Natural Features & Ecosystems

 

The River, Creek, and Wetlands

Three miles of the Schuylkill River and two miles of Valley Creek run through the park. The Schuylkill River floodplain has deep, rich soils that support several types of floodplain forest, such as Riverine Floodplain Forest and Silver Maple Floodplain Forest, some of which are heavily infested with invasive and/or exotic plant species. The Riverine Floodplain forest consists of silver maple, green ash, sycamore, box elder, spicebush, false nettle, and stiltgrass. Along the river in the northwest corner of the park, the floodplain was drastically altered by the construction of a large dike, resulting in a very narrow floodplain in this area. Open and forested wetlands are found north of the dike.

Two types of wetlands occur naturally within the park: one type is an open, non-forested wetland dominated by reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) and wetland species such as rice cut-grass (Leersia oryzoides) and burreed (Sparganium spp.). This wetland type is called Wet Meadow. The other type of wetland is called Skunk Cabbage Seepage Meadow, and occurs in forested settings with a partial to closed canopy. The herbaceous layer is dominated by skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus). Meadows encourage the growth of native vegetation and provide a good habitat for flowers, such as purple top and little blue stem, and wildlife, such as foxes, deer, hawks, meadowlarks, and an assortment of butterflies. Drier areas support grasslands and successional forests.

Other natural and semi-natural plant communities occurring within the park are Tuliptree Forests and Northeastern Modified Successional Forest, in which the canopy is often dominated by black walnut, white ash, tree-of-heaven, and/or black locust. This forest type is often characterized by conspicuous vine cover in the tree layer including plants such as oriental bittersweet, Japanese honeysuckle, and summer grape.

Last updated: March 21, 2024

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