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The 30,000-plus acre inferno that swept through the Columbia River Gorge last summer was shocking. Many of the hiking trails that fell in the blaze's path are still indefinitely shuttered.
Related: Some Trails Burned by the Eagle Creek Fire Could Take Years to Re-Open
But as a WW reporter pointed out a couple weeks after the fire, such disasters (however unnatural in cause) are an unavoidable part of nature. Plants, it turns out, return quickly to burned areas—and they usually put on dazzling displays when they do.
Related: The Eagle Creek Fire Is Terrible—But What Comes Next Is Both Natural and Beautiful
In recent days, the Columbia River Gorge Forest Service has been documenting the green new life that is beginning to emerge from the burn.
So, yes, shit's bleak elsewhere in the world. So forget about that for a minute and enjoy these photos of tenacious baby plants valiantly taking over the forest's charred remains.
Some first returners! These Western bleeding hearts, spotted this week on the Return Trail, are post-fire specialists. They have rhizomes, horizontal stems tucked away underground that stay protected & often survive moderate fires. pic.twitter.com/o69ZFGbTYe
— ColumbiaRiverGorgeFS (@CRGNSA) April 6, 2018
First returner plants go by many names: “pioneer species”, “first colonizers”, “early successional species”, “post-fire specialists”, “early Seral” ...The booster shot of nutrients available right after a fire makes rich soil for these new sprouts #FireEcology #MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/bARs7i4iUX
— ColumbiaRiverGorgeFS (@CRGNSA) April 9, 2018
Solomon's Seal spotted last week near Wahkeena Falls Trail during a work party. This plant is a true survivor and often the first to return after a forest fire. #GorgeResilience pic.twitter.com/MCKGQSESGK
— ColumbiaRiverGorgeFS (@CRGNSA) April 10, 2018
Columbia Kittentails recently spotted near Wahkeena Falls Trail! Columbia Kittentails are a native endemic species in the Columbia River Gorge. Photo by @forestservice Public Affairs Specialist Lillian Palmer. #Spring #GorgeResilience pic.twitter.com/rgFJKcWQT9
— ColumbiaRiverGorgeFS (@CRGNSA) April 12, 2018
