That’s the Atlantic cedar, right? Do they naturally tend to drop the lower branches, or do you think they were cut? I like seeing all that light through them.
No, these are Eastern Red Cedar. There are a few scattered stands of Atlantic White Cedar on Eastern LI but you have to know where to look. Pretty sure the missing lower branches is due to deer browse.
I was thinking about it and although deer browse is ubiquitous on Red Cedars, these may have also been pruned for the view.
Thank you – I’d forgotten about Red Cedar and now I remember that (I think) the Atlantic White Cedars are uncommon.
There’s actually several ghost forests of Atlantic White’s out here, including ancient stumps that can be found at Montauk Point during extreme low tides. The forest stumps are estimated to be over 4,000 years old (when the shoreline extended much further out to sea). Pretty amazing!
JOHN TODARO 
That’s the Atlantic cedar, right? Do they naturally tend to drop the lower branches, or do you think they were cut? I like seeing all that light through them.
No, these are Eastern Red Cedar. There are a few scattered stands of Atlantic White Cedar on Eastern LI but you have to know where to look. Pretty sure the missing lower branches is due to deer browse.
I was thinking about it and although deer browse is ubiquitous on Red Cedars, these may have also been pruned for the view.
Thank you – I’d forgotten about Red Cedar and now I remember that (I think) the Atlantic White Cedars are uncommon.
There’s actually several ghost forests of Atlantic White’s out here, including ancient stumps that can be found at Montauk Point during extreme low tides. The forest stumps are estimated to be over 4,000 years old (when the shoreline extended much further out to sea). Pretty amazing!
I remember one of those in New Jersey at a preserve somewhere. In the distance, you could see the Empire State Building…that’s so New York, a slice of wilderness in view of the metropolis. 🙂 I found it – Secaucus!! 🙂
https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2017/10/13/low-tides-reveal-enduring-cedar-stumps-reflecting-meadowlands-ecological-past/672181001/
The ghost forests out your way must be beautiful if you’re there at the right time, in the right light. Very cool.
Thanks for that link, Lynn. I never heard of that Meadowlands discovery.