In this area eastern red cedars (Juniperus Virginiana L.) are found. They are a common
slow growing evergreen usually found in abandoned fields, often in groups.
Why are these in a forested area? Nearly all of New Jersey has been cleared at least once
for farming or for firewood. When a field is not kept cut, trees and plants that are able
to quickly colonize open fields start to grow. However, other trees will eventually turn
the field into a forest in a process known as succession. These cedar trees are in the
process of being shaded out by the larger trees in the area. Someday they will all be gone
as they are deprived of sunlight and die, leaving only the forest trees.
Another clue to past conditions in a forested area are rows of large trees which are much
more mature than the rest. They may have been growing along a property line between two
fields before the forest took over the fields. Sometimes pieces of wire can be seen
sticking out of a tree were a wire fence had been nailed to the trees. As the tree grows
and the wire fence rusts away only small pieces are left sticking out showing how big the
tree was when the fence was new.
