introduction - Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program

incana), Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii), silky willow (Salix sericea), meadow sweet(Spiraea alba), and hawthorn (Crataegus sp.). The herbaceous layer contains some of the specieslisted above for the seepage wetlands, as well as additional species more adapted to open areas:swamp dewberry (Rubus hispidus), pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea), swamp milkweed(Asclepias incarnata), northern awned sedge (Carex gynandra), bladder sedge (Carex intumescens ),other sedge species (Carex lurida, Carex scoparia, Carex comosa, Carex crinita, Carex stipata), aspikerush species (Eleocharis sp.), slender mannagrass (Glyceria melicaria), soft rush (Juncuseffusus), water purslane (Ludwigia palustris), cinnamon- or interrupted- fern (Osmunda sp.),woolgrass (Scirpus cyperinus), goldenrod (Solidago rugosa), a goldenrod species (Solidago sp.),broad-leaf cattail (Typha latifolia), and blue vervain (Verbena hastata).The Supporting Natural Landscape is the watershed of the wetland; it is mainly forested, andsupports the water quality of the wetlands.Threats and StressesCore Habitat Areas—Several invasive exotic species are present at this site; two, Japanese barberry(Berberis thunbergii) and Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii), are shrub species that canbecome dominant in forests and greatly reduce native plant diversity. Presently they occur at lownumbers in the forests, and are somewhat more prevalent in open areas. The seepage wetlandscontain shade-adapted plant species and will be sensitive to any forest canopy removal in the area.Supporting Natural Landscape—Erosion of dirt roads in the area may result in sediment pollutionreaching the wetlands.RecommendationsCore Habitat Areas—As the Japanese barberry and Morrow’s honeysuckle are not yet wellestablished in the forested areas, a program of periodic survey and shrub removal may yet preventthem from becoming problematic. To preserve the microclimatic conditions of the wetland, fullforest canopy should be maintained in the forested floodplain area and an upslope buffer of at least100 yards.Supporting Natural Landscape—A high degree of forest cover should be maintained to protect thewater quality and the ecological integrity of the wetlands. Water quality impacts should beconsidered for any activities taking place here: ecologically detrimental pollutants should not bereleased, and any earth disturbing activities should employ appropriate erosion control measures andavoid steep slopes. Best management practices for road runoff management can help to mitigate itsenvironmental impacts. The Arkansas Forestry Commission provides a good reference outliningBMP options, available at: http://www.forestry.state.ar.us/bmp/roads.html. For dirt roads, the mostcritical need is to minimize erosion by vegetating surfaces where possible and constructing drainagemanagement features.106