The Jack Pine

From destruction comes new life!

A great fire swept through a forest
burning everything in it's wake.
In the fire's path stood a Jack Pine.
The tree, not wanting to be harmed
pleaded for mercy from the blaze.

Reluctantly,
the fire agreed not to touch the Pine
and left it unmolested.

Many season passed by,
the forest grew back larger,
more resilient than before.

Many trees had released their seeds
in the destruction;
The Jack Pine however,
unable to open its cones
could not help to reseed the forest.

The Jack Pine,
wiser, but weak and brittle from time,
finally realised
the fire would bring devastation at first,
but in the aftermath,
new life would grow and flourish.

AN

The jack pine, found mostly in the very northern parts of central and eastern US and Canada. Their cones are very thick and hard. They are literally glued shut with a strong resin. These cones are referred to as serotinous which means, late blooming or opening. Serotinous cones can hang on a pine tree for years without opening up to release its seeds. When a fire sweeps through a forest of jack pines, the heat from the fire melts the resin, allowing the cones to open up and release the seeds.