At first, you may think, ‘big deal.’

Who cares about big cottonwood trees? They’re the pests of the forest, with their penchant for snapping and falling and having their branches come down, or for their nasty roots that cause dismay on lawnmower blades. They are signs of wet ground – so head to higher ground if you want to build.

But wait a minute.

There are black cottonwoods at Morrissey, about 10 minutes west (16 km) of Fernie on Highway 3, that defy a laissez faire flinch or apathetic twitch.

Alongside the Elk River, on its south side, is a small trail park that pays homage to and protects a stand of the oldest black cottonwoods in the world. The largest of the trees visible from the looping trail were seedlings when Henry Hudson and some of his crew were set adrift on Hudson Bay and when Shakespeare’s Tempest first appeared on stage.

Mixed into an old-growth western red cedar forest are a host of 400-year-old behemoths, some still reaching skyward with their full canopy of top growth and others just great jutting tubes of wind-and-lightning-damaged fibre, still thoroughly impressive in their width and height, with some reaching up more than 100 feet.

Located on the southeast side of the Morrissey Bridge, the protected area came about when the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) acquired the land in 2004. It is part of the Elk Valley Heritage Conservation area, which is more than 25,000 acres that also includes Mt. Broadwood.

“This conservation area creates an important corridor for wildlife, including bears, dear, elk and other large animals that traverse the valley,” notes the NCC, which manages the area.

The conservation area features a trail, some of it boardwalked to avoid sensitive areas, that is less than one kilometre in length and visitors must remember to watch where they put their feet while strolling through the cool, shady green forest, as a constant tangle of roots awaits an unprepared foot or ankle.

The interpretive project was developed with in collaboration with Tembec, Wildsight, College of the Rockies, and the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program.

Cottonwoods are considered important species when it comes to forest ecology because they provide so much cover for birds and insects, offer den opportunities for black bears and are habitat for the endangered Western Screech Owl.

“In 2003 this grove of cottonwood trees was discovered that rival Canada’s famed coastal cedars and firs in both age and girth. Scientists confirmed the ages of the trees, putting the oldest at more than 400 years old, and measuring up to 10 metres around. They are by far the oldest known cottonwoods in the world,” NCC information on the site notes.

The walk is only about two kilometers in total length. Because of the height and thickness of the forest canopy, expect a sharp decrease in temperatures when you enter the trail.

Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

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