Ecological significance of nontidal wetlands of Special State Concern

[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources Division
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

C41
(AA September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Anne Arundel County that is designated as a nontidal
wetland of Special State Concern under the State Nontidal
Wetlands Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were
prepared for each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the
designated nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically
important buffers for habitat for plant and animal species
identified as rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department
of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated
nontidal wetlands are unique natural areas or harbor unusual
natural communities.

The identification and designation of these areas was a
cooperative effort between three agencies within the Department
of Natural Resources: the Natural Heritage Program, Nontidal
Wetlands Division, and Coastal Resources Division. As the
State's lead agency for the identification and protection of rare
species and natural communities, the Natural Heritage Program
continually updates the ecological information for these areas.
For the most recent information on a particular site, please
consult the program's office in Annapolis.

In the following summaries the status of rare species
follows the Natural Heritage Program's Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Animals of Maryland and Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Plants of Maryland as revised February 1991. While
the names of rare species occurring within each area are not
provided, the status is given in order to convey the ecological
significance of the areas. Common names are used for
characteristic species in descriptions of the vegetation except
when no common name is available. These common names generally
follow those found in Fernald's Gray's Manual of Botany, 8th
Edition (1950). When a specific species is named, the common
name is capitalized. Common names referring to a genus or family
are not capitalized.

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ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

Site Name: Benfield Bottomland

USGS Quad: Odenton
Excellent examples of deciduous and mixed p1he-deciduous
bottomland forests border the streams that flow through this
site. Percolation through the adjacent sandy uplands provides a
significant source of fresh water to these bottomland forests.
The steep, highly erodible slopes that border much of the main
stream are unsuitable for development or cultivation.' These
forested slopes maintain the high quality of groundwater that
feeds the bottomland forests. The sandy soil of the uplands is
very low in nutrients and supports an oak-pine forest community
that is uncommon on the Western Shore.

In the dense cover of shrubs, vines, and:,herbaceou's species
that borders the main stream grows a rare plant that is listed as
Threatened in Maryland and known from only four other sites in
the State. The population along this stream is extensive,
consisting of more than a thousand plants. Patches of the rare
species dot one mile of the stream's eastern bank. The rare
plants appear to be reproducing successfully and the population
appears stable. Because this population is large and the habitat'
quality of the bottomland and adjacent upland forests is high,
this site provides the best opportunity to preserve this rare
species in Maryland.

A small population of a second State Threatened species
grows in the semi-permanently flooded bottomland forest
downstream from the first rare species. This species is known
from fewer than ten other sites in the State.

The large, contiguous forest in this area provides excellent
habitat for forest interior dwelling birds.

Paths along the stream's eastern bank are well-used and
reveal that this area is visited frequently by hikers. The
bottomland and upland forests provide opportunities for
birdwatching and environmental education.

Site Name: Blackhole Creek Bog

USGS Quad: Gibson Island

Blackhole Creek Bog is a small evergreen shrub bog dominated
by a heath shrub found more commonly farther north. Coastal
Plain peat bogs are uncommon in Maryland, and this site is

particularly unusual because it is thought to be naturally-
formed. Most of Maryland's remaining Coastal Plain bogs have
formed as a result of human activities such as impoundments.
Until recently this site was relatively undisturbed.
Unfortunately the area was clearcut in the mid-1980's to the edge
of the bog, disrupting the hydrology and perhaps altering the
vegetational composition of the bog over time.

Seven rare or uncommon plant species grow in-,Blackhole Creek
Bog and the surrounding uplands. The shrub that dominates the
bog is listed as Threatened in Maryland, and is known from fewer
than 10 sites in the State. Five rare sedges grow at the site,
two of which are Threatened in Maryland, each occurring at fewer
than five locations statewide. Two additional sedges'are not yet
considered Threatened but are uncommon and warrant monitoring.
The fifth sedge grows in moist soils at the base of one of the
slopes that form the watershed of the bog. It is considered
State Rare and is known from fewer than five sites in the State.
A-small tree that is uncommon in Maryland grows in the'sandy
uplands near the bog.

Site Name: Cockey Creek Swamp

USGS Quads: Round Bay, Gibson Island

Cockey Creek Swamp consists of a Coastal Plain bog and a
large shrub swamp with deep, inundated, organic soils. The
Coastal Plain bog was formed at the site of an abandoned
millpond. Coastal Plain bogs are a rare habitat type in
Maryland. They are characterized by low-nutrient, highly acidic,
wet soils and unusual plant communities especially adapted to
these stressful soil conditions.

