Hardwood Recovery Traditional Cache
StomperSwamp: Area has been cleared again so I'm going to archive this hide. Thanks to everyone who stopped to search for the cache.
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
When a hardwood forested area is clear cut, immediate and dramatic changes begin to occur in the species and distribution of plants where the trees once stood. With an increase of sunlight from 10 to 20 percent under a heavy tree canopy to full all day sun, and the relief of the water demands due to the reduced living biomass in the landscape, the natural recovery of the area begins quickly and predictably.
First the quick growing perennial, seasonal annuals and herbaceous plants move in, or if already established, thrive, taking advantage of the left over ground cover from years of leaf and limb debris and the nutrients it provides during decomposition. Plant seeds that lie dormant, sometimes for years, under the previously shady conditions are now germinating, and fast growing evergreens and softwood deciduous trees are quickly up, casting shady competition for the lower growing perennial and annual plants, as well as creating optimum recovery conditions for the slower growing hardwood seedlings.
As the fast growing evergreens and softwood trees grow larger, and in some places fall, more light and water are made available to the growing hardwood under story. A balanced forest, at this stage, will consist of low growing perennial, a medium shrub and hardwood base, and a high mix of evergreen and softwood trees. If enough time is allowed to pass naturally for the forest the shorter-lived evergreens and softwoods will gradually decline, and these majestic giants will once again dominate the landscape, having come full circle, in its cycle, of this hardwood recovery.
This traditional, small cache is located near the entrance to the US 601 Bridge access area on the Wateree River, on the Lugoff side. This SCDNR sponsored lake access point is very popular with boaters, and presents excellent views of the river.
This hide replaces another that went missing after this small block of woods was clear cut. Without the tree cover you will need to watch carefully for vehicles traveling along the access road to and from the landing, because they will have a good view of the search area as they go by. Otherwise this spot is fairly secluded.
Sometimes trash gets blown in from the nearby road, so if a CITO opportunity presents itself, I hope you will consider it as a small remediation of the damage done, or just to help keep the litter down.
The cache is a small plastic jar that contains a few small trade items and a log book. There’s no room for a pen, so bring your own. The tree cover is very light and the ground is uneven. There may be herbaceous vines (briars and poison ivy) and other weeds (perennials and annuals) growing in the area as this newly cutover area begins to recover.
Please log the current stage of recover you witness in the area, and try to replace the container as found.
Have fun and enjoy the View!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ol erpbirevat uneqjbbq gerr.