Why tulip trees and not maples at Veterans Legacy Woods?

I have noticed that tulip trees are quickly taking over some of the former fairways at Veterans Legacy Woods. Previously the primary tree species was maple trees which surround those areas. I have looked around and found zero maple seedings/saplings filling in the once open areas. I know that tulips are very fast growing...but will the new wooded areas continue to be all tulip trees?

Tulip trees are a fast-growing pioneer species, which means they are one of the first trees species used to start turning field back to forest. Other pioneer species are aspens, eastern cottonwood and sassafras. Different species of maples usually start growing once a young forest is in place, then as the pioneer species die, the maple trees start taking over. Once the maple trees dominate, the forest becomes what is known as a climax forest. Then maples will persist until there is a major disturbance, like clear-cutting.

But there is another, sadder, side to this story. Earthworms are not native to Ohio, and they exert a strong negative influence on maple trees, especially seedlings. Areas of high earthworm density have very few young maple trees. Golf courses would certainly be an area of high earthworm densities, so there will be even fewer new maples trees than expected. This may change what trees will dominate our forests as we go into the future.

-Naturalist Andy Avram