Pfad der Pioniere 01: Pioniere des Waldes

The Path of the Pioneers runs along the side of the valley above the Albula River. Normally, spruce trees grow at this altitude. Here, however, they share the space with pine trees. It is too uncomfortable for the spruces: too little precipitation, too many avalanches and debris flows. The pines like it much better. The pioneer plants grow where the living conditions are too harsh for other plants. Their pioneering character enables them to immediately colonize the scree heaps after avalanches, rockfalls, ravines or forest fires. Provided they get a lot of light, pines defy cold, heat, frost and drought. The forest fjords up to 45m high have a rather reddish bark, the mountain fjords up to 25m high can be recognized by the greyish bark. A special feature of all pine species are the needles. They are pointed and pungent. Two of them have grown together at the grassroots level. Pine wood is rich in resin.