This site supports a very high quality population of a large
grass that is listed as Threatened in Maryland. This species is
known from fewer than 10 locations in the State. The population
at Cockey Creek Swamp is unusually large, containing more than a
thousand individual plants dispersed over several acres of bog,
shrub swamp and floodplain forest habitat. The Maryland
populations of this species occur near the northern limit of this
species' range. Plants at the edge of a species' range are
important to protect because they often differ genetically from
plants in the central portion of the range. This genetic
variation may help the species survive major environmental
changes such as climate changes due to global warming.

A small population of an uncommon tree species grows in the
saturated soils of the shrub swamp downstream from the bog. Two
individuals are exceptionally large, including one with a
circumference of seven feet. Although small, the population is

reproducing successfully. Another uncommon species, a wetland
sedge, grows on the sphagnum mat of the Coastal Plain bog.

Site Name: Conrail/Patuxent River

USGS Quad: Laurel

This site consists of a sandy, marshy area with inundated
soils. It forms part of a large wetland complex that contains
extensive forested swamps. Many of these forests are old, with
large, mature trees and standing dead timber offering superb
nesting sites for birds and other wildlife species. The size as
well as the age of the undisturbed forest and wetlands make them
important habitat for forest interior dwelling species.

In the past (19701s) the marsh at this site was reported to
have supported a population of an extremely rare, herbaceous
wetland species. The Conrail/Patuxent River site has not been
searched for the species in recent years. This plant is currently
listed as Endangered Extirpated in Maryland, because no current
populations are known. If it were to be rediscovered at this or
any other Maryland site, its status would be automatically
changed to Endangered in Maryland.

Site Name: Fort George G. Xeade

USGS Quads: Laurel, Odenton

Over 6900 acres of nearly contiguous forest occur on Fort
George G. Meade south of Route 198. Approximately 1200 acres of
this area consist of old bottomland and swamp forest within the
100 year floodplains of the Patuxent and Little Patuxent Rivers.
These swamps offer unique biological resources. A species of
nematode controls the mosquito population in the swamp along the
Patuxent River. Large, old trees, including a Sycamore over 4
.ft. in diameter, inhabit the swamp along the Little Patuxent. In
addition, the swamps and the adjacent forested uplands that drain
into them filter sediment and other pollutants that would
otherwise lower the quality of the waters fed by these wetlands.

The wetlands and old forests at Fort Meade provide excellent
habitat for native plants, including potential habitat for many
rare species. The forests have not been thoroughly surveyed for
rare plants, although one Highly State Rare species is known to
grow along the banks of the Big Patuxent River. Twenty-six
records of rare plants have been reported historically from the
adjacent Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. These species may
inhabit the similar upland forests and wetlands of Fort Meade.
More than 50 rare species of plants have been reported
historically from the Laurel area. Aerial photographs and

wetland maps indicate that the forests of Fort Meade provide
potential habitat for these rare species.

The upland forest is composed of stands of various ages. In
conjunction with forests on adjacent Federal lands managed by the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, and the National Air and Space Administration, the
forests of Fort Meade are part of one of the largest contiguous
tracts of forest remaining in central Maryland. Commercial and
residential development and clearing for agriculture and timber
harvest have fragmented the forests of this region, leaving small
isolated patches. Many species of wildlife and plants native to
this region cannot survive in the small patches of forest, and
their populations are declining in central Maryland. The
extensive contiguous forests of Fort Meade and adjacent Federal
lands offer outstanding habitat for these forest interior
species.

Among the many animals that inhabit Fort Meade are numerous
species of forest interior dwelling birds that require large
tracts of forest for feeding and breeding. Of the 19 species
identified by the Maryland Forest, Park and Wildlife Service as
forest interior breeding birds native to this State, 18 are known
to inhabit Fort Meade. All but one of the forest interior
breeding birds that inhabit Fort Meade require the habitat
provided by an old forest. Much of the forest on Fort Meade is
at least 60 years old. As the forest ages it will provide
increasingly higher quality habitat for forest interior species.

The older forests of Fort Meade also provide habitat for a
variety of other wildlife. Beaver, geese, and a variety of ducks
inhabit the swamps and marshes along the Patuxent and Little
Patuxent Rivers and their tributaries. Six rare species of
animals have been reported historically from the Laurel area and
may inhabit Fort Meade. Two historical records of a rare fish,
and records of a rare snake and insect have been reported from
the Fort. Many species of game and non-game wildlife inhabit the
upland forests.

