VEGETATION REGIONS
and
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
(based on field survey August 2024)
(scroll down to see 2020-2024 comparison)

AREA 1

Thumbnail Description. This is a somewhat disturbed area with mainly herbaceous cover, dominated by Canada goldenrod.

 

AREA 1 ASPECT-DOMINANT SPECIES
(*asterisk indicates extreme abundance)

 

SCIENTIFIC_NAME	COMMON_NAME	FAMILY	COFC
Andropogon gerardii*	BIG BLUESTEM	Poaceae	5
Asclepias syriaca	COMMON MILKWEED	Asclepiadaceae	1
Eupatorium altissimum	TALL BONESET	Asteraceae	0
Euthamia graminifolia	FLAT-TOPPED GOLDENROD	Asteraceae	2
Helianthus grosseserratus	SAWTOOTH SUNFLOWER	Asteraceae	4
Lactuca canadensis	WILD LETTUCE	Asteraceae	1
Lonicera maackii	AMUR HONEYSUCKLE	Caprifoliaceae	0
Morus alba	WHITE MULBERRY	Moraceae	0
Oenothera biennis	COMMON EVENING-PRIMROSE	Onagraceae	1
Ratibida pinnata	GRAY-HEADED CONEFLOWER	Asteraceae	5
Rubus allegheniensis	COMMON BLACKBERRY	Rosaceae	1
Senna hebecarpa	NORTHERN WILD SENNA	Fabaceae	4
Silphium trifoliatum	WHORLED ROSIN-WEED	Asteraceae	5
Solidago canadensis*	CANADA GOLDENROD	Asteraceae	1
Verbesina alternifolia	WINGSTEM	Asteraceae	5
Vernonia gigantea	TALL IRONWEED	Asteraceae	2

Management Considerations. This area is a good candidate for spot treatment of invasives and augmentation with greenhouse-grown plants.

AREA 2

Thumbnail Description. High-quality natural prairie densely occupied by native herbs and grasses.

AREA 2 ASPECT-DOMINANT SPECIES
(*asterisk indicates extreme abundance)

SCIENTIFIC_NAME	COMMON_NAME	FAMILY	COFC
Andropogon gerardii*	BIG BLUESTEM	Poaceae	5
Cornus racemosa	GRAY DOGWOOD	Cornaceae	1
Lespedeza capitata*	ROUND-HEADED BUSH-CLOVER	Fabaceae	5
Physostegia virginiana	OBEDIENT PLANT	Lamiaceae	5
Pycnanthemum virginianum	VIRGINIA MOUNTAIN-MINT	Lamiaceae	4
Rubus allegheniensis	COMMON BLACKBERRY	Rosaceae	1
Silphium terebinthinaceum*	PRAIRIE DOCK	Asteraceae	8
Solidago canadensis	CANADA GOLDENROD	Asteraceae	1
Vitis riparia	RIVERBANK GRAPE	Vitaceae	3
Abutilon theophrasti	VELVETLEAF	Malvaceae	0

 

Management Considerations. This area is a good candidate for spot treatment of invasives.

AREA 3

Thumbnail Description. Low-lying wet prairie with dense growth of blackberry shrubs.

AREA 3 ASPECT-DOMINANT SPECIES
(*asterisk indicates extreme abundance)

SCIENTIFIC_NAME	COMMON_NAME	FAMILY	COFC
Andropogon gerardii*	BIG BLUESTEM	Poaceae	5
Asclepias syriaca	COMMON MILKWEED	Asclepiadaceae	1
Elymus canadensis	CANADA WILD RYE	Poaceae	6
Liatris spicata	SPIKED BLAZING-STAR	Asteraceae	7
Pycnanthemum virginianum	VIRGINIA MOUNTAIN-MINT	Lamiaceae	4
Rubus allegheniensis*	COMMON BLACKBERRY	Rosaceae	1
Solidago canadensis*	CANADA GOLDENROD	Asteraceae	1
Spartina pectinata*	PRAIRIE CORD GRASS	Poaceae	5
Vitis riparia	RIVERBANK GRAPE	Vitaceae	3

Management Considerations. Owing to the preponderance of black raspberry, this area should be considered for burning.

