| 11. Smiley Face Stump | ||||||||||||
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Interpretive Stops
1. Along Aptos Creek Additional Information
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Smiley Face Stump Immortalizes a Humorous MarcelThe redwood stump with the smiley face is a testament to Marcel Pourroy's sense of humor. One day, the former owner of the forest was sitting nearby and noticed that the stump seemed to have two eyes. Suddenly inspired with a witty thought, Mr. Pourroy started up his chainsaw and cut the stump a "smile." Two of his sons say that Mr. Pourroy always looked to see if visitors to the forest noticed the "smile" on his tree. The charcoal hull of "Smiley Face Stump" is what's left of an ancient redwood that probably burned during a forest fire, long before the loggers arrived. "Smiley Face" Site Comes Closest to a Redwood-Dominant ForestWith the exception of immense, old-growth redwoods, the area surrounding Smiley Face Stump comes close to representing what some redwood ecologists would call an alluvial-flat redwood forest. Although most well-developed alluvial-flat forests, with their large river-bottom habitats, are found in the northern redwood range, Smiley Face Stump contains characteristics of this type of forest. One characteristic is that the redwoods are the dominant tree species, often forming pure stands, as seen in this small, unique area. Another characteristic is that redwoods in alluvial-flat forests live in deep soils deposited along major drainages. While the Smiley Face Stump area is obviously not part of a river drainage, alluvium deposits have been made by landslides. Previous landslides have brought down new sediments, resulting in layers of nutrient-rich alluvium comparable to the sediments deposited in the river flood-plains of northern redwood forests.
Landslide alluvium makes an excellent seedbed for redwood seedlings or sprouts. In addition, landslide alluvium smothers competing plants, allowing redwood seedlings to gain the edge in obtaining nutrients to grow rapidly. Following the deposition of landslide alluvium, trees might regenerate, resulting in even-aged redwoods, such as the ones seen at this stop. These even-aged redwoods are most likely the result of tree regeneration after a landslide that occurred in this area many years ago. A third characteristic of alluvial-flat forests is reduced sunlight below the canopy. Because the tree canopy is more dense in this section of Marcel's Forest, less direct sunlight reaches the forest floor. Given time, this part of the forest will become a true, redwood-dominant forest since sun-loving species like the Douglas-fir will be restricted. Already, the shade-tolerant understory plants that grow here, such as redwood sorrel, sword fern, and stream violets, are species that typically grow in an alluvial-flat forest. Disturbances Change Forest AppearanceMarcel's Forest has been selectively logged several times. This logging and nearby housing development, along with modifications by former owners, have resulted in disturbances that have changed the forest over the last 150 years. However, a few small areas, such as Smiley Face Stump, give us a glimpse of how the forest probably once looked. As you continue to walk the loop, notice how the forest vegetation changes. You'll notice two types of redwood forests: the alluvial-flat forest seen at this stop, and the redwood-Douglas-fir-tanoak forest that abruptly changes to oak woodland, best viewed from Stop 15, at the ravine bridge.
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