Tom Wessels: Reading the Forested Landscape, Part 3

Tom Wessels is a terrestrial ecologist and Antioch University New England professor emeritus. He has authored a number of books. If you've read "Reading the Forested Landscape" and "Forest Forensics", you know how skilled he is at interpreting the past land use history clues abounding in central New England's changing forests. Learning to apply the knowledge you gained from those books can be time consuming, however, and you probably find yourself returning to the books often.
In this 3-part series, you'll go into the woods with Tom as he covers many of the topics in detail, providing another opportunity for you to enhance your own "forest forensics" skills.
Some of the topics covered in the three parts: New England's stone walls; pillows and cradles; merino sheep craze ("sheep fever"); forests arising on abandoned agricultural land (past hay field vs crop field vs pasture); signs of past wind, logging and fire damage; reading tree stumps; white pine weevils and multi-trunked pines .
Part 1 is at • Tom Wessels: Reading t...
Part 2 is at • Tom Wessels: Reading t...
In this, Part 3, Tom points out evidence of past forest fire damage; more signs of abandoned pastures, crop fields, hay fields; and a bit more logging evidence.
Also, see this story and others at our blog, www.neforests.com
And be sure to watch "The Ecology of Coevolved Species", featuring Tom, at
• Tom Wessels: The Ecolo...
To see more about the white pine weevil, see " The White Pine Weevil's Life Cycle" on this channel at • The White Pine Weevil'...
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[@NewEnglandForests]

Please note: you are encouraged to comment and welcome to ask questions, but Tom does not monitor these posts and probably will not personally respond. -Ray

[@garriscyan]

just let Tom know we all really appreciate everything he does and has done and continues doing. Thanks!

[@charliemansonUK]

If it's possible to relay a message, I'd like to mention for the first time a tree temple I was taken to see by the elderly laird. This was 1974 or 5. I lived on a huge estate in the north of the UK, owned by the family (theirs not mine!) For around a recorded 300 years. I would be about 9 and used to go for long walks with the now elderly but very fit and active laird driving over the Moors in the old Landover checking the grouse and deer herds. One day, after he'd shown me some very old manuscripts and books on the land and one on the ancient religion of the land in particular written in the late 1700's around the time the land was acquired. In this book was depicted the usual kind of druid wooded circle of oak trees etc but the centre of the main central tree looked like it had been split in 4 or 5 sections and laid on the ground and allowed to grow vertically about 12 or 15 feet from the central trunk. In the centre was a fire and surrounding it a circle of more trees, some already collapsed and a gathering of people was going on. Right, one day he took me out in the land rover and drove for a long time through the Moors and forrest's of mostly cash pines to an older area...long walk etc etc There it was, just as depicted in the 200+ year old drawing, you could even still see the fallen trees from the drawing, or rather the much degraded but still large trunks. The central tree did in fact look like it had been split and layered and was truly ancient. We spent a good few days up there using sythes to cut back the scrub and small growth trees where dug up and removed, he did it annually as his forefathers had before him. I was only there a year, so only went the one year but I know exactly where it is still to this day, I've looked on Google earth but it shows conifer forest, it's not so it must be blanked and covered by Google thankfully as it's a truly ancient British treasure. Peace Charlie 🇬🇧

[@shakti666]

I wish he would because he is quite mistaken in his conception of the pop culture concept of climage change.

[@stewpuddy4161]

As a hunter, I really enjoyed this series. I will now have something else to think about when I am cold and wet and haven't seen a deer!

[@samuelluria4744]

😂😂😂 Great point!!

[@ryno2323]

a proper hunter is also a woodsman. not a thing beneath the canopy that doesn't interest me.

[@florathefauna1919]

Haha I love this. Reluctant learning 😂

[@almollitor]

This is a fantastic series! From now on, I'll be looking at the forest with new eyes.

[@NewEnglandForests]

And so do I, Al ! Ray

[@catinthehat906]

Tom is the real life Tom Bombadil.