Site Name: Freetown 8wamp

USGS Quad: Curtis Bay

Excellent examples of two significant plant communities
occur at this site--a Red Maple-Sweet Bay Swamp and a Mature
Pine-Oak Forest. Vegetation studies of the Baltimore-Washington,
D'C. area conducted in the early 1900's indicated that several
Sweet Bay Bogs occurred in this region. Few, if any, of these
bogs survive; they have been cleared or drained. The Red Maple-
Sweet Bay Swamp in this protection area provides an example that

is similar although not identical, to the bogs found
historically.

Few plant species can endure the lack of available soil
nutrients in the highly acidic, sphagnous swamp. Among the
plants that grow in this stressful environment is an herbaceous
species that is known from just four other sites,,in Maryland.
This globally rare species is listed as EndangergLd in Maryland
and as Threatened under the U.S. Endangered SpecibesAct. The
species inhabits the acidic swamp and appears to thrive on the
fresh water flowing through the adjacent sandy ridges. The
population at this site is large and is reproducing well, whereas
two other State populations of the species are quite,@small.
Although rare throughout its range, this plant is most frequently
found in association with pine barren communities similar to the
forest in this protection area.

Although some of the upland Pine-Oak Forest was cleared
within the last 50 years, a large stand of mature pine remains.
Pines of similar age are rare on the Coastal Plain, and this pine
barren community is particularly unusual in this county. A
development now underway may destroy the upland forest community
before the end of 1991.

A nature trail planned for the adjacent development will
provide naturalists and local residents an opportunity to observe
an unusual example of the native vegetation of this region. A
small nature center staffed during the growing season would
greatly increase the educational value of the nature trail by
providing further interpretation of the local landscape.

Site Name: Fresh Pond

USGS Quad: Gibson Island

The Fresh Pond area contains a large freshwater pond
bordered by a Coastal Plain bog, a rare habitat type in Maryland.
Coastal Plain bogs are open, acidic, nutrient-poor wetlands that
support many rare plant species adapted to the unusual conditions
of bogs. The bog at Fresh Pond is one of the largest and
floristically most diverse of Maryland's bogs. Also known by the
name "Angel's Bog," it has long been considered important by
botanical experts. This area was designated by the Maryland
Department of State Planning as an Area of Critical State Concern
in 1981. It was designated as an Ecological Priority site in the
1974 report by the Smithsonian Institution entitled "Natural
Areas of the Chesapeake Bay Region: Ecological Priorities."

Two plant species listed as Threatened in Maryland grow in
the bog at Fresh Pond, including one which is known from fewer

than ten sites in the State. The Maryland populations occur at
the southern edge of this species' range. Populations at the
edge of a species' range are especially important to preserve
because they often differ genetically from the rest of the
species. The unique genetic makeup of outlying populations may
help the species survive catastrophes such as disease outbreaks
or climate changes due to global.warming. Five plant species
considered uncommon in Maryland also grow in the*,t)og.

Six additional rare species have been reported from Fresh
Pond in the past, and@are still likely to occur at the site.
Additional field studies will be required to confirmIthe presence
of these species.

Many of Maryland's nontidal wetlands have been lost due to
'ditching and draining for development and agriculture.. The
wetland complex at Fresh Pond contributes tothe maintenance of
water quality in the lower Patapsco River and the Chesapeake Bay.

Many species of wildlife reside in this wetland and the
surrounding mixed hardwood forest. The site-is part of a larger
forested tract and provides habitat for forest interior breeding
birds such as the Scarlet Tanager. Other animal species that
have been identified at the site include the Northern Cricket
Frog, Painted Turtle, Bullfrog, Purple Martin, Great Blue Heron,
Kingfisher, Wood Thrush, Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Bobwhite Quail,
and White-tailed Deer.

Site Name: Gumbottom Wetland

USGS Quad: Round Bay

This site contains a large, high-quality freshwater wetland
complex that includes several habitat types. Many wetlands in
the Coastal Plain of Maryland have been lost due to ditching and
draining for development or agriculture. Chief in ecological
significance among the habitats represented here is a prime
example of a mature Coastal Plain bog. The bog is more than an
acre in size with a springy, well-developed mat of sphagnum moss.
Coastal Plain bogs support unusual botanical communities adapted
to this acidic habitat and influenced by the high water table,
relatively cool temperatures, and the sparse cover of trees.
Fewer than a dozen bogs are known from Maryland's Western Shore,
and Gumbottom Wetland is one of the most significant.