AREA 4

Thumbnail Description. A low-lying area occupied mainly by weedy native herbs and panicled dogwood shrubs.

AREA 4 ASPECT-DOMINANT SPECIES
(* aterisk indicates extreme abundance)

 

SCIENTIFIC_NAME	COMMON_NAME	FAMILY	COFC
Apocynum cannabinum*	INDIAN HEMP	Apocynaceae	1
Asclepias incarnata	SWAMP MILKWEED	Asclepiadaceae	4
Calystegia sepium	HEDGE BINDWEED	Convolvulaceae	1
Cornus racemosa*	GRAY DOGWOOD	Cornaceae	1
Epilobium coloratum	PURPLE-LEAVED WILLOW-HERB	Onagraceae	1
Erechtites hieracifolia	PILEWORT	Asteraceae	2
Euthamia graminifolia	FLAT-TOPPED GOLDENROD	Asteraceae	2
Gentiana andrewsii	BOTTLE GENTIAN	Gentianaceae	5
Geum canadense	WHITE AVENS	Rosaceae	2
Helenium autumnale	COMMON SNEEZEWEED	Asteraceae	4
Iris virginica	SOUTHERN BLUE FLAG	Iridaceae	6
Rubus allegheniensis*	COMMON BLACKBERRY	Rosaceae	1
Salix eriocephala	HEART-LEAVED WILLOW	Salicaceae	2
Scirpus cyperinus*	WOOL-GRASS	Cyperaceae	1
Solidago canadensis*	CANADA GOLDENROD	Asteraceae	1
Toxicodendron radicans	POISON-IVY	Anacardiaceae	1

Management Considerations. Owing to the preponderance of black raspberry, this area should be considered for burning.

AREA 5

Thumbnail Description.  Natural prairie area with good populations of big bluestem and prairie dock, but with too dense a growth of black raspberry.

AREA 5 ASPECT-DOMINANT SPECIES
(* asterisk indicates extreme abundance)

SCIENTIFIC_NAME	COMMON_NAME	FAMILY	COFC
Andropogon gerardii*	BIG BLUESTEM	Poaceae	5
Apocynum cannabinum	INDIAN HEMP	Apocynaceae	1
Asclepias sullivantii	SULLIVANT’S MILKWEED	Asclepiadaceae	8
Cornus racemosa	GRAY DOGWOOD	Cornaceae	1
Elymus canadensis	CANADA WILD RYE	Poaceae	6
Rubus allegheniensis	COMMON BLACKBERRY	Rosaceae	1
Schizachyrium scoparium	LITTLE BLUESTEM	Poaceae	5
Silphium terebinthinaceum*	PRAIRIE DOCK	Asteraceae	8
Solidago canadensis	CANADA GOLDENROD	Asteraceae	1
Vernonia gigantea	TALL IRONWEED	Asteraceae	2

Management Considerations. Owing to the preponderance of black raspberry, this area should be considered for burning.

AREA 6

Thumbnail Description. The vegetation immediately surrounding the pond consists largely  of wet-site woody plants: sandbar willow, elderberry, and silver maple, blending into open areas populated by native herbs including wild senna and obedient-plant.

AREA 6 ASPECT-DOMINANT SPECIES
(* asterisk indicates extreme abundance)

SCIENTIFIC_NAME	COMMON_NAME	FAMILY	COFC
Acer saccharinum*	SILVER MAPLE	Aceraceae	3
Asclepias sullivantii	SULLIVANT’S MILKWEED	Asclepiadaceae	8
Liatris pycnostachya	THICK-SPIKED BLAZING-STAR	Asteraceae	0
Lonicera maackii*	AMUR HONEYSUCKLE	Caprifoliaceae	0
Lysimachia nummularia*	MONEYWORT	Primulaceae	0
Phalaris arundinacea	REED CANARY GRASS	Poaceae	0
Populus deltoides	EASTERN COTTONWOOD	Salicaceae	3
Pycnanthemum virginianum	VIRGINIA MOUNTAIN-MINT	Lamiaceae	4
Salix exigua*	SANDBAR WILLOW	Salicaceae	1
Senna hebecarpa	NORTHERN WILD SENNA	Fabaceae	4
Spartina pectinata	PRAIRIE CORD GRASS	Poaceae	5

Management Considerations. Although it is not prairie per se, this area contributes a useful element of heterogenity that benefits wildlife, especially birds. Being very dense vegetation consisting mainly of native plants, management efforts could focus on limiting the spread of, rather than eliminating, the plants that grow here.

