introduction - Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program

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floodplain forests, the canopy is relatively open, with dense shrub and tall herbaceous growth in manyareas. Shingle oak (Quercus imbricaria) and red maple (Acer rubrum) are the most prevalent species,and bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), silver maple (Acersaccharinum), beech (Fagus grandifolia), and black cherry (Prunus serotina) are also interspersed.Shrubs included blackberry (Rubus sp.), winterberry (Ilex verticillata), and the invasive exotic speciesJapanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii). In the zone closest to the river, the herbaceous layerconsisted of dense, tall goldenrod (Solidago sp.) and Turk’s cap lily (Lilium superbum). Otherherbaceous species included false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum),sedges (Carex gracillima , Carex swanii, Carex bromoides), meadow rue (Thalictrum pubescens),and marsh marigold (Caltha palustris).The floodplain forest area also contained a small population of featherbells, a plant species of specialconcern in Pennsylvania. Featherbells is a tall (3-6’), perennial species in the Lily family thatproduces a 1-2’ long spire of small, greenish-white flowers in July. The species has a broadgeographic distribution (Florida west to Texas, and north to Michigan and Pennsylvania), but appearsto be uncommon in much of this range (Natureserve 2003). It occupies a variety of habitats,including floodplains, meadows, various wetland types, and disturbed areas. In Pennsylvania, onlyfour locations are known at present, two in Clearfield County and two in Butler County. However, 17specimens collected from 30-100 years ago provide a record that the plant once existed in other areas.Most of these are in the Pittsburgh Low Plateau section of the Allegheny Plateau physiographicprovince, although two very early records are attributed to the Piedmont province at the Maryland-Pennsylvania border. Five historic locations were in Clearfield County: all of these were revisitedduring the course of this study, but plants were relocated only at the Burnside oxbow site. See factsheet on pg. 43 for further information on this species.Threats and StressesThe accumulation of mining-related pollution in the wetland may degrade its habitat value for aquaticanimal species, which are sensitive to increased acidity and sediment loads. Increased acidity mayalso alter the plant community composition, favoring species which are adapted to low pH.RecommendationsThe extent of mining-related pollution at this site should be further assessed to determine the severityof potential ecological impacts and any potential remediation. Within the Supporting NaturalLandscape boundary, further mining should be avoided to preserve water quality in the wetland.61
BURNSIDE BOROUGHThe landscape of Burnside Borough all falls within the watershed of the West Branch Susquehanna River,which runs through the township. About half the borough land is forested. No Natural Heritage Areaswere identified within the borough.NEW WASHINGTON BOROUGHNew Washington Borough falls within the Chest Creek watershed, except for the far western edge, whichfalls within the Deer Creek watershed. The landscape of the borough is largely forested. Thesoutheastern corner of the township borders Chest Creek, and falls within the Chest Creek SouthFloodplain BDA (discussed in Chest Township section, pg. 63), home to a heron rookery.62
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CLEARFIELD COUNTYNATURAL HERITAGE I
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Over the history of these studies,
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TABLE OF CONTENTSPreface………
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARYIntroductionA heal
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Ground SurveyAreas identified as po
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Table 1. Natural Heritage Areas cat
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outcrops occur in conjunction with
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INTRODUCTIONA healthy natural lands
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Natural Resilience, Human Activitie
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Natural Heritage Inventory MappingG
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Natural History Overview of Clearfi
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SoilsSoil character exerts a strong
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preventing the establishment of see
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METHODSThe methods used in the Clea
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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: BURNSIDE TOWNSHIPThe West Branch Su
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
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herbaceous layer is somewhat sparse
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Huston TownshipPNDI Rank Legal Stat
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Supporting Natural Landscape— Any
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Along the stream channel connecting
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Supporting Natural Landscape—Use
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Jordan TownshipPNDI Rank Legal Stat
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Karthaus TownshipPNDI Rank Legal St
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Knox TownshipPNDI Rank Legal Status
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Lawrence Township & Clearfield Boro
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documented in Pennsylvania. It hibe
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allegheniensis) dominant in the can
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Morris TownshipPNDI Rank Legal Stat
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Penn Township, Grampian Borough,& L
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Pike Township & Curwensville Boroug
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Pine TownshipPNDI Rank Legal Status
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pine species (Lycopodium dendroideu
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Threats and StressesFoot traffic on
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wetlands to determine its uniquenes
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Sandy Township, Dubois City, & Fall
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eeding season, and they will be sen
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Union TownshipPNDI RankGlobal State
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Woodward Township, Brisbin Borough,
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RECOMMENDATIONSThe following are ge
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situations, the site is effectively
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GLOSSARYAlluvium: detrital deposits
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LITERATURE CITEDAnonymous. 1985. A
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Naeem., S. (Chair), F.S. Chapin III
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GIS DATA SOURCESBedrock geologic un
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APPENDIX IIPENNSYLVANIA NATURAL HER
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Evidence of Disturbance (logging, g
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GLOBAL STATECOMMUNITY NAME RANK RAN
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APPENDIX V bPENNSYLVANIA STATUSNati
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small numbers throughout their rang
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State Element RanksS1 = Critically
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Photo: Lisa SmithHairy rock-cress (
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The Sustainable Forestry Initiative
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introduction - Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program

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