These young white pines alongside the trail are taking advantage of the sand and mineral soil that was exposed when the Park & Ride was created; they also thrive on the sun that the trail has opened up for them. White pines “show their age,” because each year’s growth has a single leader stem, with a “whorl” of 5 to 8 lateral stems at its base. Count the whorls on one of the young white pines, and you will know how long ago the work on the Park & Ride took place!
