introduction - Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program

More documents

Recommendations

Info

The hemlock palustrine forest has a sphagnous substrate, with many raised hummocks forming overroot structures. Shrubs, including spicebush (Lindera benzoin) and witch hazel (Hamamelisvirginiana), and young hemlocks are plentiful. Additional herbaceous species in this area include:slender manna-grass (Glyceria melicaria), purple-stemmed aster (Aster puniceus), scabrous sedge(Carex scabrata), and three-seeded sedge (Carex trisperma.)Surveys have not been conducted to document animal species utilizing the wetland; it may providesuitable habitat for amphibians, as well as semi-aquatic insects such as dragonflies and damselflies.Some of these species primarily inhabit wetlands, while others also depend on upland areassurrounding a wetland for habitat. Because amphibians may depend on surrounding habitat up to adistance of 159-290 meters (Semlitsch and Bodie 2003), the core habitat area includes the wetlanditself plus 250 m of surrounding forest that may be amphibian habitat.The Supporting Natural Landscape is the immediate watershed of the wetland; it is almost entirelyforested. The watershed influences the water quality of the wetland, and its current forested conditionsupports the long-term health and viability of the wetland community (Mensing et al. 1998, Findlayand Bourdages 2000, Spackman and Hughes 1995, Barclay 1980, Karr and Schlosser 1978).Threats and StressesCore Habitat Area— Amphibians are sensitive to the physical structure and microclimatic conditions(i.e., temperature, moisture level) on the forest floor. Forest canopy removal within this area maynegatively impact the quality of the habitat for amphibians by increasing temperatures and decreasinghumidity on the forest floor. Compaction, removal or disruption of herbaceous growth and organicdebris, or other direct disturbances to the structure of the forest floor may also degrade the habitat foramphibians.Supporting Natural Landscape—Use of chemical weed and pest controls or other discharge of toxicmaterials within the watershed of the wetland may harm wetland flora and fauna.RecommendationsCore Habitat Area—Based on the area range which amphibians may occupy surrounding thewetland, it is recommended that a full forest canopy be maintained and disturbance to the forest floorbe avoided within 250 m of the wetland edge in order to avoid detrimentally impacting amphibianpopulations. Further surveys to document amphibian and insect species utilizing the wetland are alsorecommended, as these groups are likely to form a significant component of the wetland’sbiodiversity, to provide a baseline to guide future management decisions.Supporting Natural Landscape— Chemical weed and pest controls and other discharges of toxicmaterials should be avoided within the watershed.DUBOIS CITYThe city landscape is largely urban. Sandy Lick Creek runs through the city, and the area within the citylimits is all within the Sandy Lick Creek watershed. No Natural Heritage Areas were identified within thecity.FALLS CREEK BOROUGHThe borough landscape is occupied by the village of Falls Creek. It falls across the watershed dividebetween Wolf Run to the northeast and Sandy Lick Creek to the southwest. No Natural Heritage Areaswere identified within the borough.136
Union TownshipPNDI RankGlobal StateLegal StatusFederal State Last Seen QualityNATURAL HERITAGE AREAS:Anderson Creek & Whitney Run Wetlands BDAHemlock palustrine forestNotable SignificanceS32002 ESandy Lick Creek Wetlands BDAHigh SignificanceHighbush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum) G5T5 S3S4 2002 DNorthern myotis ( Myotis septentrionalis) G4 S3 1996 EHeron rookery ( Ardea herodias) G5 S3S4 2003 EAnderson Creek-Montgomery Creek LCANotable SignificanceBennett Branch Headwaters LCANotable SignificanceMontgomery Run LCACounty SignificanceOTHER CONSERVATION AREAS:GEOLOGIC FEATURES:none identifiednone identified137
Page 2 and 3:
CLEARFIELD COUNTYNATURAL HERITAGE I
Page 4 and 5:
Over the history of these studies,
Page 6 and 7:
TABLE OF CONTENTSPreface………
Page 8 and 9:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARYIntroductionA heal
