Montgomery County planning commission Natural Areas Inventory Update Executive Summary
Executive Summary Despite continuing development and resulting suburban sprawl, significant areas of open space remain in Montgomery County. The 13 conservation landscapes identified in this report contain a total of 74,711 acres, 24 percent of the area of Montgomery County. The landscapes include large forested tracts, stream corridors, wetlands, known sites of rare plants and animals, and areas of high natural biodiversity. All but one of the 18 high priority sites from the 1995 Natural Areas Inventory are included. Each landscape includes a core area of protected land, but much more remains to be done to preserve the natural resources in these landscapes. Open space protection is necessary to preserve vital ecological functions that support human life such as oxygen production, ground water recharge, waste decomposition, mineral recycling, carbon storage, and biodiversity conservation. Large tracts of forest serve as source areas that support bird diversity throughout the county. Wetland habitats are critical to maintaining amphibian populations. Open space also contributes to human well being by providing recreational pastimes, aesthetic pleasures, opportunities to observe nature, and the peace-of-mind that results from a quiet walk in the woods. The full value of open space will only be realized through land protection followed by appropriate management. Deer overabundance is the single most critical management challenge. Over browsing has devastated forest habitat throughout the county; wildflowers, shrubs, and tree seedlings have been especially hard hit. Forests are not regenerating because trees seedlings and saplings cannot grow beyond the browse line. Invasive, non-native species of plants and animals have also affected the integrity of natural habitats in Montgomery County. While some invasives are widespread and have clearly become a permanent part of the landscape, others are in early enough stages of invasion that control efforts could be effective. General Recommendations The conservation landscapes and the natural areas inventory sites they contain have been surveyed several times over the timeframe of this project. Later chapters contain specific recommendations for the various landscapes. In addition to those specific recommendations, the following general recommendations apply to the conservation landscapes overall. Land Protection and Connectivity Protect large, uninterrupted forest blocks through the county open space program and cooperation with other organizations. Target additional forested lands adjacent to currently protected forest areas. Establish protected corridors and buffers to connect forested blocks corridors to establish entire protected corridors from headwater areas and tributaries to the main stem of creeks. Protect/restore riparian corridors.
Eliminate gaps in the trail system. Identify critical ground water recharge area and initiate protection. Implement a scenic roads program as outlined in the 2004 Open Space, Natural Features, and Cultural Resources Plan for Montgomery County. Land Management Reduce deer density throughout. A county task force should be established to develop a deer management policy for county lands. Control invasive species focusing on early stage infestations and other high profile targets (see specific recommendations for individual landscapes). Encourage the formation of advisory groups of residents/stakeholders for each landscape to develop management goals and recruit volunteers to implement appropriate management on publicly owned lands. Note that some areas already have established volunteer groups. Develop programs to educate landscape residents regarding preservation goals and encourage their voluntary cooperation; provide technical assistance. Establish a county office of ecosystem protection and natural lands management to advise residents and municipalities and serve as a clearinghouse for information and resources. Identify grassland habitat management goals and appropriate techniques for implementation. Public Education and Interpretation Publish a countywide guidebook to publicly accessible natural areas. Such a publication could be available in hard copy and on the internet. Install informative panels at trailheads featuring natural and cultural history. Develop a system of cell phone-accessed and/or podcast interpretive messages at key locations. Make available site-specific bird and wild plant checklists such as those published by the Schuylkill Canal Association for the Schuylkill Canal from Black Rock Dam to Longford Road. The checklists could be available at major trailheads or other open space access points; they could also be posted on the internet. Install informative signs at all public access points asking people not to dump yard waste in the woods and explaining that non-native plants such as English ivy, periwinkle, and others that are often included in garden debris, can take root and become invasive weeds in natural areas. Similarly the public needs to understand the potential ecological harm that can result from dumping the contents of fish tanks and pet turtles in lakes and streams. Educate the public on the impact of domestic and feral cats and dogs on birds and other native wildlife. Work with bicycle clubs and ATV users to develop appropriate trails and trail use standards
to reduce landscape damage from off-trail riding. Work with riding groups to develop standards for equestrian use of trails. Meaningful protection of the conservation landscapes will require collaborative efforts involving the county agencies, townships and boroughs, conservation groups, and private landowners. In the case of the Unami Creek, Mill Hill, and Schuylkill River landscapes, cooperative efforts with adjacent counties would greatly increase the effectiveness of resource protection programs. Specific recommendations in terms of priority lands within each conservation landscape are made in the individual conservation landscape chapters. These recommendations are meant to guide the county open space committee and other land conservation groups as they consider acquisition and protection of lands. Measures of Success The following list of indicators should provide a basis for evaluation of the success of the County Open Space Program and other efforts in safeguarding natural resources and ecological function. Information on these points should be collected on an annual basis in order to assess the progress of the program. Continued progress in the protection of natural habitats as indicated by increases in: - Acres of natural lands in public ownership. - Acres of natural lands owned by conservation organizations. - Acres of natural lands protected by conservation easements. Decreased deer density, or improvement in forest regeneration and vertical structure due to reduced browsing pressure. Miles of riparian buffers protected and/or restored. Forested acreage preserved. Stabilization or increases in populations of endangered, threatened, or rare species; no increase in numbers of locally extirpated species. Improved water quality in streams and rivers. Water table stabilization and improvement. Miles of greenways. 1995 Natural Areas Inventory The original Natural Areas Inventory listed sites of Statewide Significance and sites of Local Significance, and ranked them in term of importance. Sites of Statewide Significance are those where the presence of species of special concern and/or exemplary natural communities have been documented. These were ranked from 1 most important to 5 least important. Sites of Local Significance were identified based on size, biodiversity, water quality, and recreation
