07 June 2009 - 13:05, Tinman said
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Our enthusiastic group worked on the T-Rex site this month — so named because the winter storm a couple of years ago knocked down a number of trees in a fashion that looks like a T-Rex rampage was the cause.

The amazing result of this natural clearing is how much native stuff has quickly sprung back once the canopy was reduced and some sunlight could penetrate down to the ground. Now the calamagrostis grass, salal and ferns are most rapidly spreading to fill the empty spaces. In addition, we’ve found lots of wild rose that appears to be very happy now that it has some space to grow:

Right now, Mt D is particularly colorful because the red elderberry’s berries explain exactly how this native shrub/tree got its name:

Walk anywhere on the hill right now and you’ll see lots of elderberry.

Also impressive right now are the lady ferns:

Their fronds are shaped much like bracken fern, though they are much larger and have a more horizontal habit. Look for them along the paths on the north side.

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