Succession

Here in the fine city of Wooster, a natural phenomenon occurs on the byways as a result of sentimentality, sloth and confounding city ordinance. Erosion of rock and reclamation of vegetation is the most important step in an ecological process, called succession. In different environments, soil structure determines what types of plants can take hold, then those plants determine which other plants and animals can succeed after. Within a block of my house I can witness all stages of this erosion and vegetative coup d'état. For instance, on Founder's Row you can see that the sidewalks here were originally made of red brick, and when unmaintained the cracks created from ice and blunt trauma became filled with vegetation. Lawnmowers and dog-walkers are the only ones keeping these yards from returning to wild landscapes.

Have a good Memorial Day weekend!