[@TheFrodoMatrix]

So true! me too

[@adamforest1986]

Right, all the times Ive seen all these things and wondered, huh?

[@jamesburnett7085]

I love Professor Wessels' ability to casually speak in a rich vocabulary perhaps more expected in print media. The words seem always perfect to me - never pretentious , nor "ivory tower" grandiose. I have been in love with trees since childhood, so I am thrilled by this series. I know Mr. Wessels is not the only expert on this subject, but in my experience his knowledge and his ability to communicate that knowledge are peerless.

[@barbaramaj1919]

well that answers a lot about his political efforts to undermine society - hanging around the dullards of the academy (aka communist sympathizers/democrats), rather than trees that can teach vastly more in just being. True "conservation" starts with being CONSERVATIVE. I agree, his lectures sound like they would be informative.

[@CatharticCurios]

21st century aldo for realz

[@ctennantgorman3251]

A real hero. As a retired science teacher and an artist, your books and these videos are hugely informative. So much of these videos as well as the pictures in your books are very familiar to someone like me who frequently walks the woods of western Massachusetts.

[@BikingVikingHH]

This is my new favorite channel. I just watched part 2 with a girl I just met recently, she found it fascinating. I think she’s a keeper! So is this fantastic gem on KZbin!

[@aramisortsbottcher8201]

A keeper? What does that mean?

[@ProctorsGamble]

Good luck Hoping it works out for y’all

[@danguee1]

@@aramisortsbottcher8201Could be a beekeeper. Or zoo keeper. Or - if from the British Empire - a wicket-keeper. Or it might mean she's one he wants to 'keep' ie a long-term relationship

[@MartinParsons-tr6wi]

My girlfriend works in a lighthouse. Dad says she's a keeper ...

[@NewEnglandForests]

He must think she outshines all the rest.

[@HawthorneHillNaturePreserve]

One of the most incredibly intelligent men, I have seen, and have the honor of learning from with these amazing videos! Tom Wessels is definitely a databank of knowledge.

[@epklauer2008]

This reminds me of walking thru the woods with my Dad. Such wonderful memories, everything tells a story.

[@samuelluria4744]

As a 30+ year tree guy, the son of a 30+ year Park Ranger, who ALSO LOVES Sherlock Holmes.... This is better than GOLD AND DIAMONDS to me. Excellent job!!

[@tracy9610]

I was thinking through all 3 parts that Tom is like Sherlock Holmes of the New England forests.

[@jnb3665]

@@tracy9610 I've been calling him the Forest Detective 😊

[@benritchsmith]

What a gem you are. As a lonely boy growing up amidst the trees of Northern Maine my first (profound) archeological find was an old apple Orchard on the north-side of Westerford Hill in Hodgdon. Inside of this orchard, beside a field, was what I thought of an old hippy hut. A half standing home, a round stone bath, a fireplace. Just moldering away. That was 30 years ago. Prolly not much left. Maybe the old apple trees are gone. Now, in my older mild I think some people started a robust life with groovy ideas. Maybe they scattered back to other places. Maybe they are still around and remember themselves there.

[@soularddave2]

Interesting. Like discovering that fingers have fingerprints.

[@nthdegree9058]

Four years ago I bought 22 acres in lower Nova Scotia which I find to be a very similar landscape to yours. All of the examples you discussed I have discovered on my own land and has given me a great understanding of the events and activities that happened before me and how my own actions will continue to shape this land. Thank you greatly for sharing this knowledge.

[@elbolillo2703]

I've been in the woods my entire life since childhood. It's all new again. 💗thank you

[@49minutesago]

The geese at the end playing you out...priceless!

[@AnthonyAntTony]

Can never get enough of Tom Wessels.

[@voidgeometry794]

Blessed is he, who clearly sees the forest for the trees.

[@pixeldeath5846]

I've lived in Western Mass my entire life and I spend much of my time in the spring and fall in the forests around my area, these videos have been so informative and taught me so much about things I would discover and wonder about, now when I hike with friends I can point all this interesting information out to them, thank you!

[@renadenison6759]

I'm addicted to thugs channel! Thank you and God bless.

[@natsharpe4364]

Just finished this series. Absolutely brilliant. Makes me happy that there are men like Tom who have this knowledge and are able to share it

[@Jerseyhighlander]

As a woodworker I occasionally get a chunk of a downed tree to work with and always find it interesting to examine the information from the exposed growth rings. Not just the age/number of rings, but years when there was sometimes dramatically slower growth, sometimes decades when there was hardly any growth, indicating bad drought conditions. Other years with extensive growth, damage of one kind or another, discolorations & such. Was recently given a trunk section from a Red Mulberry that was considerably larger than they are purported to get. These days I do greenwood carving, occasionally sell carved bowls & such & I find it rewarding to be able to include some of the history of the tree the piece came from to go along with it.

[@fredflintstone6163]

Been doing this fifty years want to know. More thanks

[@jrich9807]

This man speaks my language. I derive so much enjoyment from surveying natural areas. If you take the time to look, it has a lot to tell you. I could sit for hours in a place imagining what it looked like 50 years ago, 200 years ago, and for the grande finale, I muse over what the area looked like a 1000 years ago.

[@Delfinmar]

One of the coolest most informative videos on youtube! Thank you

[@NewEnglandForests]

Thanks... there's more in the works from Tom too.. co-evolved interactions. Should be just as instructive and interesting. Tom knows his stuff!

[@robbinthehood94]

I read his book ten years ago and just happened upon these videos! How lucky! Now I subscribe!

[@forestxander]

Dude. Stumbled on part 2, doubled back for 1, and here I am. Lovely.

[@zgoat4127]

This Guy is the man. I would love to go on a few hikes with him and just chop it up for a few hours.

[@daviddavid-ud9bt]

I've treated this guys book like a bible over the years.....read it many MANY times. Thanks for posting these vids Ray!

[@NewEnglandForests]

You're most welcome David!

[@williamgrimberg2510]

@@NewEnglandForests First and for most I find your reading of the forest most informative and fascinating . Where I live in the north west, we have had a lot of places in the forested areas that at one time had fare size towns that are now long gone . If you go to these areas and look closely you can see these town sites and see the subtle changes in the tomography of the landscape like where the streets and buildings may have been. Maybe it might be interesting if someone of your caliber could connect the history of these sites to the towns that were once there in videos. Many of these towns were rough and ready mining towns.

[@diegoforest]

Wow. What a fantastic 3 videos !!! THANK YOU!

[@TheFillyFill]

I wonder what the world looks like through his eyes. Good stuff sir. Thank you.

[@ivanclark2275]

I really appreciate your long view of both the past and the future. When we take that attitude, we can be better protectors and participants in our environment.

[@sheeva466]

Okay. Now I know what a couple of pine trees near my house are telling me! Good job. Enjoyed it all three.

[@arnieadam]

I shared this with a friend in northern Minnesota and he said much of this is also applicable in their area. He loved your videos, as do I.

[@giantfisher]

Spectacular series. I've never been, and likely never will ever be in New England, but the way Mr. Wessels sees the forest is incredible. How smooth and comfortable he is in front of the camera is hypnotizing. Technically, these videos are top-tier productions. The cutaways showing examples of what he's describing are perfect and helpful and the editing is superb, at times there are edits in the middle of a sentence and you almost can't tell. Great job all around.

[@ThunderboltWisdom]

I watched all three parts one after another. Fascinating stuff. This guy knows his subject inside out. I can't wait to go walking in the woods and use some of the knowledge I have just learned to read the landscape. Brilliant stuff. 🤓👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🌳

[@jpallen719]

I would have paid money to watch these videos! As a forester an arborist this was quite the lesson!

