Photo courtesy of Hampton Lumber
Every autumn in Oregon, motorists traveling down the route 18 receive a “beaming” smile from the hills above the roadway.
That’s because years ago, Hampton Lumber company logged the trees on that hill, and decided to replant early-changing larch in the shape of a smiley face.
Surrounded by evergreens, it stands out like an emoji on the road between Grand Ronde and Willamina in Polk County.
Autumn is a stunning time in the Pacific Northwest, enough to bring a smile to your face and to the very hills themselves.
“After every harvest, our foresters start planning the reforestation process,” Kristin Rasmussen, a spokesperson for Hampton, told Oregon Live. “They typically plant a variety of native species depending on the elevation and soil conditions, including Douglas fir, western hemlock, noble fir and western red cedar.”
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“Larch is a conifer with needles that turn yellow and drop off in the fall, which is why the smiley face is best visible this time of year.”
The company explains that it will take another 30-50 years before that stand of trees is ready for logging again, at which time they say they will attempt a different emoji.
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