potential. While in several cases the potential for rare species to occur exists based on site characteristics, no species of special concern were documented at the site. These sites were ranked as high, medium, or low. It should be noted that the ranking is based on the importance of protecting the site, and not necessarily the site conditions. For example, a site that is already preserved may receive a lower status, even though it is a high quality site, because there is little need for further protection. The current update places these sites in a local context of 13 NAI Conservation Landscapes. These landscapes are delineated around one or more natural features, such as a creek or ridge. Conditions within the landscapes are similar, and features such as woodlands or riparian corridors often connect NAI Sites with the landscape. The following table relates each of the original NAI sites to the Conservation Landscape in which it is found. A map showing the relationship of the Conservation Landscapes to watershed boundaries is after the table. Relationship of Sites Between The First Natural Areas Inventory and The NAI Update Mill Hill/Deep Creek Conservation Landscape Defining features: Diabase Ridge, Forest, Deep Creek Niantic Northeast Woods (Douglass and Upper Hanover Townships)............. 2 Deep Creek Marsh (New Hanover Township)................................2 Deep Creek Reservoir Site (Upper Frederick Township)........................4 Site is shared with the Upper Perkiomen/Green Lane Conservation Landscape. Deep Creek Woods (Upper Frederick Township)..............................5 Henning Road Woods: (New Hanover Township)..........................High Mill Hill Woods (Upper Hanover Township)...........................Medium Hauck Road Marsh: (Upper Frederick Township).......................Medium Goezel Road Seeps (Upper Frederick Township)........................Medium Unami Creek/Ridge Valley Creek Landscape Defining features: Creeks, Forest, Diabase Ridge Ridge Valley Site (Salford Township).......................................2 Macoby Creek Ravine (Marlborough Township)..............................3 Upper Ridge Road Meadows (Marlborough Township).........................3 Unami Creek Site (Marlborough Township).................................5 Boutcher Road Site (Marlborough Township)................................5
Whites Mill Meadow (Salford Township)................................High Whites Mill Swamp (Salford and Marlborough Townships)..................High Ridge Valley Creek Woods (Salford Township)............................ Low Spring Mountain Conservation Landscape Defining features: Spring Mount, Perkiomen Creek, Forest Spring Mountain Woods (Upper Salford Township)...........................1 Spring Mountain Meadows (Upper Salford Township)...................Medium Swamp Creek Conservation Landscape Defining features: Swamp Creek, steep slopes and wooded riparian corridor None New Road Swamp (New Hanover Township).............................High Swamp Creek at Sunrise Mill (Limerick and Lower Frederick Townships)...Medium Laughing Waters Hemlocks: (New Hanover and Upper Frederick Townships)... Medium NOTE: Scioto Creek Hemlocks (Upper Frederick Township), Original rank: Medium, is not located within a conservation landscape, but falls between the Swamp Creek and the Mill Hill/ Deep Creek Conservation Landscapes. Stone Hill Conservation Landscape Defining features: Diabase ridge, forest Ringing Rocks (Lower Pottsgrove Township)................................5 Mine Run Site (Limerick Township).......................................5 None Upper Perkiomen/Green Lane Reservoir Conservation Landscape Defining features: Green Lane Reservoir, Perkiomen Creek Green Lane Marsh/New Goshenhoppen Meadows (Upper Hanover Township).....1 Knight Road Bluffs (Upper Hanover Township)..............................2
Deep Creek Reservoir Site (Upper Frederick Township).......................4 Site is shared with the Upper Perkiomen/Green Lane Conservation Landscape. Church Road Floodplain (Upper Hanover Township)....................Medium Fruitville Road Floodplain (Upper Hanover Township)..................... Low Middle Perkiomen Creek Corridor Defining features: Perkiomen Creek corridor Perkiomen Creek Floodplain (Perkiomen Township)..........................5 Collegeville Floodplain (Collegeville Borough)........................... Low Pennypacker Park Meadow (Perkiomen Township)........................ Low Otts Road Floodplain (Perkiomen Township)............................. Low Skippack Creek Conservation Landscape Defining features: Evansburg Park, Skippack Creek Mayhall Road Woods (Skippack Township).................................4 Green Hill Road Woods (Skippack and Worcester Townships)................ Low Wissahickon Creek Conservation Landscape Defining features: Wissahickon Creek Corridor Fort Washington Woods (Whitemarsh Township).............................4 Trewellyn Creek Woods (Lower Gwynedd Township)...................... Low Harris Woods (Whitpain Township).................................... Low Pennypack Creek Conservation Landscape Defining features: Pennypack Creek Corridor Fraziers Bog (Upper Moreland Township)..................................2 Willow Grove Station (Horsham Township).................................5 Willow Grove Roadside (Upper Moreland Township).........................5
Bethayers Swamp (Lower Moreland Township)...........................High Big Oak Woods (Abington Township)................................... Low Upper Schuylkill River Conservation Landscape Defining features: Schuylkill River corridor, tributary corridors Linfield Bluffs (Limerick Township).......................................2 Glasgow Railroad Woods (Pottstown Borough/West Pottsgrove Township)..... Low Middle Schuylkill River Conservation Landscape Defining features: Schuylkill River corridor, tributary corridors Pawling Ponds (Lower Providence Township)...............................3 Port Kennedy Cave (Upper Merion Township)...............................5 Valley Forge Field (Upper Merion Township)................................5 Mount Joy Site (Upper Merion Township)..................................5 Mont Clare Cliffs/Ravines (Upper Providence Township)................Medium Lower Schuylkill River Conservation Landscape Defining features: Schuylkill River corridor, tributaries, steep slopes, woodlands Miquon River Road Site (Whitemarsh Township)............................4 Ivy Rock Cliffs (Plymouth Township)................................... Low
Major Watersheds and NAI Conservation Landscapes