Monday, June 12, 2006
Melbourne Part 3--Blue Dandenong Ranges--Old Growth Forest
The forests in the Blue Dandenong Range are 80-85% Eucalyptus. Another large percentage of the trees left are fern trees--an ancient variety of tree that lived when the dinos were around. The Eucalyps can live many hundreds of years much like the redwoods. We know that many of the trees in the stand we were in have been around for about 200 years, a timeframe we can bank on because of a well documented fire.
These trees are huge. I've been to the trees in Cathedral Grove in BC, and they are similar in size. The difference is that most of the foliage is up top. They are evergreens and shed bark each year.
The Blue Dandenong Range is national park and as such nothing is removed. When branches fall, they stay where they land. When a tree comes down, it isn't moved. These rule stand unless they are a hazard for life and limb. The result is a remarkably beautiful park.
