The forest of Helm's Deep

[Sardy]

A question - after the battle of Helm's Deep, did the Ents (or more likely the Huorns) remain "rooted" outside the Gate, thus creating a new forest and semi-permanently changing the geography of Middle-earth for the Fourth Age? Or did they return (were they herded) back to Fangorn?

A related question, did the number of Ents, Huorns, trees marching to
Isengard (and Helm's Deep) comprise a significant amout of trees to noticeably reduce the size of Fangorn?

The only quote I've been able to find addressing this,

"Wailing they passed under the shadows of the trees; and from that shadow non ever came again."

While certainly not specific and much open to interpretation, the above quote (to me) seems to indicate that the new forest remained in place for a substantial period of time...

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Kindly Professor Tolkien answers your question:

Away south upon the Hornburg, in the middle night men heard a great noise, as a wind in the valley, and the ground trembled; and all were afraid and no one ventured to go forth. But in the morning they went out and were amazed; for the slain Orcs were gone, and the trees also. Far down into the valley of the Deep the grass was crushed and trampled brown, as if giant herdsmen had pastured great droves of cattle there; but a mile below the Dike a huge pit had been delved in the earth, and over it stones were piled into a hill. Men believed that the Orcs whom they had slain were buried there; but whether those who had fled into the wood were with them, none could say, for no man ever set foot upon that hill. The Death Down it was afterwards called, and no grass would grow there. But the strange trees were never seen in Deeping-coomb again; they had returned at night, and had gone far away to the dark dales of Fangorn. Thus they were revenged upon the Orcs.

(TT, The Road To Isengard)

[Sardy]

Thanks! Yes, apparently my post was a bit premature - I'm currently rereading and saw my question answered in "The Road to Isengard."

I suppose a small part of my question is still valid: Was the number of Ents and Huorns marching to Isengard and Helm's Deep significant enough to (temporarily) alter the landscape of Fangorn?

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Sardy

I suppose a small part of my question is still valid: Was the number of Ents and Huorns marching to Isengard and Helm's Deep significant enough to (temporarily) alter the landscape of Fangorn?

I'd think it unlikely that anyone other than Ents would have been familiar enough with the Forest to be in a position to notice a change, even if the Ents and Huorns gone were in the hundreds. Well, maybe Gandalf, or possible the Eagles, who could have seen Fangorn from the air.