Congaree National Park: The Race for Light

When a tree has everything it needs to grow, you get champion trees right? Actually, the seedlings at the forest floor of Congaree National Park lack one thing. Sunlight. The dense forest canopy blocks much of it. Once a seedling sprouts, many are consigned to a half grown light. Except for the lucky few that can race for a small patch of sunlight, perhaps one day reaching through the forest canopy. This fierce competition for light is what has grown champion trees at Congaree. Tune in to learn how this park boasts many national champion trees, how it was almost logged not once, but twice and also find out just how hard, a sweetgum tree really is.