This bog may have originated as an oxbow of the stream that
runs through the site. Saturated conditions are maintained by
groundwater-influienced seeps on the slope above the bog and by a
very old road which bisects the site and has served as a dam for
many years.

The bog in Gumbottom Wetland is one of the most diverse and
botanically interesting bogs on the Western Shore. It
encompasses a broad array of bog shrubs and herbs, including at
least three carnivorous plants and eleven rare species. One of
the rare species is listed as Endangered in Maryland, and is
known from only one other site in the State. That population is
quite small, whereas the population at Gumbottom is large and
extensive. Four other plant species are listed as Threatened in
Maryland. One of these is a shrub that is represented here by
one of its largest and most vigorous populations in the State.
Individual shrubs are large and form the dominant vegetation
throughout much of the bog. This species is also an important
component of the adjacent shrub swamp. Another of the Threatened
species is a carnivorous plant that occurs in fewer than five
locations on the Western Shore and is rare throughout Maryland.
The population at this site is unusually large, with numerous
plants in all stages of maturity. Six additional species are
considered uncommon in Maryland, not yet threatened but worthy of
monitoring due to declining or restricted populations.

In addition to its important botanical resources, Gumbottom.
Wetland should be preserved for its scenic beauty, its role in
maintaining the water quality of the nearby river and the
Chesapeake Bay, and its importance as wildlife habitat.

The site was recommended for maintenance as a "natural use
areall in a 1970 report by the Maryland Department of State
Planning, entitled "Scenic Rivers in Maryland". The Severn
River, into which this wetland drains, was designated a Maryland
Scenic River in 1971. In 1988, the wetland was included in a
report entitled Gems of the Severn which recommended maintaining
the site in a natural state for such purposes as wetland and
forest wildlife reservations, scientific monitoring, and natural
management of stormwater. This report noted several additional
habitats at this site that are worthy of protection. A small
ravine downstream from the bog was noted for its scenic
qualities, including a rich herbaceous layer, open understory and
large Tulip Trees. The shrub swamp was reported as an example of
"alluvial drowninglo. I't was noted for the size and age of its
trees, which, along with several other factors, suggest that this
wetland has been in equilibrium (undisturbed) for an unusually
long time. Several large Sweet Bay trees were recommended for
measurement as potential State Champions.

The shrub swamp offers important'feeding and nesting habitat
for migratory and resident birds and for amphibians. The large
size of the undeveloped area makes it a valuable habitat for
larger native animal species as well.

Site Name: John Wesley Church

USGS Quad: Round Bay

The John Wesley Church area contains an unusually high
quality wooded swamp bounded by forested, steep slopes.
Undisturbed swamp forests of this size and maturity are rare in
this region due to development, draining and filling for
agriculture, and logging. The high quality of the water in the
swamp and stream is maintained by the forested slopes. The
development which has occurred in the area is limited to the more
level uplands, well away from the wetlands. The vegetation in
this protection area is very diverse due to the lack of recent
disturbance and the gradual changes in soil moisture with
distance upstream.

A State Threatened plant grows among the diverse herbaceous
species on the wooded slopes just above the wetland. This
species is known from just four other sites in Maryland and only
one of these sites is protected. This population is unusual in
that its habitat is drier than at any other site in the state.
The plants that grow here may provide an important source of
genetic variation in their ability to tolerate drier soil.

The wooded swamp provides superb nesting and feeding habitat
for migratory songbirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl. Preservation
of this site is also critical to the maintenance of water quality
in the marsh downstream, which is part of the Chesapeake Bay
Critical Area. The 1970 report "Scenic Rivers in Maryland"
recommended this site as a "natural use area". Waters from this
swamp forest feed into the Severn River, designated as one of
Maryland's Scenic Rivers. In 1986, this area was recommended by
the Severn River Commission as one of the "Natural Areas of
Highest Priority for Preservation". Gems of the Severn (1988)
recommended the preservation of this @@ite Tor passive recreation
or a wildlife reservation. Nontidal wetlands such as this swamp
are increasingly valued for their role in protecting the water
quality of the rivers they feed and ultimately, the Chesapeake
Bay.

