The Witmer Woods Conservation Project 1998

As a continuation of the Witmer Woods Project initiated in 1997, our group further studied the Witmer Woods land plot, starting with the earilier group's work and expanding upon their findings. We added new species of plants, trees, bushes, flowers, and particularly focused on learning more about the soil type and quality in the Woods.

We chose a 10' by 15' plot near the center of the woods, farther from the highway and the cross street than the previous plot studied.

This particular plot was selected because of its greater distance from traffic, and because of the diversity in vegetation present. The large trees seen here are an adult Red Spruce and a not-quite grown Black Cherry. Towards the center of the plot is a small red mulberry tree.

The boundaries of our plot end at the left edge of the pine (left) and the right edge of the Black Cherry (center). The large Oak leaning into the right side of the photo is not included in the plot.

Sprouting male pine cones in May.

The bushes at the forefront
of the plot (above) are made
up of white honeysuckle (left),
and pink honeysuckle (below).

Thistle (lower left) is a common plant on the ground level of our plot. Also frequently seen are dandelions, presently in stages of both bloom and seed (lower center), and bedstraw (lower right).

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The wildflower population is composed mainly of Black Mustard (left), violets (lower left), and wild strawberry (lower right).

Not pictured but also present in our plot:

• poisen ivy
• wild grapes
• wild parsley
• 5 varieties of grass noted (one of which was sedge)
• young sea side golden rod
• sweet gum seeds
• blackberry bush
• narrow leaf plantane
• broad leaf plantane
• wild lettuce
• black walnut sappling
• white ash sappling
• hopps clover
• queen anne's lace
• 3 moss varieties
• virginia creeper
• slippery elm seedling
• white mulberry
• horse nettle
• red oiser dogwood
• wild pear variety

Bordering our plot:

• wild flox
• multi-flora rose
• autumn olive shrubbery

Because this is a young forest plot in early stages of sucession, many species of plants are growing there which we were unable to identify.

Progression of Plant Development

Observations throughout May provided opportunity to witness the accelerated plant growth of mid-spring. We studied our plot on three occasions: May 3, May 9, and May 16. High levels of sunlight and adequate levels of moisture provided ideal conditions for growth.

As the month progressed, an obvious increase of folage density occured. In addition, the light green color characterizing the early folage grew in intensity to darker shades. The flowers preceeding seed release, including fruiting bodies, blossom during this season of the year. We observed this segment of of the life cycle in several plants.

When we first selected and studied our plot in early May, dandy lion flowers were in full bloom. A week later, white seed puffs replaced the golden flowers. During our final observation the majority of the dandy lions were in the process of releasing their wind blown seed cases.

In early May, the wild strawberry blossoms decorated many of the plants. By late May, only a few petals remained and small greens knobs, developing fruiting bodies, were visible. The full honey suckle boughs pictured above lost their flowers by May 9.

We first observed the small white bed staw flowers during our second observation. They increased in number by the third. The flowering red bud tree, in full bloom when we first selected our plot, lost all its flower by our second observation. During our third and final observation period we noted many silver maple seed pods littering the forest floor and suspended in the shrubs and trees.