Interlochen State Park, Michigan    Ernie Ostuno
   Jul 22, 2004 12:37 PDT 
 


Interlochen State Park is located in the lower peninsula of Michigan
about 15 miles south of Traverse City and contains about 200 acres of
old growth eastern white pine, red pine, and hemlock as well as several
species of hardwoods. The trees are impressive, particularly the white
and red pines which are comparable to the big trees at the better known
Hartwick Pines SP. However, several roads, telephone lines, and a
campground right among the biggest of the trees lend more of a park-like
setting to this area than a true old growth ecosystem. Even so, these
are some of the very few original growth white pines you will find in
lower Michigan, and the presence of old growth red pines also make this
a special place.

I visited this area in September 2000, July 2001, and October 2002. The
last time there I found a windthrown white pine that had fallen across a
trail and been cut up by the park staff. I counted about 180 rings on
the log, and measured a diameter of 30 inches. I estimated the height of
the cut when the trees was standing at about 20 feet. The tallest of the
white pines here are probably in the 120-140 foot range with the bigger
hemlock close to 100-110 feet. I will be returning to this area next
month at which time I will take some pictures with my digital camera,
and get better measurements of the trees.

Ernie Ostuno

http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/ParksandTrailsInfo.asp?id=460  Michigan DNR Site

 
RE: Interlochen State Park   Ernie Ostuno
  Aug 13, 2004 20:01 PDT 
 


I  got a chance to visit this area again and take some photos. One
thing I was sad to see is that the Michigan DNR seems to be the worst
enemy of the trees here. They just put two access roads right through an
area of mature hemlock/white pine at the park entrance, ostensibly to
reduce traffic backups on M-137 from campers entering or leaving the
park. Quite unfortunate, combined with the fact that they put a
CAMPGROUND in the middle of the old growth here!! Oh well.

There are some beautiful examples of old growth red pine along with the
white pine, hemlock, beech and white oak. Someone needs to accurately
measure heights here. My eyeball technique (not the most accurate) says
some of the white pine is in the 140-150 foot range. I found a couple
red pine to rival the biggest I saw at Hartwick Pines State Park.

Ernie
Interlochen Revisited   Ernie Ostuno
  Sep 13, 2004 23:44 PDT 

Will, you will be happy to know that ENTS has "hit" this site recently.
Last Saturday Paul Jost, Lee Frelich and I went to Interlochen State
Park and did a quick survey of the old white pines (and a few red
pines). Most of the white pine were in the 105 to 115 foot range with
the red pines about 20 feet shorter. We did find a couple white pine
that were probably in the 125-130 foot range, but some nearby maple and
oak prevented a better measurement. So my goal now is to get a laser and
clinometer, learn how to use them reliably, and go back before the
hardwoods leaf out next spring and get more definitive measurements
across the site.

Yes, my eyeball technique needs some serious calibration! It looks like
the big trees of Hartwick Pines will not be challenged by this site,
although it's not out of the question that a 140 footer lives somewhere
in this stand. One interesting thing we noted was evidence of a major
wind event at some point in the history of this area as many of the
pines were growing slanted at an angle towards the east and several old
white oaks had bent trunks.

I would like to thank Paul and Lee for coming across Lake Michigan to
show me how to use a laser and clinometer and for a very informative
time spent tramping across the woods, fields, bogs and dunes of
northwest Lower Michigan. For a relative tree novice like myself it was
a great learning experience.

Ernie