Identifying Old Forests as Crucial Sources of Biodiversity & Cultural Values
This winter, the National Heritage Bureau frequented Mt. Sunapee to find old forests—which comprise less than 0.001% of our state’s forests. These forests are important to protect due to their high rates of carbon storage compared to younger forests, as well as for their biodiversity and cultural values. Through historic research, field visits, and desktop reconnaissance—and tree coring, an important method for understanding forest age—the team determined key areas on the landscape where old forests may occur.