Releasing a Few Ground Squirrels in a Volcanic Region Led to a Thriving Forest After 40 Years

The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, deemed one of the most destructive natural disasters in US history, left the surrounding ecosystem completely devastated. Amid widespread despair over the lengthy recovery time, scientists initiated an unconventional experiment in 1983 by releasing ground squirrels, specifically gophers, into the barren volcanic soil. The rationale was to utilize the squirrels' burrowing behavior to bring up beneficial bacteria and microbes trapped beneath the ash, promoting soil rejuvenation. The results were astonishing: within six years, over 40,000 plants had taken root in the area, compared to the barren landscape in control regions without squirrel intervention. Remarkably, the impact of this single-day experiment has persisted for over 40 years, with mycorrhizal fungi, now thriving in the soil, continuing to accelerate the reforestation process. Recent studies published in Frontiers indicate that the microbes introduced by the squirrels have remained active, enabling faster tree growth and ecological recovery in the volcanic region.