And thus forest is renewed, more light reaching the ground, the trees eventually decaying and so the circle commences again.
Did you happen, by chance, to count the rings on any of the cut trees? Likely, few if any alive today saw those trees when they were seedlings.
In AZ, we used 100 year rotation in the Pondersa Pine belt, meaning the trees I marked to cut would not be replaced for a century. Makes one think, it does.
Actually, we' faster growing around here! Douglas Fir are on a 45-50 year harvest schedule...
I think I estimate about 35 rings on this close up from one of the pictures!
So some of our younger members may not have been around when they were planted but many of us were. :~)
I am always interested in how changing our woods are every year, there's always new planting, current logging, mature stuff that will be next to go, and everything in between, and now, storm damage. Yes, we mourn when they're cut, but there will be another forest and the diversity of age and sunlight and shade makes it real interesting.