The general topography and soils in northern Michigan are the result of the last glacial activity known as the “Wisconsinan” period. This glacial activity began about 70,000 years ago, and the final retreat of the glaciers occurred about 11,500 years ago. The glaciers left behind them Burt Lake and the other lakes in the region as well as all of the associated hills and valleys. On Colonial Point the glaciers deposited a very fine-textured clay soil about two feet thick. Over time this clay became very rich in nutrients capable of holding a significant and stable supply of water. The exceptional quality of the trees on the Colonial Point Memorial Forest and the Chaboiganing Nature Preserve can be attributed to this layer of clay.
The large stand of red oak at Colonial Point is yet another fascinating component of this natural area. Considered to be one of the most extraordinary examples in the midwest, these oaks are a result of fires that occurred on Colonial Point around 1840. Fires were set by Native Americans to clear small portions of the land for crops. The traditional methods involved girdling and burning large trees to create openings in the forest for field crops. Crops were planted in between the dead but standing trees. Many of the dead trees eventually fell and were completely removed through further burning. Fire was also used to clear the fields of weedy growth and reduce crop pests. As a result of many burns, the soil became rich in phosphates, lime, and potash, providing a natural fertilizer for corn and other crops.
The increased sunlight and decreased competition in these areas created an ideal environment for oaks, which thrive in direct sun, to become the dominant species in an even-aged stand. In the absence of this disturbance, this peninsula would likely have been dominated by sugar maple, American beech, or white pine trees. Some of these oak trees are as old as 160 years!
Despite the long history of human use of Colonial Point, some of the area was spared from the intense logging that occurred throughout the midwest in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This is why Colonial Point exhibits some magnificent examples of mature white pine and other hardwood tree species. These large trees nearly led to the demise of the property in 1985, since they are considered extremely valuable for veneer lumber. Fortunately, they still stand tall today.
Just as fascinating as these towering giants are the large trees that have fallen as a result of windthrow on Colonial Point. Large mounds of earth appear next to wide shallow pits, and these are where ancient trees have been pulled from the ground by the wind. As the tree and the roots of a windthrow decay, soil accumulates in a mound on one side of the pit. In some areas at Colonial Point, the massive trunks of these trees are still visible—even after hundreds of years of decay.
On the Chaboiganing Nature Preserve, one finds a mixed forest including white ash, red maple, sugar maple, basswood, hemlock, white pine, and aspen. This forest is considerably younger than the Colonial Point Memorial Forest, further increasing the diversity provided by these adjacent lands.
In the spring, wildflowers are abundant throughout the Colonial Point Memorial Forest and the Chaboiganing Nature Preserve. In the forest, these include large-flowered trillium, round-lobed hepatica, yellow trout lily, spring beauty, and herb robert. The field is home to grasses and clover and flowers such as goats beard, hawkweed, and ox-eyed daisy.
In addition to the many wildflowers and herbs at these properties, the area displays a significant number of Michigan ferns. As you enter the trail system of the Chaboiganing Nature Preserve from Brutus Road, you will find over four species of ferns growing within a tiny 15 ft. radius. These include lady fern, sensitive fern, ostrich fern, and oak fern. Further along the trail, large pockets of green ostrich fern appear to blanket the forest floor. The tiny “stocking-shaped” leaves of the Christmas fern can also be found in parts of the preserve.
Deer, chipmunk, squirrel, coyote, raccoon, and other mammals live on the Colonial Point Memorial Forest and Chaboiganing Nature Preserve. In the many decomposing trees and stumps you can find red-backed salamanders, centipedes, and insects in abundance. The old growth trees provide a particularly important habitat for many birds such as woodpeckers and other birds that utilize both large trees and large dead trees or snags. The open field at the Chaboiganing Nature Preserve is nesting habitat for bobolinks, waterfowl and other grass-nesting birds. The hay in the field is leased to a farmer who deliberately waits to mow until after the nesting season is complete. Between the forest and the field is “edge” habitat that is beneficial to deer and other animals that prefer this cover.