Gooseberry Falls Tree Ring Display – rural Two Harbors, MN
N 47° 08.445 W 091° 28.165
15T E 616056 N 5221941
The stump of this 62 year old birch has been placed in the Visitor Center at Gooseberry Falls State Park to show how the tree rings can explain a lot about the life of the tree.
Waymark Code: WMBHVX
Location: Minnesota, United States
Date Posted: 05/24/2011
Views: 7
The stump of this 62 year old birch has been placed in the Visitor Center at Gooseberry Falls State Park to show how the tree rings can explain a lot about the life of the tree. A drawing with explanation is above the stump and reads:
“This tree is 62 years old. It has been through fire and drought, plague and plenty. And all of this is recorded in its rings.
“Each spring and summer a tree adds new layers of wood to its trunk. The wood formed in spring grows fast and is lighter because it consists of large cells. In summer, growth is slower; the wood has smaller cells and is darker. So when a tree is cut, the layers appear as alternating rings of light and dark wood.
“Count the dark rings and you know the tree’s age. Study the rings, and you can learn much more. Many things affect the way a tree grows, and thus alter the shape, thickness, color, and uniformity of the rings.”
Below is a timeline which shows how the tree was affected by natural forces of fire and drought.
The display is just outside the gift shop of the visitor center near the big stone fireplace. The Visitor Center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location Name and/or Address:
Visitor Center
Gooseberry Falls
Hwy. 61
Two Harbors, MN
Tree Species: Birch
Indoors/Outdoors: Indoors
Entry Fee or Requirements: No
Availablility: Has specific hours
Website: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
Visit the location and take a photo of the Tree Growth Rings. If you have more information about the tree or circumstance, please share it in your visit log.