 month ago)

I love the groves of Hemlock I visit.  Reminds me of being in the Redwoods.  I imagine dinosaurs walking about as I pick yellow foot.  The forest feelsso much more ancient when surrounded by huge hemlock.

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