Natural Lands Trust Preserve Blog

Mariton - So-Journ-al continued...

On Day Three, we packed up our tents in the morning, left our boats on the beach in Milford and drove to Dingman's Ferry.  There a bus picked us up and returned us to Milford, where we shoved off.  This was actually the same route as Day one, but this time we paddled in boats instead of rafts.

Included in the Sojourn's fees are the shuttles.  Whether, you bring your own boat or use a boat through the Sojourn, both you and the boats are transported to the launch sites, and then picked up at the take-out.  Arranging shuttles is the headache of river paddling, so this is a BIG selling point.

Another selling point is the educational programs.  I took very few photos during the programs, because I was listening too intently.  We usually had programs after lunch and in the evenings.  Topics included local geology, aquatic insects, and how to use a GPS.  Two of the programs really caught my attention.

On Sunday night, Peter Osbourne, of Fort Decker History Museum, did a wonderful presentation on 18th Century life in the Upper Delaware.  Dressed in period dress, he cooked and shared foods of the time over a campfire.  He discussed the various issues that the colonists had to deal with, including the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, and the land-clearing/farming period of the late 1700's.  Today, it is easy to forget that during the American Revolution there were two sides.  You might be the only Rebel family in a community or Tories, or visa versa.  Living in the Upper Delaware during the 18th Century was a rough existence, and Mr. Osbourne brought that part of our nation's history to life.

When we finished paddling on Day Three, we loaded into a bus and were taken to Dingman's Falls.  There, a really knowledgeable National Park Interpreter lead us on a walk along Dingman's Creek to the base of the Falls.  Marc talked about the forest ecology of the Pocono streams, the stream ecology, and how it all eventually affects the Delaware River.  Of great concern is the loss of Hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) due to the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid.  If hemlocks disappear from stream banks in the Poconos, the loss of shade will cause streams to warm.  Not only will this affect the temperature of the Delaware, but it also affects the organisms in the little streams that are the basis for the food web.  Dingman's Falls is an impressive sight with a warning.  These habitats are under stress and have influence on the Delaware River.

After the falls, we got into our cars and drove to Shawnee on the Delaware.  There we set up camp on the grounds and had dinner.  After people had settled in, there was a large community campfire.  I love a campfire, so I was there all evening.

Crow's Nest Camp starts Monday

Our summer camp starts next week, the first of five weeks of programs fully registered. I don't want to give away too much, let's just say we're excited about it!

There won't be much other activity going on for a while. You'll find me in the creek, or driving the haywagon rides, or in a tree... Check back for updates.

Crow's Nest summer wildflowers

The Canada lilies (Lilium canadense) are blooming along the creek trail and have been a significant draw for recent visitors.

Our native swamp rose, Rosa palustris, is in bloom in sunny wetlands here. Its flowers and rose hips are larger than that of the invasive multiflora rose, and its leaves lack the latter's hairy stipules—and the shrubs are far less widespread.

Tall meadow rue (Thalictrum pubescens) is also blooming in moist places such as along the creek trail.

Fringed loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata) is now commonly seen blooming in the wet floodplain woods. The name loosestrife is a name give to a few different plants; this one is in a different genus than that "poster-child" of invasive species, purple loosetrife (Lythrum salicaria). Loosestrife appears to be a name that indicates therapeutic uses of these or similar plants: to lessen strife or to soothe.

Mariton - Delaware So-Journ-al

On Day Two of the Delaware River Sojourn, we paddled from Ten Mile River Access to Pond Eddy.  The River was still high, so most people rode in rafts.  I was able to paddle my solo canoe, as it has flotation bags.

The Delaware Sojourn is attractive to me because I live so close to the river.  There is also a professional interest.  Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary overlooks the Delaware and was shaped by the same forces that formed the river's channel.  In the larger context, Natural Lands Trust (NLT) has affected and been shaped by the Delaware River Watershed.  Of the 41 preserves, and 255 conservation easements that NLT is responsible for (nearly 40,000 acres), only 4 preserves and a dozen easements lie outside of the Delaware Watershed.

To bring it from an eagle's view to a sparrow's view...  We camped a few days at Kittatinny's Milford Beach Campground.  The Cummins Creek flows right through the campground and into the Delaware River.  I monitor a Conservation Easement of over 500 acres that protects the headwaters of Cummins Creek.  I also monitor another 140 acre easement that protects two small drainages that flow into Cummins Creek.  If those 640 acres (one square mile protected by conservation easements) were developed, the water quality of Cummins Creek would be much lower when it enters the Delaware River.

