Lulu Miller

But 1972, Fish and Wildlife Service sets up a bunch of traps.

A few years and about 12,000 dead cowbirds later... It works.

Kinda.

The population stopped dying off, but then it didn't start bouncing back.

That's Rita Halbeson.

She worked with the Forest Service back in the 80s.

Well, no, there are plenty of trees, but the thing about warblers is they like a specific kind of tree.

They like them very young.

That was weird.

I could feel it as I was saying it.

No, it's really weird.

When they started looking around this forest, they noticed all the trees were really, really old.

Well...

Hey, hey, Smokey Bear.

See, when humans began to settle in this area of Michigan in about the 1880s, they brought with them that certain human disdain for fire.

Only you can prevent forest fires.

But fire is exactly what's needed up there to make new trees.

Because when these trees burn, they release their seeds and make room for new trees to grow.

So, I ask you again, what do you do?

That would be the solution.