[@azurebapiaries6730]

Tom is the man! Really liked hearing his last points on invasive non natives finding their niech co-evolveving ultimately...

[@mscops3569]

Another awesome informational discussion!

[@brianazmy3156]

And here I thought I was a woodsy person. I now have a new way of seeing the forest that I paid little attention to while the how's and why's give me a better understanding. This guy does a wonderful job. Thanks for making me smarter than I was yesterday.

[@drgdawson1]

I took a few plant taxonomy courses with Dr. Wade Batson at the Univ. of S.C. in the 70's. A fascinating man with an infectious passion for the world of flora. Tom reminds me of him and his passion.

[@Johnnysday]

Extremely informative. I’ve decided I’ll be studying how to read the forest landscape so that I can figure out just what went on here in the Pacific Northwest. Extremely insightful, thank you for your dedication.

[@josiahspargo8551]

made my day Tom

[@lesjones7019]

I have learned a lot.

[@bossdog1480]

This is extremely interesting. Australian trees have adapted so well to fire that some specie's seeds WON'T germinate UNLESS they have been through a fire. The indigenous peoples used fire to clear out rubbish to both keep the danger of major bushfires controllable and to regenerate green growth that attracted wildlife that they hunted. When you come across a gum (Eucalyptus) tree that has split into two or more trunks at the base it usually is a sign of ample water. Bore drillers often use this as an indication of where to drill. In Western Australia it is extremely dry in the 'wheatbelt' areas and tree removal and overuse have caused a big problem with salinity. A lot of once viable farms have been ruined by salt rising.

[@m106792]

SUCH a good supplement to the book! I was going to say that I couldn't believe I just now found these videos, and then I noticed they weren't published that long ago. Thank you so much!

[@dominusetdeus060644]

I love the forests. I've always seen a lot more than most people in every piece of woodland. Now i will see even more. Thank you so much

[@trevordeane3940]

Despite Tom looking like Santa in this video, another very interesting talk about the formation and history of forests. Well done Tom.

[@friedeseimitdiroxmox4669]

This man probably lives in the forest. It is good to have someone for a deeper input in foresting. Greetings from Lüneburg, Germany

[@lauraleecreations3217]

❤❤❤❤❤I love these three video series! I'm learning a lot about nature and New England history! Awesome

[@dsauce8780]

I was lucky enough to be educated on a large property in MD farm country where a Montessori school is situated. The emphasis was on having a relationship with nature. Hearing you talk about the forest brings me back to that hollow, spending hours looking at the old growth around the creek valley and following the trees to the edge of the next pasture over.

[@bluwtrgypsy]

Just loved this informational series. Thanks so much

[@Jerseyhighlander]

Excellent video series from a really unique perspective. Great information Tom. Hiking in the woods will never be the same...Thank you.

[@markduncan2217]

Really fascinating insight into forests highlighting things you don’t think about. Tom is such an interesting guy with so much knowledge.

[@timhaight8021]

Thank you so much for sharing this knowledge. Here I am in an entirely different landscape across the country but I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the landscape in your area.

[@1758pk]

After watching this fascinating series I've ordered the two books "Reading the Forested Landscape" and "Forest Forensics". I'm looking forward to putting them to use. The ability to "read" the forest will definitely help in the archaeology predictive modeling project I've been working on as a pastime.

[@keithcurrams]

Amazing, loved this series! Absolute eye-opener

[@zackpecenak6777]

What a fantastic series!

[@EudaemoniusMarkII]

Thanks Tom! Having recently moved to the Santa Cruz, CA mountains, I am shepherding our lot of redwoods and local forest. I appreciate you teaching so well! Unfortunately right now, we are dealing with a lot of post fire trama. It will get better!

[@williamfullofwood7421]

Does fire naturally occur in Redwood territory?

