introduction - Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program

GIRARD TOWNSHIPThe northern two-thirds of Girard Township are almost completely forested, and are part of one of thelargest blocks of contiguous forest in Pennsylvania. This is recognized as the Moshannon State ForestLCA (see pg. 34). Within this matrix forest habitat are several habitat types that support uniquecomplements of biodiversity: the Gifford Run Wetlands BDA, the Gifford Run Vernal Pools BDA, andthe Mosquito Creek-County Line wetlands BDA. Most of the southern third of the township has beenstrip mined and thus faces substantial challenges its ecological health. Without extensive restorationwork, formerly stripped areas typically offer degraded habitat conditions for many species and may act asa barrier for the movement of some. Ecological health of waterways in this portion of the township isalso impaired by mine drainage pollution. Conservation priorities for the township are the stewardship ofthe Moshannon State Forest LCA to sustain forest ecosystem health and contiguity, and restoration ofmined areas and impaired waters in the southern third of the township.Gifford Run Vernal Pools BDADescriptionThis BDA recognizes several vernal pool natural communities. Vernal pools provide unique habitatconditions because the water levels fluctuate seasonally, sometimes drying up completely. Vernalpools are uncommon in the landscape of the high plateau; the Gifford Run pools represent the bestexample of this habitat type found in Clearfield County.A variety of animal species utilize vernal pools, and some species require these habitats for survival.Jefferson and slimy salamanders breed exclusively in vernal pools, laying their eggs in the spring,then migrating outwards away from the pools to spend much of the rest of the year living in thesurrounding forest. Invertebrate species such as fairy shrimp also depend upon vernal pools. Theanimal species composition is especially unique because the absence of fish enables the survival ofmany small organisms that would otherwise be eliminated by predation. Animal populations have notbeen surveyed, so no definitive information is available on species composition. The Core HabitatArea includes the ponds as well as 400 m of surrounding forest that may be used by amphibianspecies likely to inhabit the ponds; no Supporting Landscape area was designated given that all of thewatershed of the vernal pools is captured within the 400 m distance.The pools are dominated by shrub vegetation, but also include scattered trees and open herbaceousareas. The most prevalent shrub is huckleberry (Gaylusaccia baccata), with bracken fern (Pteridiumaquilinum) and lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) also common, and inkberry(Nemopanthus mucronatus) scattered. Greenbriar vine (Smilax rotundifolia) also formed patches insome ponds. Mosses (Sphagnum sp. and Polytrichum sp.) cover much of the substrate in the ponds.Herbaceous vascular plants, in scattered clumps and patches, include woolgrass (Scirpus cyperinus),three-way sedge (Dulichium arundinacea), spikerushes (Eleocharis acicularis, Eleocharis palustris),soft rush (Juncus effusus), poverty grass (Danthonia sp.), a sedge species (Carex debilis), and a panicgrass species (Panicum sp.). Tree species are white oak (Quercus alba), and scrub oak (Quercusilicifolia).The canopy of the surrounding forest is composed of mixed oaks (Quercus montana, Quercus alba,Quercus rubra) and serviceberry (Amelanchier sp.), while the herbaceous layer has spreadingricegrass (Oryzopsis asperifolia) teaberry, (Gaultheria procumbens), bracken fern (Pteridiumaquilinum), hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula), bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia) and a sedgespecies (Carex acrocystis?).80