Site Name: Little Patuxent oxbow

USGS Quad: Laurel

Little Patuxent Oxbow contains a large wetland complex
associated with an old meander of the Little Patuxent River that
has been cut off from the river channel. Steep slopes surround
and drain into the wetlands,, which include palustrine forests,
seepage areas, open water, and a palustrine emergent marsh. The
wetlands contain excellent community examples with extremely high

diversity of native species. Many plants form a floating mat
over more than one-half acre of water in the emergent marsh.

Three rare plant species grow at Little Patuxent Oxbow. A
small but dense population of a State Endangered parasitic plant
grows on Mild Water-pepper and Jewelweed plants in the marsh.
This small population is the only known locality.for the species
in the State. An attractive wildflower listed as'
,@-Threatened in
the State grows in the wet soils at the edge of the@marsh. It is
known from only five sites in Maryland. An uncommon@
insectivorous species grows in the marsh's shallow water.

Site Name: North Gray's Bog

USGS Quad: Gibson Island

This wetland complex includes a large Coastal Plain bog, an
old pond, an emergent marsh, and a shrub swamp. Coastal Plain
bogs are an extremely unusual habitat type in.Maryland'and
contain rare botanical communities that should be preserved.
Fewer than a dozen Coastal Plan bogs are known from Maryland's
Western Shore, and all of them are ecologically important. Such
sites support a suite of species found only in acidic, wet
habitats where tree canopy closure is inhibited and a mat of
organic peat has developed over many years. North Gray's Bog is
especially important because portions of the bog are in the early'
stages of development, and the potential habitat for rare species
will increase in size as the development of the sphagnous mat
continues.

North Gray's Bog harbors a small population of a State
Endangered sedge that is known from only one other site in
Maryland. It also supports sizeable populations of two species
listed as Threatened in Maryland, each of which occurs in fewer
than 10 other sites statewide. The North Gray's Bog populations
occur at the edge of the species' distribution for both plants.
one plant grows primarily farther north and the other has a
southern distribution. Outlying populations are important to
preserve because they often differ genetically from the remainder
of the population. They may help the species to survive
catastrophic conditions such as disease outbreaks or climate
changes.

Four other plant species at North Gray's Bog are considered
uncommon in Maryland. They are not yet thought to be threatened,
but they are worthy of monitoring due to declining or restricted
populations.

Wetland complexes such as this one are increasingly
recognized for their essential role in maintaining the water
quality of our rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. Many such wetlands

have been lost due to filling, draining and ditching for
development and agriculture.

Site Name: Patuxent Community Ponds

USGS Quad: Odenton

This site consists of two freshwater ponds dpnnpcted by a
narrow drainage. The larger pond is surrounded by shrub swamp
and palustrine forest, with Sweet Pepperbush, River Birch and
Sweet Gum dominant close to the pond. The marshy edges of the
pond support a diverse flora of native species such as Maryland
and Virginia Meadow Beauties, Short-stalked False Pimpernel, St.
Peters-wort, Cardinal Flower, and native sedges. The smaller
pond is mowed to the edge of the pond, and supports only a few
submerged aquatic species plus Pickerel Weed, with some
Buttonbush and Black Willow along the eastern margin.

Among the native species at the marshy edge of the large
pond is a small population of a State Rare plant. This species
is known from fewer than a dozen sites in Maryland. An
additional rare species was reported historically from the
vicinity of Patuxent Community Ponds but has not been found
recently here or anywhere in the State. It is currently listed
as Endangered Extirpated.

Site Name: Patuxent Maple Swamp

USGS Quad: Bowie

This site is an excellent example of a palustrine floodplain
forest. Red Maple dominates this section of the Patuxent River
floodplain, which supports a variety of bottomland hardwood
species, including Sweet Gum, River Birch, Sycamore, Ironwood,
and ash. occasional scouring by floodwaters of the Patuxent
River maintains an open understory. Patches of shrubs occur on
slightly elevated areas and herbaceous openings form in the
depressions and channels that retain floodwaters longer. These
natural herbaceous openings are unique to floodplain forests;
they do not occur in other palustrine, nontidal wetlands of the
Upper Coastal Plain.

Among the unusual herbaceous species that inhabit these
openings are two species that are rare in Maryland. One species
is known from just two other sites in the State and is listed as
Endangered in Maryland. The other species is considered Highly
State Rare and is-known from only one other location in the
State.

