The
Beech Forest, located off Race Road in the
Provincelands, is the climax plant community
of the Outer Cape. In this region of Cape
Cod, the beech tree is the climax species
and its related species, sarsaparilla, red
maple and sassafras make up the climax community.
The highest concentration of organic matter
was found here. This area has been identified
by the National Park as the oldest forested
section of the Provincelands with some of
the trees believed to be 150 years old. The
beech tree in this picture has an interesting
story to tell. When trees are subjected to
competition for light and other resources,
as they are in a mature forest, they develop
tall, straight trunks. The beech has multiple
trunks indicating that at the time it was
young there was very little competition from
other trees in the area and that the forest
was probably much less dense than it is today.
Just out of frame to the left is a slip face
of an advancing dune. Perhaps the Beech Forest
was a tiny island of a few beech trees surrounded
by marauding dunes not so very long ago.