Deep in the White Mountains in New Hampshire (USA), there is a forest that is not only a natural wonder but also a laboratory of the planet.
For over 60 years, every fallen leaf, every drop of water, and every temperature variation have been meticulously monitored. This reveals the real-time evolution of ecosystems.
This site, called Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, is one of the world’s most important environmental studies. It has led to significant discoveries about climate change, pollution, and conservation of natural resources.
The origins of the natural laboratory
In 1955, scientists and foresters decided to turn what seemed like a common area into a fully monitored ecosystem, dividing it into watersheds to analyze water and nutrient flows.
This revolutionary approach, known as watershed ecology, allowed to understand how an ecosystem responds to human disturbances, marking a turning point in the study of nature.
The experiment that revealed invisible damage
One of Hubbard Brook’s most striking milestones occurred in the 1960s. In a bold experiment, researchers clear-cut all the trees in a watershed and prevented their regrowth with herbicides to observe the impact of extreme deforestation.
The result was devastating:
- Water seeped faster, carrying large amounts of nitrogen, calcium, and other essential nutrients.
- The ecosystem collapsed, showing that the loss of vegetation deeply affects natural cycles.
Additionally, the researchers detected abnormal levels of acidity in rainwater, leading them to discover a concerning environmental phenomenon: acid rain, caused by industrial emissions located hundreds of kilometers away from the forest.
A key witness of climate change
Today, Hubbard Brook continues to operate, serving as a permanent observatory for:
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- Levels of carbon captured by trees.
- Bird migration and soil disturbances.
- Impact of global warming on seasonal cycles and rain and snow patterns.
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Its studies have allowed to simulate future scenarios and generate evidence-based environmental policies.
A mirror of the planet’s future
What makes Hubbard Brook special is not only its landscape but its environmental memory. Every data recorded over six decades shows how ecosystems change over time, providing valuable information about the health of the Earth.
In a world affected by climate change, this forest has become a silent witness and, above all, a teacher that teaches us how we could prevent irreversible damage to the planet.