Page 10 and 11:
Ground SurveyAreas identified as po
Page 12 and 13:
Table 1. Natural Heritage Areas cat
Page 14 and 15:
outcrops occur in conjunction with
Page 16 and 17:
INTRODUCTIONA healthy natural lands
Page 18 and 19:
Natural Resilience, Human Activitie
Page 20 and 21:
Natural Heritage Inventory MappingG
Page 23:
Natural History Overview of Clearfi
Page 26 and 27:
SoilsSoil character exerts a strong
Page 28 and 29:
preventing the establishment of see
Page 30 and 31:
METHODSThe methods used in the Clea
Page 32 and 33:
fragmenting feature data to generat
Page 34:
*Defined as: 2,000 waterfowl (at on
Page 38 and 39:
RESULTSContiguous Forest Blocks in
Page 40 and 41:
Table 5. ContinuedSize% Roadless Ac
Page 44 and 45:
Landscape Conservation AreasThe Lan
Page 46 and 47:
SGL #120 LCAThis LCA is a contiguou
Page 48 and 49:
Moravian Run - Alder Run LCAThis LC
Page 50 and 51:
Threats and StressesIn some portion
Page 52 and 53:
Gifford Run Valley, west slope37
Page 54:
Beccaria Township, Coalport Borough
Page 57:
Bell Township, Mahaffey Borough, &
Page 60 and 61:
Featherbells(Stenanthium gramineum)
Page 62 and 63:
Supporting Natural Landscape—To m
Page 64:
Bigler TownshipPNDI Rank Legal Stat
Page 67:
Bloom TownshipPNDI Rank Legal Statu
Page 70:
What It Looks Like:Appalachian Game
Page 74 and 75:
BOGGS TOWNSHIPThe landscape of the
Page 77 and 78:
BRADFORD TOWNSHIPThe landscape of B
Page 80 and 81:
BRADY TOWNSHIPBrady Township falls
Page 83 and 84:
BURNSIDE TOWNSHIPThe West Branch Su
Page 85 and 86:
BURNSIDE BOROUGHThe landscape of Bu
Page 88 and 89:
CHEST TOWNSHIPChest Township is 71%
Page 90 and 91:
Heron Rookery at Chest Creek Floodp
Page 93 and 94:
COOPER TOWNSHIPCooper Township lies
Page 96 and 97:
COVINGTON TOWNSHIPThe northern half
Page 98 and 99:
Creeping Snowberry(Gaultheria hispi
Page 100 and 101:
should be avoided within the core a
Page 103 and 104:
DECATUR TOWNSHIPMost of Decatur Tow
Page 106 and 107:
FERGUSON TOWNSHIPThe southwestern p
Page 111 and 112:
GIRARD TOWNSHIPThe northern two-thi
Page 113 and 114:
The Supporting Natural Landscape is
Page 115 and 116:
RecommendationsCore Habitat Area—
Page 120 and 121:
GOSHEN TOWNSHIPMost of Goshen Towns
Page 122 and 123:
Gifford Run Wetlands (pg. 81)Steepl
Page 125 and 126:
GRAHAM TOWNSHIPThe landscape of Gra
Page 128 and 129:
GREENWOOD TOWNSHIPGreenwood Townshi
Page 131:
Gulich Township & Ramey BoroughPNDI
Page 134 and 135: herbaceous layer is somewhat sparse
Page 136: Huston TownshipPNDI Rank Legal Stat
Page 139 and 140: Supporting Natural Landscape— Any
Page 141 and 142: Along the stream channel connecting
Page 143 and 144: Supporting Natural Landscape—Use
Page 145: Jordan TownshipPNDI Rank Legal Stat
Page 148: Karthaus TownshipPNDI Rank Legal St
Page 151: Knox TownshipPNDI Rank Legal Status
Page 154: Lawrence Township & Clearfield Boro
Page 158 and 159: documented in Pennsylvania. It hibe
Page 160 and 161: allegheniensis) dominant in the can
Page 162: Morris TownshipPNDI Rank Legal Stat
Page 165: Penn Township, Grampian Borough,& L
Page 168: Pike Township & Curwensville Boroug
Page 171: Pine TownshipPNDI Rank Legal Status
Page 174 and 175: pine species (Lycopodium dendroideu
Page 176 and 177: Threats and StressesFoot traffic on
Page 178 and 179: wetlands to determine its uniquenes
Page 180: Sandy Township, Dubois City, & Fall
Page 183: eeding season, and they will be sen
Page 188: Woodward Township, Brisbin Borough,
Page 191 and 192: RECOMMENDATIONSThe following are ge
Page 193 and 194: situations, the site is effectively
Page 195 and 196: GLOSSARYAlluvium: detrital deposits
Page 197 and 198: LITERATURE CITEDAnonymous. 1985. A
Page 199 and 200: Naeem., S. (Chair), F.S. Chapin III
Page 201 and 202: GIS DATA SOURCESBedrock geologic un
Page 203 and 204: APPENDIX IIPENNSYLVANIA NATURAL HER
Page 205 and 206: Evidence of Disturbance (logging, g
Page 207 and 208: GLOBAL STATECOMMUNITY NAME RANK RAN
Page 213 and 214: APPENDIX V bPENNSYLVANIA STATUSNati
Page 215 and 216: small numbers throughout their rang
Page 217 and 218: State Element RanksS1 = Critically
Page 219 and 220: Photo: Lisa SmithHairy rock-cress (
Page 221: The Sustainable Forestry Initiative
show all

introduction - Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?