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Meadows and Roadsides
Description
Meadows form on sites that have been cleared, even on small sites such as roadsides. Where the soil has been broken, these sites support many species of grasses, asters, and goldenrods as well as many familiar roadside herbs. Hay-scented fern becomes dominant where the soil is not disturbed.
Meadows are maintained by annual mowing. If undisturbed they will quickly become overrun with shrubs and seedling trees.
Selected Plants
Shrubs
- Berberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry)
- Rubus alleghaniensis (Blackberry)
- Rubus idaeus (Raspberry)
- Rubus phoenicolasius (Wineberry)
- Smilax herbacea (Carrion flower)
Herbs
- Dennsteadtia punctilobula (Hay-scented fern)
- Anthoxanthum odoratum (Sweet vernal grass)
- Aster lateriflorus (Calico aster)
- Bromus inermis (Smooth brome)
- Dactylis glomerata (Orchard grass)
- Daucus carota (Queen Anne's lace)
- Euthamia graminifolia (Grass-leaved goldenrod)
- Hieracium venosum (Rattlesnake-weed)
- Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed susan)
- Solidago canadensis (Goldenrod)
- Solidago rugosa (Rough goldenrod)
- Solidago ulmifolia (Elm-leaved goldenrod)
- Dioscorea villosa (Wild yam)
Occurrence
Meadow at the old ski slope
A small meadow occurs below the parking lot at the main entrance of the forest. This site was a small ski slope; it is now being overrun with shrubs and seedling trees. There is another meadow on the northern edge of the forest near the intersection of 9W and Continental Road.
Ecology
Grassy meadows are an early stage in the succession from disturbed clearing to woodland. The plants that grow here are fast-growing herbs that produce abundant seed. They are adapted to quickly colonize a site and help to stabilize the soil after disturbance.
As shrubs take over the site, meadows turn into successional scrub. Eventually seedling trees grow enough to dominate the site, forming a successional woodland.
Roadsides are the main entry point for nonnative plants into the forest. The recent introduction and spread of wineberry along Brook Road and Japanese stilt grass along Continental Road illustrate how rapidly new plants can spread.
Meadows are often infested with ticks. Hikers should take care when visiting these sites.
History
A grassy meadow can indicate that the site was recently a farm field or pasture. Aleck Meadow Reservoir gets its name from the large meadow, formerly a pasture, where it was built.
In the 1930s, when the land was purchased for the Black Rock Forest, some of the land along Continental Road, Sutherland Road, and Old West Point Road was still covered by old pastures and grassy meadows from the farms that occupied these sites. Along Continental Road the fields were planted with pines and spruces while the rest of the sites are now grown into woodlands.
Also Called
- Reschke (1990): Successional old field
For general references see the reference page.
Photos: Kerry Barringer