NATIVE AREAS DATA BY NUMBERED SECTIONS WITH MAP

Area 14:  

River Woods                                            

Work Started:

1998

Preexisting conditions:

Buckthorns along perimeters, thick stands of Sugar Maples. 

Seed bank and plants spotty along riverbank.  Riverbank badly eroded, lots of Garlic Mustard.

Work done: 

Trees:

(1998) Contractors cut mature trees for streetlights.

(1998) Some Oaks and Ironwoods wired against beavers

(1998) Cut Buckthorn, thin Sugar Maple, Green Ash, Elm, Silver Maple, Multi-trunked Basswood.

(2002-2004) Find and cage baby Oaks and Hickories

(2003-2004) Cut and pull baby Buckthorns

(2003-2004) Thin areas of Sugar Maples

Shrubs:

(1998) Few Gooseberries protected in exclosure

(1998) Serviceberries pruned and sprayed with deer repellent - far South borders.

(2003-2004) Serviceberries remain small because of Deer browsing. May protect some as a test area to show Deer damage.

Vines:

(1998) Grapes controlled. 

(1998) Some Virginia Creeper controlled

(1998) Poison Ivy tree vines cut

(1998) Remove Oriental Bittersweet

(2002-2004) Bittersweet are a declining problem, but must be constantly addressed. Birds keep bringing in new seeds.

Plants:

(1998) Greenhouse grasses planted along river and slopes adjacent to Areas 10 and 13.

(1998) Virginia Rye, Wood reed, Woodland Brome, Bottlebrush Grass, also Virginia Waterleaf

(1998) Contractors – grasses, sedges & rushes along riverbank failed.

(2002-2004) Blackberries and Black Raspberries have become very invasive. Most were pulled, but many will come back from roots. Trying to set them back until other plants come in to give them competition.

(2002-2004) Pull Tall Goldenrod, some White Snakeroot

(2002-2004) Sneezeweed plants from Cumberland school planted in eroding bank where contractors slope failed. They are starting to take hold.

Seeds:

(1998) Grasses and forbs from deer exclosure to Northern edge boundary (Area 13) and along College Drive.

(1998) No seeding in the deer exclosure

(2002-2004) Most of the above weeds still present, but in very diminished numbers

(2003-2004) Grasses and Forbs in burned area adjacent to area #13

Weeds:  

(1998) Garlic Mustard, Reed Canary Grass, Canada Thistle, Nightshade, Annual Grasses, Bull Thistle, Canada Thistle, Knotweed, Oriental Bittersweed, Crown Vetch.

(2003-2004) Most of the above weeds still present, but in very diminished numbers

Burn:  

(2001) Deer exclosure and vicinity – very good burn

(Fall 2003) Large area adjacent to area #13

Other:

(1998) Terrace along riverbank – Sugar Maple

(1998) Put up deer exclosure

(1998) Spray deer repellent – hot sauce

(1998) Thin Tall Goldenrod and White Snakeroot

(1998) Wire mature trees against beavers

(2004) Many semis of fill added and graded along part of riverbank

(2003-2004) terracing is working, and is slowly rotting away.

RESULTS (AREA 14)  Beginning in August 2001

Positive: 

Erosion along riverbank greatly slowed. 

Great seed bank, plant recovery along the river

Shooting Star, 4-5 Sedges, Red Trillium,White Trillium, Woodland Phlox, Joe Pye, Garlic,Cresses, Starry Campion, Sol. Seal, F.F. Sol. Seal, Bloodroot, Ginger, Canada Anenome, Tall Bellflower, Elm Leafed Goldenrod, Spring Ephemerals, Hyacinth

Garlic Mustard 90% under control

Can collect some seed (Bellflower, Elm Leafed Goldenrod, Sedges,Shooting Star)

(2002-2004) Even though contractors reconstructed the bank it has failed. A shelf has formed below the eroding bank, which is helping to hold back some erosion.

(2003-2004) The Herbaceous layer along the river is coming in very nice.

Negative:

Some control of seeded White Snakeroot – too aggressive

Contractors erosion control of plants failed

(2003-2004) White Snakeroot calming down

(2003-2004) Beavers and Muskrats occasionally burrowing into sandy riverbank slopes, causing areas of erosion.

(2003-2004) Contractors work has brought in a lot of non native plants to control

Comments:

Central area is still quite dark with Sugar Maple canopy with the ground barren in Summer.

BACK TO HOME