AREA 7

Thumbnial Description.  This is a high quality low-lying area dominated by native prairie plants and remarkably free of invasive plants.

AREA  7 ASPECT-DOMINANT SPECIES
(* asterisk indicates extreme abundance)

SCIENTIFIC_NAME	COMMON_NAME	FAMILY	COFC
Coreopsis tripteris*	TALL TICKSEED	Asteraceae	5
Napaea dioica	GLADE-MALLOW	Malvaceae	4
Physostegia virginiana*	OBEDIENT PLANT	Lamiaceae	5
Rubus allegheniensis	COMMON BLACKBERRY	Rosaceae	1
Silphium perfoliatum*	CUP-PLANT	Asteraceae	6
Solidago canadensis	CANADA GOLDENROD	Asteraceae	1
Veronicastrum virginicum*	CULVER’S-ROOT	Scrophulariaceae	7

Management Considerations. This area is a good candidate for spot treatment of invasives and augmentation with greenhouse-grown plants.

AREA 8

Thumbnail Description. This is a patch of nice uninvaded prairie.

 

AREA  8 ASPECT-DOMINANT SPECIES
(* asterisk indicates extreme abundance)

SCIENTIFIC_NAME	COMMON_NAME	FAMILY	COFC
Andropogon gerardii*	BIG BLUESTEM	Poaceae	5
Baptisia lactea*	WHITE FALSE INDIGO	Fabaceae	8
Cornus racemosa	GRAY DOGWOOD	Cornaceae	1
Euphorbia corollata*	FLOWERING SPURGE	Euphorbiaceae	4
Liatris pycnostachya*	THICK-SPIKED BLAZING-STAR	Asteraceae	0
Prunus serotina	BLACK CHERRY	Rosaceae	3
Silphium terebinthinaceum	PRAIRIE DOCK	Asteraceae	8

Management Considerations. This area is a good candidate for spot treatment of invasives and augmentation with greenhouse-grown plants.

AREA 9

Thumbnail Description. This is a big mess–two consiguous areas dominated by dense growths of invasive woody plants, especially Amur honeysuckle, tree-of-heaven, and white mulberry, along with scattered large native trees: bur, shingle and pin oaks, black walnut and black cherry. It is being actively managed, with many of the invasive woodies alreafy removed, or slated for removal in the very near future. What could be called “Area 9 East” lies between Graves Creek and the access road; it has the largest populations of invasive trees (tree-of-heaven, white mulberry, Callery pear and some nearly tree-sized honeysuckles). “The principal native trees there are black walnuts. “Area 9 West” (west of the access road and contained within the traditional Prairie boundaries) is shrub-dominated but with several mature black cherry and American elms.

AREA  9 ASPECT-DOMINANT SPECIES
(* asterisk indicates extreme abundance)

SCIENTIFIC_NAME	COMMON_NAME	FAMILY	COFC
Crataegus crus-galli	COCKSPUR	Rosaceae	3
Helianthus tuberosus	JERUSALEM-ARTICHOKE	Asteraceae	3
Juglans nigra	BLACK WALNUT	Juglandaceae	5
Lactuca serriola	PRICKLY LETTUCE	Asteraceae	0
Lonicera maackii*	AMUR HONEYSUCKLE	Caprifoliaceae	0
Morus alba	WHITE  MULBERRY	Moraceae	0
Prunus serotina*	BLACK CHERRY	Rosaceae	3
Pyrus calleryana	CALLIERY PEAR	Rosaceae	0
Quercus imbricaria	SHINGLE OAK	Fagaceae	5
Quercus macrocarpa	BUR OAK	Fagaceae	6
Quercus palustris	PIN OAK	Fagaceae	5
Rubus allegheniensis*	COMMON BLACKBERRY	Rosaceae	1
Sambucus canadensis	COMMON ELDERBERRY	Caprifoliaceae	3
Ulmus americana	AMERICAN ELM	Ulmaceae	2
Vitis riparia	RIVERBANK GRAPE	Vitaceae	3

Management Considerations. This area requires substantial management in the form of cutting and treating with herbicides, with the immediate goal of removing the invasives that dominate the area and squelching their comeback. Revegetation could take one of two pathways: (1) allowing some the native trees to remain and revegetating the understory with native shrubs grown from greenhouse-grown stem cuttings, or (2) removing all the woodies and revegetating the area as prairie. Of course, some combination of these two approcahes is feasible.

