Trees and Shrubs

As you make the journey up to northern Maine to visit the monument, one thing is very clear; there are a lot of trees! The forests of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument are located within the present and traditional homeland of the Penobscot Nation. Many wet basins and riparian zones of the forest support important cultural materials that Penobscot people have sustainably harvested for generations. The monument lies within the larger Northern Appalachian-Acadian Ecoregion, which represents a unique transition zone between northern boreal and temperate deciduous forests. This dense forest is a mix of conifer and deciduous trees (trees that seasonally shed their leaves). Visit during the mid-spring and summer to experience a dense, green forest. Visit between mid-September into early October to experience a vibrant mosaic of colors – green, red, orange, and gold.

Conifers

Conifers are cone–bearing trees that typically have “needle-shaped” leaves. Their leaves typically stay green year-round, making them “evergreens.” Conifers are classified as gymnosperms (vascular plants that reproduce by exposed seeds). The pinecones carry seeds that are fertilized by pollen from the tree and have a chance to grow when the fertilized seed lands on the forest floor. In the logging and timber industry, conifers are also known as “softwoods.” Within the class of conifers, there are eight different families and many species under each family. Most of the conifers you will see at the park and in Northern Maine are under the Pinaceae family (pines, firs, spruce, hemlock, and true cedars). This group includes the Maine state tree, the eastern white pine (Pinus strobus), which you can find throughout the monument. It is the largest eastern conifer!

Breaking the Stereotype: The Tamarack

Have you ever heard of a deciduous conifer? Although most conifers are known to be evergreens, a deciduous conifer behaves like a deciduous tree by changing colors in the fall and dropping its leaves. The tamarack (Larix laricina), also known as the eastern larch, is the only deciduous conifer that grows within the boundaries of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. They are part of the pine family and bear cones, just like other conifers. These trees are tolerant to a range of soil conditions, but appreciate boggy, acidic soils, typically where sphagnum and woody peat moss are found. They require sunny areas and cold environments. Early spring and fall are when tamarack trees are most noticeable and stand out from others. When the leaves first appear in the spring, the needles are short, soft, and a bright light green in color. By the summer, their needles are similar in color to other pines growing in the forest. In the fall, tamarak trees turn a brilliant golden color before they shed their leaves. They are usually among the last trees to drop their leaves.

Deciduous Trees

During the fall season, deciduous trees get all the attention when “leaf peepers” travel many miles to see the vibrant fall colors. They are the trees that seasonally shed or lose their leaves. The leaves on deciduous trees are usually large and broad, unlike the needle-like leaves on conifer trees. Deciduous trees are a type of angiosperm, meaning they reproduce by flowers. In the logging and timber industry these trees are also known as “hardwoods.” There are many species of deciduous trees found in the monument, but some of the most recognizable trees are sugar maple, American beech, and yellow birch . Access the digital version of Forest Trees of Maine on Maine.gov to learn more about the trees and shrubs found in the state of Maine.

One deciduous tree that is important to the Wabanaki people is the black ash (Fraxinus nigra), also called the brown ash. This tree is central to their creation stories. Wabanaki people make functional and decorative baskets from these ash trees, a tradition central to their culture and livelihood.

Shrubs

What makes a shrub different than a tree? Shrubs are typically smaller in size and usually have multiple woody stems near the ground or soil line of the plant, whereas trees have one central perennial woody stem (the trunk). Examples of shrubs are labrador tea, staghorn sumac, and round-leaved dogwood.

A Forest Over Time

Wabanaki people have lived in relationship with these forests since time immemorial. This forest continues to be the Wabanaki homeland. Many of the trails and roads that visitors travel on when visiting the monument were once former logging roads dating back to approximately the 1840s. Shipbuilding, lumber, and paper mills industrialized the scale of logging and the impacts to the forests across the state of Maine. Due to the state’s industrialized logging, only a small percentage of “old growth” (undisturbed forests) are left in Maine.

Forests are now being impacted by rapid environmental changes, including climate change and invasive insects. For example, the invasive emerald ash borer is killing ash trees throughout the eastern United States. Since 2002, infestations have killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in over 35 states, including Maine. The emerald ash borer effects the ash trees, which in turn greatly impacts the peoples whose culture is intricately intertwined trees. National Park Service scientists in the northeast recently launched the Resilient Forests Initiative to help manage such threats to forest health and foster collaboration across national parks in the Northeast and National Capital Regions.

Access the digital version of Forest Trees of Maine on Maine.gov to learn more about all the trees and shrubs found in the state of Maine.