Another Unexpected Discovery - Out of the Ashes

Michaux's Sumac (Rhus michauxii); Durham County (2014)

A series of unexpected and seemingly unrelated events (including encouragement from great volunteers, a last minute field trip venue change, perfect burn weather one fine spring day, a drenching downpour & flooded creek one late spring day, a new fire management partnership, etc...) conspired to produce spectacular results. 

In mid-May we held a field trip for members of the Friends of Plant Conservation (http://www.ncplantfriends.org). Guests and leaders alike were impressed with the results of a spring-time prescribed burn. Photo opportunities abounded (see image, left). There is nothing like seeing freshly sprouting plants invigorated after a burn!

While most people were snapping photos, some on their hands & knees, Lesley Starke called me over. She pointed to the small, hairy shrub (pictured above) and said, "is that what I think it is?"  But she already knew; we both instantly knew!  It's not every day one finds a new population of an endangered species, especially one of the rarest shrubs around.

Lesley Starke admiring her unexpected find

MICHAUX'S SUMAC IN DURHAM!!

What made this such an unexpected surprise? No previous survey work had associated Michaux's Sumac with these particular soils, and we did not believe the species native to the county.  Sure, there was a planted population elsewhere in the county but what did that mean? We had been frankly fixated on the other rare species present, namely Smooth Coneflower (Echinacea laevigata). Finally, the area had been literally "out of site and out of mind". Other than a single prescribed fire we conducted years ago, this area had received no management attention. The last time we burned nearby,  the area was avoided and had been languishing ever since. Fortuitously, early in the year I made a brief visit to the area with Herb & Pat Amyx.  We observed excellent restoration potential evidenced by numerous rosettes of Parthenium, and Helianthus atrorubens; we speculated on what might appear with appropriate restoration. Game on......and the hard work began.

We got an answer to our earlier speculation this May when over 40 stems of Michaux's Sumac were found!

Sumac Site shortly after prescribed fire & clearing

An abandoned railroad track runs through the middle of the site. In preparation for a controlled burn woody vegetation was cleared around the RR line (which also served as the fire line). The dense, dark woods toward the back right remained uncleared but were included in the initial fire; this tree density was typical across the entire length of the tract. 

Same view as above (approx.) several weeks later;
note flowering Sumac in foreground

Fire scars are evident on boles of shortleaf pines from the prescribed burn & orange-brown vegetation (back left) was top-killed by a more recent prescribed burn. The brush pile is one of many created from hand clearing.

During the prescribed fire, dense piles of pine needles and other leaves burned deeply exposing the RR ties underneath (we had stationed a pump unit there to wet the ties before they could ignite). All we really hoped for was flowering of the common species to benefit pollinators.

Michaux's Sumac (Rhus michauxii) flowering stem (foreground) with fire (background)

Michaux's Sumac (Rhus michauxii) was listed as federally endangered in 1989.  Although also endangered in North Carolina, the species is doing reasonably well in the sandhills region, where protected land and prescribed burning are relatively common. Populations in North Carolina's Piedmont have been all but wiped out. Loss of habitat to development and fire suppression are among the main culprits.

NOTE: Herb Amyx produced an excellent article on the Sumac which can be viewed here: (http://bwwellsassociation.wordpress.com/)

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Restoring the Larkspur Savanna

Tall Larkspur (Delphinium exaltatum) approaches its southern range limit in North Carolina. Only a handful of sites have been documented and the species is considered endangered.  Of the 2 documented records in the Piedmont region, one is now extirpated (by the creation of a water line), and the second persists in a narrow slice of habitat between a paved road and a frequently disturbed water line.

Several years ago with the financial support of the NC Natural Heritage Trust Fund (now defunct), we were able to purchase a wooded tract adjoining the lone remaining Piedmont population.  The plan was to restore the densely forested tract hoping the Larkspur could re-occupy more natural habitat away from the constant threats associated with living on the roadside.

Dense patch of Eastern Red Cedar killed by
prescribed fire under large shortleaf pine

Since then, we have conducted 3 or 4 prescribed burns across the tract, combatted invasive species, and cleared some of the dense tree growth present.

The forest has scattered remnant trees with growth forms indicative of savanna growth. However, these were shrouded in dense growth of young Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) and little light reached the forest floor. Prescribed fires and selective tree removal have begun to produce desired results.

After several years, the upland edge of the site has begun to appear much more open.  In the following images a shortleaf pine and dogwood can be seen before and after preliminary restoration; more shortleaf pines become apparent deeper in the woods on the latter image.

   

Maintaining and expanding the developing "Larkspur Savanna" continues to demand resources. 

Restoration in progress at Larkspur Savanna, 2014 (above)
w/small pile of Eastern Red Cedar logs & brush piles
browned ground was dense Japanese Stilt Grass (Microstegium vimineum) 

Aerial views show the expanding opening.

Site in 2010, before hand-clearing

Site in 2013, after hand-clearing

Over the last several years we have been lucky to have several dedicated individuals carry the load of our restoration efforts at this site.

Earlier this year, Thomas Blaine has taken on thinning and brush-cutting to expand potential habitat. He shocked me, and perhaps himself, with discovery of the first Tall Larkspur plants outside of the original patch!

Not to be outdone, our local Preserve Stewards, Herb & Pat Amyx discovered a few more plants upslope of Thomas' just days later.  Taken together, these finds have expanded the extent of the Piedmont's lone Tall Larkspur population by more than 100 meters.

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Prairie Flora in North Carolina: Buffalo Clover

I don't get phone calls about Buffalo Clover (Trifolium reflexum) very often, but when I do I take them seriously! 

Threatened in North Carolina, barely half of the historically reported locations are believed to still be extant. Like many other species associated with open, historically fire maintained habitats, the populations have dwindled or disappeared along with the habitat.

Nearly all North Carolina sites have been documented in the Piedmont, so hearing of a potential site in the North Carolina mountains (Madison County, north of Asheville), was a bit unexpected. In fact, this would be the western-most population in the state. I traveled out to take a look.

Patti Waltz discoverer of the Buffalo Clover in Madison County.

My first surprise was the steepness. The site climbs approximately 300' in elevation (topping out around 1960') in less than 400 linear feet (that's an 80% slope)!

The site is densely bouldery with numerous ledges and crevices. Widely scattered prickly pear cactus (Opuntia humifusa) made resting on these problematic. Other open sun-exposed rocks have large clumps of species associated with high pH rocks; such as Limestone Goldenrod (Solidago sphacelata) and Shale-barren Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium). Spreading Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus) was apparent in places, while moister, shadier areas had dense patches of River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium).

Patch of River Oats under Black Walnut above outcrop

Eastern red-cedar, black walnut, Biltmore Ash (Fraxinus biltmoreana), Georgia hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia), and Red bud are common trees along with patches of aromatic sumac (Rhus aromatica), coralberry (Symphyocarpus orbiculatus), and an occasional fringe-tree (Chionanthus virginicus). Where Patti Waltz removed invasive plants, especially Japanese honeysuckle, the rich, black soil is often exposed. In such pockets, the Buffalo Clover has emerged.

There are a few "protected" sites where Buffalo Clover occurs in the Piedmont, but none are found in such unusual ecological settings.  This is one of the reasons our goal is to protect multiple examples of each species across their natural range in North Carolina. 

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