Here in Columbia, many vacant lots and untended lawns are covered with small oak trees this summer, a reflection of last autumn's mast and the heavy precipitation of spring. As I reported in the fall, acorns coated lawns, sidewalks and roadways across our region, too numerous for the squirrels, jays and small mammals to consume. Now, after sinking into the soft, moist soil, they have sprouted to produce miniature forests, a prime example of nature's capacity to sustain her ecosystems.
In natural, temperate areas, there is an ongoing battle between woodlands and grasslands. The latter expand during periods of drought, or when trees are ravaged by disease, insects or wildfire, while the forests expand when moisture is abundant. Squirrels and other scavengers aid the expansion of woodlands by burying their seed-laden fruit but, as this year demonstrates, the intermittent mast seasons also play a significant role.
Humans have long taken a toll on both ecosystems, plowing up prairies, clearing forest for farms or suburbs and maintaining our parks, lawns and golf courses with an army of mowers and chemicals. The oak lawns that now appear around Columbia demonstrate that, given a chance, nature will take back her territory.