[@cedar4419]

@@williamfullofwood7421 Yes, historically they are a regular occurrence. The coastal redwoods in Santa Cruz have fire resistant bark and can re-sprout in various ways though, so they're adapted to fire and usually survive. That said, for various reasons (build up of fuel from fire suppression, hotter/dryer weather from global warming, etc) the fires are possibly getting worse.

[@ThunderboltWisdom]

I hope your redwoods recover. It was such a shame to see those beautiful ancient trees and forests on fire. Good luck from Scotland to all who are impacted by the Californian wildfires. (There's not much chance of these wildfires happening where I live - it's too wet 😜) Aw the best. 🤓👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@charlesemigh411]

@@williamfullofwood7421 Yessir - many Sequoias and Coastal Redwoods are pyrophytes, therefore they require fire to germinate their seeds.

[@barahng]

@@williamfullofwood7421 Oh yes. In fact the most iconic of the 3 redwood species, the Giant Sequoia, *requires* fire for its seeds to germinate. It also clears out the canopy and allows sun in for new trees to grow. Older trees can survive fires because their bark is very thick as is mentioned in this video as well.

[@dashlamb9318]

Love your talks. They have helped me to better understand the a topic which has intrested me all my life. Just turned 71.

[@CodyWBrown]

With Tom as my witness, I will do my best to shepherd my woodlot into the next millennium.

[@tonmeister00]

Fascinating series. Thank you Tom!

[@whatawaytogo515]

Just what I've been looking for. Bought one of the books. Live in SW Pennsylvania, Sugar Maple country. Shepparding our own 70 acres through the bottleneck. Thanks for the excellent video.

[@aMulliganStew]

Greetings from the high desert of SW Wyoming. Loved the series.

[@JXZ-JAM]

When he mentioned intensive grazing and rotation of livestock my heart got all happy.

[@blaketaranto6427]

What an informative and wonderful series, such a wealth of knowledge

[@zjohnsoncg]

Really enjoyed this series. Thank you, Tom the Terrestrial Ecologist! What a cool field of study.

[@victorquesada7530]

Thank you so much for these resources. As a kid growing up in Gloucester, MA, I would see these different formations all the time in the Trustees Parks in the area. Now I have moved out to PA, but the insights you have given me across the videos have inspired me to get the books and go out again!

[@robdabiere651]

These are great videos Tom. Every elaborate and informative. No where on the web can you find information like this on our NE forests. Looking forward to more of your work. Thank you

[@mikelisacarb]

Great stuff! Looking forward to more of these finely produced videos!

[@sethhaun4440]

This kinda video is what needs to be mainstream..better than anything youll learn in a slave school..support this man plz...for the kids

[@keysearthman425]

Great videos, Tom! Helping me see more of the wonders of nature and giving me the ability to read the forest in a whole new way. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.

[@debbiesittard7653]

Love this channel. Trees are so special. I want to learn as much as possible about them. Thank you.

[@VeronicaShukla]

I am really loving these videos! I particularly loved your opinions at the end of this video.

[@NewEnglandForests]

Note: the opinions expressed at the end by the Canada geese were unsolicited, and theirs alone. 🙂

[@bobmcarthur5468]

I will be looking at my local woods as I hike with a different eye. Thanks for the insights.

[@jondoh2226]

I am so glad I found these. I like how they make me aware of how we are part of the story of the earth.

[@mailleweaver]

This guy would be a fascinating person to take a walk with. I think most people don't realize that it's this kind of thing that makes exploration so engaging. We like to not only find what's around the bend, but also find out what used to be there by the evidence of what remains. We like the tales the land can speak to us. Even in video games, the most engaging exploration is found in games where there is environmental storytelling.

[@bobtotz2956]

Awesome info and presentation. Thank you so much!

[@big_mike_nyc]

This is such an incredible learning experience! I have 150 acres in the Berkshires in upstate New York/Western Mass and after watching this series I see and understand my land, the stone walls, trees, and overall landscape! Phenomenal!

