Riparian Projects:
Overview
Riparian terrain occurs in close proximity to flowing waters, including streams
and rivers.
Our earliest enhancement projects are riparian and were begun several years ago.
More recently, they ahve received considerable
more emphasis and we anticipate more this current year.
All are situated along the streams we call
Brush Mountain Run and Green Grove Run.
General
Underlyig goals for all these projeccts are to improve the ecological diversity, quality,
services, and interest of relatively small areas that can, potentially,
aggregate into larger, symbiotic composites. Individual areas often
evidence a particular ecological feature, such as a notable specimen (e.g.,
large old willow treee), or
multiple clusters of a particular species (e.g., multiple viberna), or a particular natural
formation (e.g., a stream or rock outcropping). The main point is to
focus, first, on what is there, and then build on that, keeping the scale and effort doable.
This project is seeking to enhance a section of a continuous running
stream we call Brush Mountain Run. It is 6-8 feet wide and the project section
extends some 250 yards north-south from where it enters ChicoryLane
property to where it is joined by another stream that flows east-west. The
riparian area
of concern extends some 50 feet on each side of the stream, varying according to
the topography. The stream is the primary natural feature of the area along with
an enormous Crack Willow tree. The area also includes some 80 native plant species.
Particularly notable are American Plum; Nannyberry, Arrowwood, and BlackHaw
Viberna; Serviceberry; Canada Lilies; and Spicebush. The main focus of this project is enhancement
through increasing seleced species, reducing less desirable or invasive ones,
and introducing several complementary species not currently found in this
area.
This project is seeking to enhance the continuation of the Riparian North
segment below its junction with the east-west stream and continuing until it
exits the ChicoryLane property to the southwest. This segment is of similar
width and flow and extends another 300 yeards. Perhaps its
most notable feature is some fifteen additional Crack Willows along its length
as well multiple shrub willows along its banks.
The first of
these is of similar age to the "mother" tree near the streams junction, but
others added over the years now range from 10 feet in height to
as tall as the original pair- some 60-70 feet. Other prominent
species include Aspens, Speckled Alder, and Calamus. Again, the main focus of the
project is stewardship of the Crack and Shrub Willows as well as enhancement through increasing seleced species, reducing less
desirable or invasive ones, and introduce complementary new species not
ccurrently found in this area.
This project is seeking to enhance a section of a smaller stream that we call Green Grove Run that joins the noth-south
Brush Mountain Run. It begins at the junction and continues upstream
to the east past the ChcioryLane barn, house, and yard and is affected by these
domestic structures. We draw the
line of this segment at the east
edge of the yard, for a total distance of some 200 yeards. Notable species
include a sizeable stand of Aspens, a patch of Reed Canary Grass (undesirable), a large Blue Vervaine patch,
a dozen or so Elderberrys, a stream crossing, a smaller grove of Aspens with Scillia and Daffodils, large patches of Comfrey and deep maroon native Bergamot, multiple Crannberry
Viburnum, a Butternut Tree, and a small patch of multiple herbaceous natives
including Trilium and Bloodroot..The main focus of the
project is enhancement through increasing selected species, reducing less
desirable or invasive ones (especially Reed Canary Grass), and introduce
complementary new species not currently found in that area. in that area.
This project is seeking to enhance the continuation of the Part 1 Riparian East segment, from
the east edge of the yard upstream until it exits the ChicoryLane property
several hunded yards (300) further east. Whereas the Part 1 segment borders and is
affected by the more developed sections of
the property, the Part 2 segment is bordered on its north side a
naturlized pollinator field and a portion of a Native Grasses grassland and on
south by a steep hillside that includes a small remnant section of a native
Hemlock Northern Hardwood community. Notable species include Hemlock, Red Oak,
Maple, Hickory, American Beech, Hophornbeam, and Musclewood. The main focus
of the project is enhancement through increasing these and other current native
species as well as controlling invasives and introducing complementary species,
particularly stream-compatible shrubs along the base of the hillside. the hillside.