We started Day 2 directly across the River from a 200 acre easement that NLT helped protect in 1983.  The conservation easement is part of a larger tract of land that had been subdivided for development.  In the interim, that 2,700 acre tract was protected by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.  Had it been developed, the easement would have provided an important buffer between houses and the Delaware River.  Later that day we took out at Pond Eddy, just downstream from a 300 acre easement that sits alongside the River. 

These lands were protected by private property owners with NLT's help.  In most cases, the Conservation Easement allows the property owner to have a residence, but the easement keeps the rest of the property from being developed, even if the landowner sells the property.

Everything that happens on each of the million little runs that flow into a thousand little brooks that flow into a hundred creeks that flow into a dozen rivers affects the Delaware River's water quality.  The lands protected by various organizations and private landowners balances the affects of people on one of the most populated watersheds in the eastern United States.  It is part of what makes the Delaware River a national treasure.  It is also what makes it so vulnerable to degradation.  Balance.  I want to live and work near such a wonderful resource.  It is seeing the Bald Eagles and Osprey; the fish and clear waters that attracts me.  But, if I build my house on the river's edge, will those things that attract me to the river move away and disappear?  Balance.

Crow's Nest: Horse-Shoe Trail relocation

Today I volunteered some time to help with a trail relocation adjacent to the preserve. The Horse-Shoe Trail Club found a way to move a section of trail off of a section of road and onto some private land and nearby State Game Lands #43.

Over the years, the Horse-Shoe Trail and others like it have been pushed onto public roads as open lands are developed, or as properties change ownership to new owners who are not used to a hiking and equestrian trail nearby (but ironically may be perfectly comfortable with a public motor road equally close). The club is constantly looking for ways to adjust the trail alignment to improve safety and the trail experience.

This relocation has been over a year in planning. It replaces a section of trail along Harmonyville Road—starting at the Game Land parking lot beside Pine Creek—and along Bethesda Road between Harmonyville Road and Green Lane.

Now you still cross the bridge over Pine Creek shared with cars but as soon as you do (heading west) you sweep off into a meadow on the game lands and then curve back to cross the road carefully at right angles to it. Then the trail enters a thick woodlot, emerging past a large white oak tree growing out of a stone fence. Then the trail passes along the edge of some wildlife plantings in the game lands before turning to cross Bethesda Road to reach the gravel road, Green Lane.

The trail is well blazed and the club will add the change to future editions of the trail guide and meanwhile will revise the errata for it.

Tonight Denise, Owen and I became perhaps the first people to use the new trail alignment as we completed a circuit that included the creek trail at Crow's Nest, the Horse-Shoe Trail, and the section of Harmonyville Road that will be closed tomorrow for the bridge replacement.

Mariton - Butterfly Cenus

The Butterfly Census started slowly this morning.  Last night's storm, along with lingering clouds, had the butterflies hunkered down in the vegetation.  Then around 10:00, things started picking up and we had one of the best counts ever.  We ended the morning with 26 species (a new record) and 169 individuals.  It certainly helps that we have become better butterfliers.  I (and I think the others would agree) would still be lost without Virginia to identify the difficult skippers.  (Photo of Virginia Derbyshire by Carole Mebus.)

Great-spangled Fritillaries were the most common butterfly this morning with 44 individuals.  We counted 22 Silver-spotted Skippers, and 21 Monarchs.  Some of the other interesting butterflies included both American Lady and Painted Lady.  This photograph of a gorgeous Coral Hairstreak was taken by Carole Mebus.

Carole also captured this lovely Eastern Comma.  Most butterflies look totally different when their wings are open, compared to when the wings are closed over their back.  It can be frustrating for a beginner, because you have to learn to identify each species from different positions.  Carole did a great job of illustrating the different appearances of this individual.  Many of us grew up looking at butterfly collections pinned with their wings spread open.  Wings open is usually the more colorful vantage.  However, when watching butterflies in the wild, it is more common to see them with wings closed.  You can see why binoculars are handy for watching butterflies.  We sight them, and let them continue feeding.

Crow's Nest: Harmonyville Road bridge to be closed...

Beginning Monday this bridge over French Creek on Harmonyville Road at Crow's Nest will be closed for replacement. This is a state road and this bridge has long been slated for replacement.

It isn't exactly the bridge of flowers, though nature is reclaiming part of it. The bridge has wooden decking under the asphalt, though I suspect it is rust on the beams that is causing its demise.

