Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve (Wake County, NC)

Overview: Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve, a 23-acre Triangle Land Conservancy property with a 1-mile trail that connects to the Birkhaven Greenway, conserves a floodplain forest community that is teeming with life. In spring, visitors to the nature preserve can discover a variety of ephemeral wildflowers, herps and birds hiding in the hardwood bottomlands.


Directions: Please visit the Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) website for complete directions.


Observations & Ponderings: The TLC brochure at the entrance to this delightful urban oasis boldly proclaimed that visitors could encounter "a medley of wildflowers" in spring, territorial green anoles that bob their heads and inflate their red throat sacks, and a host of birds including the tiny ruby-crowned kinglet that is featured in a gorgeous photograph. To be honest, I had my doubts; but after spending a few hours hiking the 1-mile trail system, I was a believer!

From Triangle Naturalist

Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve, Wake County, NC, 22 Mar 2009 (© Nicolette Cagle)

The first thing that impresses a spring visitor to Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve is the startling density of spring ephemerals. The fertile floodplain was covered by a carpet of spring beauties (Claytonia virginica), interspersed with trout lilies (Erythronium umbillicatum), cutleaf toothworts (Cardamine concatenata) and delicate, trembling bloodroots (Sanguinaria canadensis). Yes, a veritable "medley of wildflowers" thriving on high north facing bluffs and in rich floodplain soil.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve, Wake County, NC, 22 Mar 2009 (© Mark W. Cagle)

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve, Wake County, NC, 22 Mar 2009 (© Mark W. Cagle)

Trout lily (Erythronium umbillicatum), Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve, Wake County, NC, 22 Mar 2009 (© Mark W. Cagle)

From Triangle Naturalist

Viola spp, Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve, Wake County, NC, 22 Mar 2009 (© Nicolette Cagle)

From Triangle Naturalist

Spring beauty (Claytonia virginica), Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve, Wake County, NC, 22 Mar 2009 (© Nicolette Cagle)

From Triangle Naturalist

Cutleaf toothwort (Cardamine concatenata), Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve, Wake County, NC, 22 Mar 2009 (© Nicolette Cagle)

With my senses overwhelmed by this ephemeral display, at first I hardly noticed the auditory assault of southeastern chorus frogs, vireos and woodpeckers. Then I heard a red-tailed hawk overhead, next a red-shouldered hawk -- I looked up and high above the preserve both of these magnificent buteos soared, goading eachother to go higher and higher. Then a tiny flash of olive-yellow flitted past, it stopped for a moment in the greenbriers (Smilax spp.): a ruby crowned kinglet! Again, the brochure lived up to its promise.

The trail along Swift Creek continued, with every bend yielding more colorful flowers and birds. Eventually, we made our way back toward the parking lot, taking the trail through the "overcup oak swamp." This area of the preserve was truly enchanted, with overcup oaks towering above. Here, we even found the first snake of the season, a small northern brown snake (Storeria dekayi). And the surprises weren't over: on the log, right before we reached the gravel parking lot, was a male green anole bobbing his head and inflating his red sack. Again, Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve kept its word!

From Triangle Naturalist

Overcup oak (Quercus lyrata) leaves, Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve, Wake County, NC, 22 Mar 2009 (© Nicolette Cagle)

From Triangle Naturalist

Northern brown snake (Storeria deyaki), Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve, Wake County, NC, 22 Mar 2009 (© Nicolette Cagle)

From Triangle Naturalist

Northern brown snake (Storeria deyaki), Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve, Wake County, NC, 22 Mar 2009 (© Nicolette Cagle)

From Triangle Naturalist

Green anole (Anolis caroliniensis), Swift Creek Bluffs Preserve, Wake County, NC, 22 Mar 2009 (© Nicolette Cagle)

Historic Stagville & Horton Grove (Durham, NC)

Overview: Enjoy a lovely day at Historic Stagville and then explore the Triangle Land Conservancy's extensive Horton Grove Preserve (for permission and hiking suggestions, contact Walt Tysinger, TLC's land manager) in north Durham, North Carolina.

Directions: Historic Stagville is located at 5828 Old Oxford Highway, Durham, NC 27712. The TLC's Horton Grove Preserve begins roughly behind the Great Barn on the other side of the road (site #54 on map).

Observations & Ponderings: Stay tuned for more to come!

