February 05, 1981 - Roy Latham's FootstepsSECOND SECTION
The *Uffolh jtimeg
FEBRUARY 5, 1981
SCRUB PINE CONE - -The only way some scrub pine cones can release
their seeds as shown above is by heat from a forest fire. This unique
property assures reforestation after fire passes through.
Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
Roy Latham's Footsteps
We had plans to meet with old friends
and show some visiting professors from
the University of Michigan some of the
unique features and flora of our eastern
Long Island. Our rendezvous was the
small lake north of the county center
where one of the largest remaining eastern
white cedar bogs can be seen.
Barbara had packed a lunch and I had
gotten the cameras and other equipment
together so that we were at the lake early.
It was frozen solid, but still across the ice
from the road we could see a large great
blue heron slumped down in the sun trying
to hold every bit of heat within . its
handsome body. As soon as we got out of
the car, the great blue flew away. We
spotted a sharp - shinned hawk sitting in a
crouched position in one of the trees, but
true to its kind it darted away into the
woods with .rapid wing beat: These are
woodland hawks.
By now our group had come and with
warm introductions to both old and new we
started over to the white cedar bag. Inside,
try and-branches filled the air so closely
that it made it difficult to move through.
Years ago when I'd been here it was not
frozen and we had to walk from hummock
to hummock above the water and sphag-
num moss. Today the footing was frozen.
Thank goodness this important area is a
County Park, for without its protection this
last remaining cedar swamp would surely
have been filled, bulldozed or cut down.
Now students, scientists and others can
always have areas such as this to study.
As everyone left the bog and headed
back to the car, I stayed behind to
photograph. It was then that I realized the
continual booming beneath my feet. The
temperature was warming up; predictions
were for 40 and possibly 54 degree
temperatures and the ice was responding
with huge cracks. It reminded me of far off
heavy artillery fire I had heard long ago in
another world. Thank goodness it was only
the ice trembling beneath my feet.
Dwarf Pine Barrens
Our next stop was at the Dwarf Pine
Barrens in Westhampton. These areas,
like the other pine barrens further to the
west, are just now being appreciated and
understood. Because the soil is sandy and
relatively poor, the larger and more
vigorous trees cannot survive. In their
place a form of scrub oak is mingled with
the scrub pine.
It's an area that is intensely dry and
easily ignited and therefore one that is
continually ravaged by fire.
The pines of the area have developed
their own defense to survive. First, their
bark is thick and gften when the fires are
whipped by winds they pass through so
quickly that the tree's bark protects them
and they survive.
Second, and probably more important,
the cones on the trees are adaptable to the
prevailing conditions. If there is no fire,
some strain of cone opens normally and
lets the seeds fall to the ground and
therefore germinate in the usual manner.
The other strain of pine cone remains on
the tree, closed until fire passes through.
Then the heat opens the cone and the seeds
fall to the ground to germinate. We proved
this interesting phenomenon by taking
some of the closed cones home with us and
putting them on the stove. Sure enough,
they performed just as we were told they
would. With snapping and scales opening,
they revealed their freed seeds. We longed
to hear more of this fascinating area, but
had to press on. Our next visit was to the
Montauk area to find a rare and little -
known fern for our visiting professors
from Michigan. This fern has only been
found in one spot in the whole of New York
State, and that was right here in Montauk.
The remarkable part about this fern is that
Roy Latham found it way back in the 1920's
and reported it to the Museum in Albany.
Through much research by one of the
students with us working on his doctorate
degree, the general location was estab-
lished. Then just as Roy Latham has done
a thousand times before, he got down on
his hands and knees to search the area.
Finally, after many attempts, it was
located. Now it was our turn. But we had
the advantage to know where to1ook. All of
us trot down on our hands and knees and
meticulously worked the area. "Here it
is," someone shouted; and we gathered
around to see. True tb its name of curly
grass, we saw this rare and little known
species of fern barely an inch to two inches
tall. We marveled how thorough Roy
Latham must have been to locate this
"needle in a haystack ". He has become an
inspiration to many young scientists be-
cause through his field work and writings
they are able to continue this work in our
natural world.
On our way back. in the car, we spoke
about this -man of all seasons -- for that is
literally what he was. He worked in all
seasons and in all places in the natural
world. He was something special to all of
us and the more we seem to find out about
him the more amazing he becomes.
PAULSTOUTENBUItGH