You don't have to stray off the trail to find a variety of native plants; this picture was taken pretty much right at my feet! Geranium maculatum (Wild Geranium), Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-pulpit), and Amphicarpa bracteata (Hog Peanut) flourished. There was numerous Galearis spectabilis (Showy Orchis) as well, though we had missed their bloom time.
The understory was amazingly intact. It is difficult to see in this picture (I truly am a lousy photographer) but pretty much all of that green is Viburnum acerifolium (Maple-leaved Viburnum)! This shrub, once the dominant component of the understory in central New Jersey forests, has all but disappeared due to intense levels of deer browse.
A bunch of Maple-leaved Viburnum seedlings. Another striking feature of this site was the high levels of recruitment (seedling survival). In deer disturbed forests, seedlings are rare. Very few of them manage to make it through their first several years of growth, after which they will be above the "browse line" and less susceptible to deer damage. As a result, there are no trees to fill canopy gaps when elders fall. These gaps tend to stay open and fill in with weedy invasives.
Taken from the same spot as the photo above, but with a wider perspective. There is SO MANY SEEDLINGS! Not just viburnum, but also plenty of Quercus (Oak), Acer saccharum (Sugar Maple), and Carya (Hickory).
This shot shows a pretty good healthy forest profile. Note all the layers: ground level thick with seedlings and herbs, low shrubs, high shrubs, lower canopy trees, and the big guys looming overhead. Now think about the last patch of woods you were in and compare. If it was in New Jersey it was probably something like: stiltgrass, barberry, nothing, nothing, canopy. That simplification of forest structure doesn't just mean doom for native plants, it interferes with the forest's functional capabilities and provides low quality wildlife habitat.
Cimicifuga racemosa (Black Cohosh) inflorescence, before bloom. I liked this picture so I'm including it!
In conclusion, GO! This weekend. In fact, go right now. Everyone with a vested interest in preserving New Jersey's biodiversity and natural beauty needs to see this place. Human involvement in restoring function to our forest ecosystems has become a necessity in this state, and areas like Cushetunk Mountain provide an excellent baseline. They are also great points for interpreting goals of ecological stewardship. Most of us have heard the "restore to what?" argument against Restoration Ecology before. There is sometimes a misconception that the goals of the discipline are rooted in time, and it is driven by a desire to recreate an 'untouched wilderness' in New Jersey, a snapshot of what the landscape looked like before humans arrived. That couldn't be further from the truth. Its also not an obtainable goal, since New Jersey has never not been inhabited by people in its post ice age ecological context, but thats another story entirely. We strive to restore ecosystems to function, to reintroduce the plants, create spaces for the creatures that inhabit them, and allow for balance with soil and air. Perhaps it is better to think of it as healing, seeking to encourage healthy environments upon the landscape you're given. We all know of wildlife rehabilitators, so just think of environmental stewards as ecosystem rehabilitators!
Directions and more information can be found here. I have no idea how Hunterdon Parks manages their land, but they're doing something right! Cushetunk is only one of several very nice areas they own. Lastly, on a completely unrelated note, here's a photo of a katydid I took as it waited out the day on my narrow-leaved mountain mint. Again, I just really like this picture.
1 comment:
you are full of it...Whaaaa. If you just let nature take its course, we'll be fine- Paul (hehe Thom)
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