A Natural Resource Management Guide for the County of Morris A ...

Management Considerations
Vegetation management necessitates consideration of the entire habitat. For species to survive and thrive,
specific components constituting a habitat need to be present in adequate quantity and quality (e.g., climate,
hydrology, appropriate soils and species diversity). Appendix C provides a representation of floral species
diversity within the County.
Impacts From Natural Hazards
Biological impacts have been profound. The chestnut blight fungus resulted in the near annihilation of
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the chestnut tree population, except for the short-lived saplings. Equally devastating was the obliteration
of Elm trees by the transmission of Dutch Elm disease fungus from the Elm bark beetle. The gypsy moth,
canker worm, leaf roller, locust, Hemlock Wooly Adelgid and cicada have all engaged in foliage binges,
often devastating entire stands. The most recent assault (September 1996) has been from the Asian longhorned
beetle. This large bug has a voracious appetite for maples, chestnuts and poplars, making half of
NJ's two million street trees particularly vulnerable. 3
Larger animals such as beaver and deer have altered plant communities. Beavers' den and dam building
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activities have impacted drainage, and consequently hydrology, resulting in swamp and pond creation.
Hydrophobic vegetation died out and were replaced by water-tolerant species. Conversely, lodges served
as foundations for hummock formation enabling mesic vegetation to gain a stronghold.
The current deer dilemma demonstrates the impact of human encroachment on habitat. We frequently
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experience deer displacement by way of consumption of ornamental vegetation. Equally dramatic is the
damage exacted by deer on forest understory, resulting in destruction of entire populations of new growth.
Consequences in terms of future woodlands soundness, measured by degree of species and age diversity,
are dire.
Environmental stresses tend to have a cumulative effect rendering trees more susceptible to insect and
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pathogen infestations. It is believed that the dogwood decline was caused by a combination of acid rain,
drought, and extreme winter weather.
Human Derived Impacts
The advent and progress of man brought sweeping changes to the landscape, many of
which contributed to the diversity in vegetation we see today.
! Farming practices effected mechanical and chemical alterations. Land was
clearcut, treated with fertilizers and pesticides, planted with monocultures, and
inhabited by herds of hooved creatures.
* Foam Flower
3
Kit R. Roane, "Knocking on the Door: A Tree-Eating Beetle That Will Stay for Dinner," The New York
Times, Nov. 1996. Pg. 9.
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Vegetation