Can Fallen Trees in a Forest Be Compared to Fallen Code on the Web?

According to cbc radio this morning, forestery managers and experts in Burnaby B.C. are debating is as to whether it is right to clean up the fallen trees that are littered through Stanely Park after a recent big storm. The park ranger says it's a matter to safety that the trees be removed as they are a fire hazard. Some profs at UBC on the other hand say, no a forest is a dynamic ecosystem and the fallen trees should be left in their natural state to become part of that ecosystem.

Hum....well, if social networks are ecosystems, then what does this mean for fallen social networking sites, programs or features? Google is a great example with the recent demise of Google Answers. Should these programs be removed to keep a cleaner and less chaotic Web? Or should we leave them there, keep most of the funcatinality in tact and see if something new emerges from the fallen code?

Can't think off the top of my head....Are there any examples where fallen code has been left to rot and turned into something that became part of the network later on?