AREA 10

Thumbnail Description. This is a somewhat disturbed and partly invaded prairie area that sprung up from the remains of two management endeavors instituted about 20 years ago: (1)  a prairie plant propagation garden and (2) the experimental plots of a research project studying the effectiveness of carbon amendment in prompting the growth or prairie plants. Canada goldenrod and wild senna are especially abundant. Riverbank grape is pervasive.

 

AREA 10 ASPECT-DOMINANT SPECIES
(* asterisk indicates extreme abundance)

SCIENTIFIC_NAME	COMMON_NAME	FAMILY	COFC
Bromus inermis*	HUNGARIAN BROME	Poaceae	0
Eupatorium altissimum	TALL BONESET	Asteraceae	0
Heliopsis helianthoides	SMOOTH OXEYE	Asteraceae	5
Lonicera maackii	AMUR HONEYSUCKLE	Caprifoliaceae	0
Monarda fistulosa	WILD BERGAMOT	Lamiaceae	3
Morus alba	WHITE MULBERRY	Moraceae	0
Rubus allegheniensis	COMMON BLACKBERRY	Rosaceae	1
Sambucus canadensis	COMMON ELDERBERRY	Caprifoliaceae	3
Solidago canadensis*	CANADA GOLDENROD	Asteraceae	1
Solidago rigida	STIFF GOLDENROD	Asteraceae	8
Vernonia gigantea	TALL IRONWEED	Asteraceae	2
Vitis riparia*	RIVERBANK GRAPE	Vitaceae	3

Management Considerations. This area is a good candidate for intenssive treatment of invasives (especially the grape) and augmentation with greenhouse-grown plants.

AREA 11

Thumbnail Description. This is an intact and well-maintained tallgrass prairie that has benefitted greatly from recent prescribed burning.

AREA 11 ASPECT-DOMINANT SPECIES
(* asterisk indicates extreme abundance)

SCIENTIFIC_NAME	COMMON_NAME	FAMILY	COFC
Andropogon gerardii*	BIG BLUESTEM	Poaceae	5
Baptisia lactea	WHITE FALSE INDIGO	Fabaceae	8
Coreopsis tripteris	TALL TICKSEED	Asteraceae	5
Desmodium canadense	CANADA TICK-TREFOIL	Fabaceae	4
Eryngium yuccifolium	RATTLESNAKE-MASTER	Apiaceae	7
Euphorbia corollata*	FLOWERING SPURGE	Euphorbiaceae	4
Euthamia graminifolia	FLAT-TOPPED GOLDENROD	Asteraceae	2
Liatris pycnostachya	THICK-SPIKED BLAZING-STAR	Asteraceae	0
Ratibida pinnata	GRAY-HEADED CONEFLOWER	Asteraceae	5
Silphium trifoliatum	WHORLED ROSIN-WEED	Asteraceae	5
Solidago juncea	PLUME GOLDENROD	Asteraceae	2
Solidago rigida	STIFF GOLDENROD	Asteraceae	8
Vernonia gigantea	TALL IRONWEED	Asteraceae	2
Veronicastrum virginicum	CULVER’S-ROOT	Scrophulariaceae	7

Management Considerations. This area is a good candidate for spot treatment of invasives and augmentation with greenhouse-grown plants.

2020-2024 Comparison

Starting slowly in the summer of 2020 and proceeding intensively during 2023 and 2024, invasive woody plants in the Prairie have been cut and stump-treated with herbicide. Appearing mainly as amall dots in the left-hand photo, and missing from the right-hand one, these consisted mainly of gray dogwood, Amur honeysuckle, cockspur hawthorn, white mulberry and Callery pear. Additionally, an approx 20m x 100m area densely tree-of-heaven stand (with a honeysuckle understory) located between the access road and Grave Creek has been basal-bark treated and is slated for removal during winter 2024-25.