[@davidmorin7939]

So informative!I live in eastern massachusetts and your video has opened my eyes within my local woodland areas, thank you!!

[@dunnkruger8825]

Took the 2nd vid to buy the book. Thanks, Mr.Wessels

[@BijanIzadi]

Pasture trees are one of my favorite things to take photographs of, I will be really sad when we have no more evidence of them in the US

[@Houseworksaws]

I’ve found amazing plow terraces that really make you wonder how many times it had to be plowed to move that much soil. I love following stone walls and finding the massive open grown trees. I just love the forest. It’s truly amazing to see all these great features.

[@oliverclothesoff5397]

Hey! I live near the CT river, but down in CT. Great video! I learned a lot from this one little bit of content! Thanks!

[@resilientfarmsanddesignstu1702]

Outstanding series! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and insights!

[@adrenalinsam]

This was such an excellent series! Thank you for doing this!

[@garydodson6737]

Excellent videos! Very interesting comments about the evolutionary bottleneck.

[@koholohan3478]

I love you so much. I think of my forest back home in West Virginia, and it makes me so happy to know that my grandparents who move onto our plot left probably 90% or so of our few acres to the forest and didn't disturb it. I have a place of old growth to always go back to. As much of the forests come down in the area, it will always remain. I swear I want to get it protect and declare it sacred forever. That forest is totally lacking the mountain laurel and rhododendrons that are in many of the other areas nearby. I think I want to try and introduce them...I love their branching flow pattern and they would be delightful to the pollinators. Also, I do believe there is an oriental chestnut tree on the forests edge that needs to go. I think my grandpa planted it. It's strange, probably 15 trunks sprouting from one spot. If this is identified as Oriental chestnut, would you recommend we chop it down, maybe drag its trunks into the forest and them out to soon be used by the forest and fungi?

[@robertb5948]

Thank you sir !

[@berealrelentless6237]

im a lover of nature, esp. Trees! Hence my hobby of growing and creating Bonsai trees brought me to these videos. I instantly liked Mr. Wessels and his whole demeanor. I never was bored and learned a lot more about our New England forested landscape. In Bonsai, unique and abstract creations/growth is prized. Mr. Wessels briefly touched on how trees grow in unique ways and what makes them do it....I would enjoy him talking about this further. Even getting into root growth, esp. in Cedars. I love how they mold on to or around rocks, trees, or anything. I will keep and Eye out for mr. W and thank you for the education!!

[@NewEnglandForests]

Good news... there is another film planned with Tom Wessels. This one will be on "co-evolved interactions". It will hopefully be available sometime in 2019.

[@emy1111]

This is a fantastic series, I hope Tom does lots more in the future

[@phinehasfenne]

you had me hooked! I watched all tree videos. 😀

[@bobbrock7626]

Wow! I just learned a bushel! Thank you sir! Nice beard.

[@mjdeedles341]

I’ll never look at “pillows and cradles” the same way!

[@stumpfarm3714]

Excellent, very much enjoyed the series.

[@SomehowCreative]

This series of videos is fantastic. I learned a lot

[@marksimpson6491]

I enjoy your style of teaching. Thank you.

[@ChrisSmithR]

Tom, you're killin it.

[@chipwoods8323]

Great stuff! I took a course in college called “small woodlot management.” I loved it and it was the only truly practical course I ever took. Thanks for sharing.

[@randy1122]

If he was one of my college professors I would have never blown off class. Should have majored in forestry.

[@NewEnglandForests]

... or maybe forest ecology?

[@kimharbison5277]

Your descriptions and explainations remind me of one of my favorite authors, Eric Sloane.

[@wayneodom7562]

I will check out his books. I would love to see him do a similar series in the Southeast.

[@lynnsbomb]

Thank you so much for the lessons. I’ve learned so much already. I have a 5 acre property in nh an I can’t wait to try and analyze my property. Very interesting information.