The construction is expected to take about nine months and its closure will split Crow's Nest Preserve in half. If you are approaching the preserve from Route 23 via Trythall Road you can still reach the preserve visitor center normally. It's just that when you get to Harmonyville Road and turn left you will be passing signs that say "Road Closed - Bridge Out." You will reach Piersol Road before you reach the closed bridge.

If you were planning to arrive at the preserve from Route 345 (Pine Swamp Road) you will need to find another way. If you follow the official detour via Hopewell Road you will pass the other end of Piersol Road and can turn there.

The closure will cause some inconvenience for maintaining the preserve and for our summer camp which starts in two weeks. Our equipment is stored on this side of the creek but many trails and hedgerows we're maintaining are on the other side. Going around the "block" to reach the far side of the preserve can be as much as three miles out of the way. A greater impact will be on the farm operations: that equipment is stored on the other side of the creek but about half the cropland is on this side of the creek.

The kids at camp will likely be skipping across the creek on a couple planks we'll put down. But it won't be quiet here for a while; we remember the last bridge replacement on Harmonyville Road over Pine Creek. We'll also be watching for wildlife impacts and erosion in this Exceptional Value-designated stream.

This is an artist's rendering of what the new bridge might look like (sorry about the fold down the middle). Check back here in a year for what we actually get.

Please remember that we will remain open during the construction and that we can help you find your way to the other side of the creek when you are here. Call ahead if you have any questions: 610-286-7955.

Mariton - Delaware River Sojourn

I was a participant on the Delaware River Sojourn for four days this week.  The Sojourn's theme this year was No One Left Inside; a reference to Richard Louv's book Last Child in the Woods.  The Delaware Sojourn is a seven day event that educates participants about this wonderful river.  Because it is such a long waterway, the Sojourn is not a contiguous voyage, but rather it samples portions from the upper stretches to the tidal areas near Philadelphia.  Each year the organizers explore different portions of the river, so its worth doing over and over again.  This was my second year on the Delaware Sojourn.

Because of all the rain this month, the River is unusually high.  I applaud the organizers and boat liveries for adapting to the conditions and continuing the Sojourn when it would have been very easy to cancel a day or two.  We didn't stick to the schedule, but we were still able to paddle every day on the Delaware River in a manner that was enjoyable and safe for everyone involved.

On Sunday, we paddled rafts from Kittatinny's Milford Beach Campground to the Dingman's Ferry access.  We went on a section that was fairly flat (but fast moving) for safety.  The National Canoe Safety Patrol is our escort for the Sojourn.  They are the most wonderful people (and volunteers).  The Safety Patrol is there to scout the river, to help you become a better paddler, and if necessary to perform rescues.  They make the trip enjoyable.

Mariton - Butterflies

I have been away on the Delaware River Sojourn (more about that in a later entry), but the Tuesday Butterfly Walk was still held.  Anne, Carole and Valerie  saw several species that included Great-spangled Fritillary, Hoary-edged Skipper, Monarch and Summer Azure.  A special find was a fleeting glimpse of a Pipevine Swallowtail.  This beautiful Mourning Cloak (photo by Carole Mebus) was also seen.  Mourning Cloaks are one of the first butterflies seen at the end of winter.  In the fall, if you leave a few un-raked areas in the yard, you will be providing habitat for Mourning Cloaks to overwinter.  At Mariton, they can emerge when there is still snow on the North Fox Trail, but the sun warms the south slopes.  Not only are they beautiful when viewed through binoculars, but they let us know that spring is on its way.

Common Milkweed is blooming at Mariton.  The nectar from Milkweed blossoms attract butterflies, so the fields of Mariton are a great place to be for the next few weeks.  Milkweed leaves are food for Monarch caterpillars.  The residual chemicals from the plant are retained when the larva becomes an adult (butterfly).  This makes the Monarch Butterfly poisonous (or at least unpalatable) to birds.  The Viceroy caterpillar does not eat Milkweed, yet the Viceroy butterfly resembles the Monarch butterfly in an example of Batesian Mimicry.  A non-dangerous species (the Viceroy) resembles the dangerous species (Monarch) as a strategy to avoid predation. (Photo by Carole Mebus.)

You can learn more about butterflies at Mariton's Butterfly Census this Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to Noon.  Bring binoculars if possible.  You will learn how to identify at least 3 species of butterflies, and be amazed at the diversity of butterfly species in our area. 

Crow's Nest deer

While we see deer here almost every day it's uncommon for me to take a good picture of one. This one, nibbling soybean plants, was surprised enough to come closer for a better look at me. Fawns are now lying in thick undergrowth and surprise me when they jump up only as I am about to step on them.