Historic Bennehan Home (c. 1787), Historic Stagville, Durham, NC

The Great Barn (c. 1860), Historic Stagville, Durham, NC

Horton Grove (c. 1850-1860), Historic Stagville, Durham, NC

TLC's Horton Grove Preserve, Durham, NC



TLC's Horton Grove Preserve, Durham, NC

WEEKEND ACTIVITIES: November 8-9, 2008

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATORS OF NORTH CAROLINA 18th ANNUAL CONFERENCE: From Thursday, November 6 to Sunday, November 9, the Environmental Educators of North Carolina (EENC) will be hosting their 18th annual conference at Fort Caswell Baptist Assembly on Oak Island. The three day agenda will included guided tours of nearby natural areas, workshops, informative sessions on current issues in environmental education and fantastic evening events (including a coastal boat tour and behind the scenes peek at the Fort Fisher Aquarium). If you're passionate about environmental education, this can't be missed. More information can be found at the EENC conference website.

TLC DEEP RIVER HISTORICAL TOUR: On Saturday, November 8, 2008, the Triangle Land Conservancy (TLC) if offering a fantastic historical-ecological tour of the Deep River area, in conjunction with historian Edwin Patterson. Don't miss this exciting opportunity to explore House in the Horseshoe State Historic Site, the Tyson House (c. 1800), Deep River Park and the Camelback Bridge, as well as Endor Iron Furnace. For more information about the tour and registration, please visit the 2008 TLC Outings website.

Johnston Mill Nature Preserve (Orange County, NC)

Overview: Located in Orange county, near the Duke Forest, Johnston Mill Nature Preserve is a Triangle Land Conservancy property appropriate for a quick getaway from the urban grind of Durham and Chapel Hill. The preserve consists of two trails, called Robin's trail (1.5 miles one-way) and the Bluff Trail (1 mile loop) on the TLC map, but given different names once on the property. Robin's trail runs along New Hope Creek and its tributary, Old Field Creek, through bottomland forest and old mill remains. The Bluff trail explores mature hardwood forest on higher ground.

Directions: There are two parking areas at Johnston Mill Nature Preserve connected by Robin's Trail, located off Turkey Farm Road and Mt. Sinai Road, respectively. According to the TLC Johnston Mill Nature Preserve brochure, one can arrive at the the Turkey Farm Road lot by taking "NC 86 north from I-40 (exit 266) 0.1 mile. Turn right on Whitfield Road and follow it for 1 mile. Turn left on Turkey Farm Road and follow that road for 1.2 miles. The parking area is on the left."
One can arrive at the Mt. Sinai Road lot by taking "NC 86 north from I-40 (exit 266) 1.8 miles. Turn right on Mt. Sinai Road and follow it for 1.1 miles. The parking area is on the right just before the New Hope Creek bridge."

My observations & ponderings: As my husband and I explored Johnstill Mill Nature Preserve from the Turkey Farm Road lot on a quiet morning in the middle of the week, we were most powerfully struck by two things: 1) the amazing power of natural disturbance and 2) the surprising density of fascinating natural phenomenon that appears when one takes the time to look and listen.

The effects of natural disturbance is quite evident at Johnston Mill Nature Preserve. As we walked along New Hope Creek, it was easy to see the fresh sediments that had been deposited as far as twenty feet from the creek by recent flooding. Although the extent of the flooding is perhaps exacerbated by local land use change, the process is a natural one that replenishes the nutrients of North Carolina's bottomland forests.

New Hope Creek

Other forms of natural disturbance are also evident at the Johnston Mill preserve: hurricanes and ice storms. The impacts of these powerful storms can be seen in the tree falls on the bluff trail, which was affected by Hurricane Fran in 1996 and a severe ice storm in late 2002. The evidence of nature's power at Johnston Mill serves as humbling reminder of both our responsibility to care for the earth and our vulnerability to natural phenomenon.

Taking a slow walk - I'm over 6 months pregnant, so all our walks are slow now - through the woods at Johnston Mill gave us the opportunity to find some amazing organisms, that often go ignored. Due to the recent rains and cool weather, mushrooms have erupted throughout the bottomlands. We were lucky to find a beautiful crown coral (Clavicorona spp) at Johnston Mill. Fortunately, a group of mycologists and mycophiles recently found crown coral (Clavicorona pyxidata) nearby in the Duke Forest, making identification easier.

Crown coral (Clavicorona spp)

Besides observing beautiful mushrooms and ornate bryophytes, we were also greeted by an abundance of insects, still active despite the cooler whether. Butterflies and moths fluttered by as mosquitos hovered around our heads and crickets called in the distance.

Katydid at Johnston Mill Nature Preserve.

The flurry of insect activity drew our attention towards the wild flowers at Johnston Mill. Some flowers, like the small red morning glory (Ipomoea coccinea) though weedy, still managed to awe us with their vibrance. Others, like the downy rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera pubescens) that blooms in summer and is now reduced to basal leaves or the crane-fly orchid (Tipularia discolor) whose winter leaves only now emerge, served as an unignorable reminder that summer was over and autumn had arrived.

Rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera pubescens)

crane-fly orchid (Tipularia discolor)

Condoret Nature Preserve (Chatham County, NC)

Overview: Condoret Nature Preserve, a Triangle Land Conservancy property acquired by donation in 2003, represents some of the many preserved and protected areas in and around the Triangle that are not intended for recreational use, but meant solely to preserve important ecological habitats and land for our future. The property extends 85 acres and protects riparian habitat along Tick Creek, which runs into the Rocky River (in the Cape Fear River Basin), and mainly encompasses flood plain forest and old fields.

Condoret Nature Preserve, September 2008

Directions: Again, this property is not managed for public recreation -- no trails, amenities or parking lot. If you would really like to visit, please contact the Triangle Land Conservancy at info (at) tlc-nc.org. They usually respond very promptly!

My observations & ponderings: Condoret Nature Preserve is largely composed of floodplain forest and old fields. The forest is dense and difficult to navigate through, and the old field was wet and puddle filled after the recent rains. During our exploration, we startled a red shouldered hawk that had been hiding at the edge of the woods, presumably scoping out prey in the field below. We also found a beautiful female wolf spider, with young on her back and another still hefting around a large egg sac.

Woldspider with young

As we ventured towards Tick Creek, we came across a number of plant species one would expect in a wet, old field grading into floodplain forest, including purple gerardia (Gerardia purpurea), multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) and wingstem (Actinomeris alternifolia). As the field gave way to forest, we discovered a millipede clasping the branches of a bumpy hackberry (Celtis laevigata), young walnuts (Juglans nigra) and a strangely bent ironwood (Ostrya virginiana).

Purple gerardia (Gerardia purpurea)

Wingstem (Actinomeris alternifolia)

Millipede on hackberry (Celtis laevigata)

As I circled the strange, bryophyte covered ironwood, I began to imagine how it came to be shaped so strangely. Was this a tree bent by an American Indian to mark a long forgotten trail? Did the children of the former owners find this tree as a sapling and set about to change its natural growth pattern? Was this odd form the result of vegetative growth from a fallen clone?

Strangley bent ironwood (Ostrya virginiana)

It is difficult to reconstruct ecological history, but I was undaunted and I began to evaluate the three hypotheses regarding the origin of the strangely shaped tree. Could the tree have been bent by an American Indian? In fact, this hypothesis is easily dismissed. Ostrya virginiana is a slow growing tree with a relative short life span of at most 150 years, but maybe only 10 to 15 years (Fehrenbach, 1983). Therefore, this tree was a sapling sometime after 1858, a time when American Indians would have been absent from Chatham County. Could the tree have been bent by the children of former owners? Well, this is certainly possible, but why would they have picked that tree? In that location? Would it have been worth the effort to walk through the wet grass and weedy fields to bend this hapless tree? My sense is that this hypothesis is probably false. In fact, I'm inclined to believe that this strange shape originated when a clonal sapling arose from the roots of a fallen Ostrya virginiana, perhaps then the sapling grew across the fallen log or another fallen tree, and when that fallen tree had rotted away, the strangely shaped ironwood was left for the world to contemplate. This hypothesis is consistent with Ostrya virginiana's known habits: it does grow vegetatively from cut stumps or burned/injured trees. Sadly, we may never know the true history of this tree, but at least we will never be without natural mysteries to ponder.

Resources: Interested in North Carolina's watersheds? Visit this North Carolina Office for Environmental Education website:

http://www.ee.enr.state.nc.us/public/ecoaddress/riverbasins/riverbasinmapinteractive.htm

Want to learn more about land conservation in the Triangle? Visit the Triangle Land Conservancy website: http://www.tlc-nc.org/

Fehrenbach, W. E. 1983. Ostrya virginiana: characteristics and potentials of a little known native. Proceedings of the Fourth Conference of the Metropolitan Tree Improvement Alliance. New York Botanical Garden: New York. p61-67.

White Pines Preserve (near Pittsboro, NC)

White Pines Preserve (a Triangle Land Conservancy property) is a fantastic setting for a winter hike. Situated at the confluence of the Rocky and Deep Rivers, the enormous eastern white pines (Pinus strobus) -- giants leftover from the last glacial ice age -- steal the scene. These 200 year old tree-titans were so large that my husband and I could barely reach eachothers hands as we tried to hug them. Other interesting tree species include sugar maples (Acer saccharum) and some good sized river birches (Betula nigra). We also encountered a few winter birds, including the hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus).