Rodger Whitlock wrote:

On Sat, 7 Aug 2004 14:04:43 +0100, sarah wrote:

FWIW, most of what we see as moorland, even in Scotland was once
reasonably productive woodland. A lot of it was cleared for for
agriculture in the Bronze/Iron Age, but the soil was too poor for
prolonged cropping. Impoverishment of the soil plus climatic change (it
got wetter and colder) encouraged the development of the boggy/heathery
stuff we now regard as characteristic of such places.

Trees will grow quite well in soils unsuited to any other crop.

"The Roadside Geology of Oregon", in describing the lateritic
soils of Oregon's Coast Range (the low mountains between the
Willamette Valley and the Pacific Ocean), remarks that the soils
of the Coast Range are so poor that they're only good for growing
trees. Hence, don't expect the place to ever be very populated.

And all the more beautiful for it! But the weather doesn't encourage
people, either.
I have fond memories of a botanical field trip that took in that area,
many years ago.

regards
sarah

--
Think of it as evolution in action.