introduction - Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program

BELL TOWNSHIPBell Township falls across the eastern continental divide, with a few tributaries in the northwesternportion draining into the Allegheny River while the majority of the township drains into the SusquehannaRiver. Two important ecological features are the Chest Creek Wetland and Floodplain BDAs and theHaslett Run LCA (see pg. 30); however, there are also significant challenges to the ecological health ofthe landscape in much of the township. The pattern of forest cover in the township is very fragmented;while 74% of the township area has forest cover, only 35% is core forest habitat, and 15% is completelyroadless core forest habitat. The northeastern portion of the township is part of a large block ofcontiguous forest that contributes to the Haslett Run LCA. Strip mining and other mining have beenextensive in the township, causing habitat degradation and water quality problems in many areas. Most ofthe township’s waterways, including the West Branch Susquehanna River, Chest Creek, Whisky Run,Haslett Run, Curry Run, Deer Run, and Bear Run, are classified as impaired streams by the DEP. Thehigh proportion of land which has been strip mined contributes to the problem of forest fragmentation,because without extensive restoration work, formerly stripped areas typically offer degraded habitatconditions for many species and may act as a barrier for the movement of some. Conservation prioritiesin the landscape of Bell Township would be remediation of water quality problems, forest stewardship toincrease ecosystem health and contiguity, and stewardship of the Biological Diversity Area along ChestCreek.Chest Creek Wetlands BDADescriptionThis Biological Diversity Area highlights an area along Chest Creek with two distinct natural wetlandcommunities.The Floodplain core habitat area has natural floodplain communities in relatively good condition.Most of the area is forested, with silver maple (Acer saccharinum) and green ash (Fraxinuspensylvanica) prominent in the canopy. The understory is lush and diverse, with typical floodplainspecies such as jumpseed (Polygonum virginianum), false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), obovatabeakgrain grass (Diarrhena obovata), jewelweed (Impatiens sp.). Box elder (Acer negundo) anddogwood (Cornus sp.) are important in the shrub layer.The Seepage Wetland core habitat area has a large seepage wetland community that hosts a plantspecies of special concern in Pennsylvania: featherbells (Stenanthium gramineum). Most of thewetland is forested, with more open shrub- and herb- dominated patches also scattered where thewater is deeper. The vegetative composition of the area is very heterogeneous. The wetland is fed bya fairly high volume of seepage from the base of the slope to its east. The western edge of thewetland is bounded by SR 36, and the long dike the road sits on appears to have influenced thenatural hydrological pattern at the site, resulting in greater pooling of water at its edge.The wetter forested areas have hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor), andyellow birch (Betula allegheniensis), dominant at varying levels in the canopy. Some areas displaythe characteristic hummock- and pool- microtopography of a swamp forest, with hummocks formedaround tree roots rising several feet above the muck or standing water of the prevailing elevation.The herbaceous layer is dominated by sphagnum moss or cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea).The upland forested areas have a diverse canopy including white pine (Pinus strobus), sugar maple(Acer saccharum), red maple (Acer rubrum), ash (Fraxinus sp.), shagbark hickory (Carya ovata), redoak (Quercus rubra), white oak (Quercus alba), and beech (Fagus grandifolia). Some low, saturatedareas have patches of tussock sedge (Carex stricta), buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), hopsedge (Carex lupulina), Tuckerman’s sedge (Carex tuckermanii), or winterberry (Ilex verticillata).42