RIVER BENDS PARK-WEST AND HOLLAND ... - Shelby Township

EXISTING CONDITIONS FOR 'STAND 6. FROG POND'
Land area: 1.16 Acres
Land use history: This is another excavated pond related to remediation of the G&H landfill, excavation
date unknown.
Forest Type:
-Existing: Willow, cottonwood and northern white-cedar around excavated pond.
Successional trend: Willows, ash, cottonwood and dogwoods are the dominant woody vegetation. Plants in
the water and on shore are similar to those in the Water Lily pond. There was a small stand of northern
white-cedar at the west end of this pond, next to the north-side trail. Phragmites were growing there also.
There were cottonwoods of various sizes with honeysuckles along the north shore of this pond.
Forest health: See comments for Stand 5.
Stocking: None.
Habitat and wildlife use: In addition to the recommendations for Stand 5 pond, the trees and shrubs around
the shoreline of this and Stands 10 and 11 ponds provide shade to keep the waters cooler in summer and
some thermal cover in the winter. The shrubs provide shade for animals using the shore in summer as
resting or nesting sites, while providing some food sources. The trees along the shore serve as staging areas
and predator escape cover for birds coming to the pond from the nearby forest. When large branches or
entire trees fall into the edge of the pond, they provide some habitat and cover elements for aquatic insects,
frogs, toads, and fish, and resting logs for turtles, ducks and herons. It is important to retain trees, logs and
large branches that fall into or along the edges of ponds, and to add them to ponds that don't have trees
growing along their shores, such as Stands 5, 12 and 13. Logs and other woody debris are important habitat
elements that are missing in those ponds.
Recreational opportunities: See Stand 5. There is a chain-link fence along the north side of this pond which
doesn't seem to serve any purpose. Perhaps this pond could be used for fishing, or boating, or ice skating in
winter.
Potential for timber production: None.
Potential for other uses: There is no apparent purpose for the armored overflow channel at the east end of
the road between Stands 6 and 11. No suggestion to remove it.
Water quality issues: See Stand 5 comments.
Important natural features: See Stand 5 comments.
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