21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Nurse Stump

In the rainforest of Lake Quinault there are many logs and stumps that provide a starting point for new samplings, and as they grow, they eventually take over the stump. This Nurse Stump and its host's intertwining roots provide an intriguing mosaic of roots that reach the ground and encase the stump. The notch in the trunk made from a long dead logger that took down the previous tree is still visible.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 05.2021
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Lake Quinault, Washington, United States of America
Camera: X-T4
Copyright: © Todd Ostrem