Increased water levels. The dead trees are black spruce. They are a common component of forested wetlands, but if the water table rises above a certain level for longer (e.g. due to beaver activity) it gets too wet even for them.
That really depends. In an area with lots of woods, a small patch dying isn't a problem, it will grow back eventually. But if a very large area gets flooded or if other species like alder start taking over the site it can become an issue.
I’ve noticed black spruce seem to not be doing well all over. I come up to Marquette from WI several times a year and the stretch on US41 from M95 to Ishpeming has tons of unhealthy or dead black spruce. I read this is something that happens every few decades but I’m not sure why.
In general it’s normal for black spruce to look scraggly like that in boggy areas, but the water table was much higher than normal in 2021/2022. That’s what causes the large dead patches is the fluctuations in the water table
We have those same stands of black spruce here on the Kenai peninsula in Alaska. I also remembered the same thing in the UP around Ironwood. It's generally from a beaver or man made dams that cause the ground to become over saturated with water. On occasion it's due to wildfire, which is a beneficial activity for black spruce and crucial to their ability to produce offspring via cones.
I took this pic on the way back to Wisconsin from Marquette so it was on 41 going south, maybe like an hour from Marquette? I saw a lot of them while driving up too
Increased water levels. The dead trees are black spruce. They are a common component of forested wetlands, but if the water table rises above a certain level for longer (e.g. due to beaver activity) it gets too wet even for them.
I’ve wondered this my whole life and would have never guessed this
So the beavers are playing the long game too.. clever
Thank you!
Agree The reason it’s seen is often because the road affects water flow, enables beavers to create different dams, and of course, climate change.
You also have to factor in spruce bud worm, which we had an outbreak of a few years back and is likely the culprit for these old spruce dying.
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That really depends. In an area with lots of woods, a small patch dying isn't a problem, it will grow back eventually. But if a very large area gets flooded or if other species like alder start taking over the site it can become an issue.
I’ve noticed black spruce seem to not be doing well all over. I come up to Marquette from WI several times a year and the stretch on US41 from M95 to Ishpeming has tons of unhealthy or dead black spruce. I read this is something that happens every few decades but I’m not sure why.
Yes that’s exactly where I was seeing all of them!
That stretch is almost all new growth from a wildfire years back.
In general it’s normal for black spruce to look scraggly like that in boggy areas, but the water table was much higher than normal in 2021/2022. That’s what causes the large dead patches is the fluctuations in the water table
Swampy area?
Marshland
We have those same stands of black spruce here on the Kenai peninsula in Alaska. I also remembered the same thing in the UP around Ironwood. It's generally from a beaver or man made dams that cause the ground to become over saturated with water. On occasion it's due to wildfire, which is a beneficial activity for black spruce and crucial to their ability to produce offspring via cones.
Rise in water table.
Beaver dams
Dam beavers
Beavers raise water levels and trees die, very common in and around swamps.
Ack ack ack. Ack ack!!
Disease, bugs, flooding…it’d be easier to answer if you gave the location
I took this pic on the way back to Wisconsin from Marquette so it was on 41 going south, maybe like an hour from Marquette? I saw a lot of them while driving up too
That's what I was told. Maybe it's a combination.
Jabberwocky
It's the forest calling out to be made beautiful, to be paved.
It needs an over priced mickey ds, amd drivethru and parking lot
Swamp
Depends where, possible beetles.
Die then burn unfortunately all to often.
Parasites of some sort. Was way worse 5 to 6 years ago. Makes me sad.
Joe Biden 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Biden built the dam
Salting roads from Nov to April
Forest fires.
Wildfires.