YA Eco Mysteries, Memoirs, Novels & Travel
Writing Eco Mysteries
July 22: A trip to the Talladega National Forest
To write Return of Red-Cockaded Clan, I need to get the feel of the woodpecker’s natural habitat. With this in mind, I set off on a trip to their nesting site in the Talladega National Forest, accompanied by my husband Boris and Greg Harber from the Birmingham Audubon Society. We arrive there late in the afternoon, after a rain shower. The beauty of the place struck me immediately, and I know that I will write about it in my story . . .
I close my eyes, enchanted by the sound of the wind roaring through the pine needles and branches, in alternating low and high octaves, like fingers strumming on a string instrument. I inhale the earthy, sweet scent of pine resin after the rain. I gaze at the glistening raindrops suspended from the needles of young Longleaf pines, like crystal beads hanging from a chandelier.
At the top of a gentle incline, I pause to enjoy the fern clad, park-like understory beneath the trees. In the open gaps created by fire and fallen trees, young Longleaf pines march up the hill, clustering together in various stages of growth. Some Longleaf seedlings are in the grass stage, not growing much above ground while putting out a tremendous root system below ground. In this stage, Longleaf pine seedlings resemble a clump of grass—hence the name. Other Longleaf seedlings are in the rocket stage, when they grow rapidly in height.
Yet, I couldn’t help noticing that there are no mature Longleafs in sight. The magnificent old-growth Longleaf forests once reigned supreme from Virginia to Texas, playing a vital role in the culture and natural history of the South, and providing a unique habitat for more than 40 different plant species per square meter and several wildlife species that are now threatened or endangered. Today less than 3% of the :longleaf forests’ previous range remains. And these old-growth ecosystems are few and far between—endangering the very existence of the Red Cockaded Woodpecker.
Our guide, Greg Harber, points out four Red Cockaded Woodpecker nests. He tells us that these nests have been excavated by forest rangers in tall Loblolly pines. I listen for, but don’t hear the woodpeckers calling. Greg says we need to come back before sunrise, or at sunset to see them leave or return to the nest; that will be our next trip.
Questions start popping in my head: Why have the nests been artificially created? Why are streaks of resin leaking around the nests? Why are there black burn marks on the tree trunks? Why have these forests been decimated? What can be done to restore the Longleaf pine forests? What can be done to save the RCW and other endangered or threatened species? I know that the protagonists in my story, six determined, gutsy teens, will ask these questions and that they will be plunged into a complicated and even dangerous eco mystery in order to help save the RCW. That’s all I know right now, but I’m confident that the story will begin to take shape as we continue our adventure . . .
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For additional information visit: Birmingham Audubon Society
To comment e-mail Claire: cldatnow@me.com