Islands of life

We can think of ash trees as the ecological engineers of wetland forests. They create foundations, or hummocks, around which entire ecosystems assemble. Their roots anchor them firmly in the soggy soils of the intertidal zone. Hundreds of plants, insects, amphibians, fish and other creatures inhabit these places, weaving a complex tapestry of life.

Ash, along with baldcypress trees, thrive in this environment. Few other trees can tolerate having their roots inundated by tides twice a day.

Ash trees and hummocks during high tide, Tuckahoe Creek wetland

Baldcypress tree, Pocomoke River