At the west end of the wetland complex, temporary pools and
saturated soils of the Red Maple-Sweet Gum forest provide habitat
for an uncommon crustacean. This species is declining and worthy
of monitoring in Maryland. These small creatures are
predominantly subterranean and only occasionally appear in
surface waters. The bulk of 'the population lives in saturated
soils well shaded by the deciduous bottomland forest.

The various types of forested wetlands along this section of
the Patuxent River provide excellent habitat for resident and
migratory songbirds. In addition, several woodpeckers were
observed during both visits to this area. The natural herbaceous
openings attract deer and other wildlife.

The forested wetlands along the Patuxent River absorb
floodwater during storms and thus reduce the impacts of flooding
downstream.

Site Name: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

USGS Quad: Laurel

The Research Center includes over 3000 acres of nearly
contiguous forest. These forests include approximately 700 acres
of mature bottomland forest bordering the Patuxent River. The
Society of American Foresters identified the Research Center's
bottomland forest as one of nearly 400 natural areas in their
national inventory of mature forests. The Society's inventory of
natural areas was initiated because these relatively undisturbed
forests provide a vital educational resource. The extensive
tracts of forest provide a laboratory for studies of plants and
animals in their natural habitats and for studies of the
ecological processes that sustain the forests. These forest
ecosystems remain essentially intact; for example, they include
species of forest interior dwelling birds such as neotropical
migratory species that are unable to survive in smaller forests.
Only by understanding the natural processes that sustain these
extensive, relatively undisturbed forests, can scientists assess
the effects of human-induced changes to forests of this region.

At least two rare plant-species inhabit this area. One, a
sedge, is known from only four additional sites in the State and
is listed as Threatened in Maryland. The other rare species is a
State Threatened wildflower. There are several historical
reports of additional rare species at the Wildlife Research
Center. The forests were not.searched for these species during
the field surveys conducted for this report. However, it is
likely that the rare species survive because there has been very
little disturbance to the habitats from which they were reported.
Further survey of the forest is needed to confirm the presence of
these rare species.

Most of the forested acreage at the Research Center, both
upland and bottomland, has been designated by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service as Research Natural Areas. These forests, in
association with adjacent forests on Fort Meade, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture Research Center, and other federally-
owned land's, constitute one of the largest remaining contiguous
tracts of forest in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area.
As commercial and residential development merge formerly distinct
metropolitan areas of the mid-Atlantic states, the forests that
remain are usually small, isolated patches. These small patches
cannot support many of the plants and animals native to this
region that require extensive forests or are intolerant of
frequent disturbance. The forests of the Wildlife Research
Center and adjacent federal properties offer the best available
opportunity to conserve the native plants and wildlife of this
region that will not survive in small, isolated forests.

Site Name: Round Bay Bog

USGS Quad: Round Bay

Round Bay Bog is a large wetland complex consisting of
palustrine forest and shrub swamp. An unusual and ecologically
significant habitat type, a Coastal Plain Bog, occurs just east
of the site, within the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area. The
nontidal wetland of Special State Concern provides contiguous
wetland habitat that is critical to the preservation of the
Coastal Plain bog because it maintains the quantity and quality
of the water in the bog.

Coastal Plain bogs are an unusual and important habitat type
in Maryland, characterized by wet, acidic soils low in important
plant nutrients. They support unusual plant communities with
species especially adapted to the stressful soil conditions,
including heath shrubs, sphagnum moss, and insectivorous plants.
They frequently harbor rare species. Few naturally occurring
Coastal Plain bogs remain in Maryland, due in part to the
suppression of the fires and floods that once created these
unusual successional habitats.

A few unusual sites where powerlines cross certain swamps
simulate natural bog conditions and support some rare bog
species. This occurs in only a very few, restricted areas where
swamps have just the right combination of soils and hydrology to
develop into bogs. The removal of woody vegetation during
powerline right-of-way maintenance at these special sites mimics
the natural disturbances that create bogs. Round Bay Bog is one
of the largest and most significant of these 11powerline bogs".

Among the unusual vegetation in the powerline bog are four
rare species. one of these is an herbaceous vine that is listed
as Endangered in Maryland and occurs in fewer than five sites
statewide. Two are State Threatened species--one, a sedge known
from fewer than five Maryland sites and the other, a fern known
from fewer than ten sites. The fourth rare species is a
wildflower that is considered Highly State Rare and is known from
nowhere else in the State.

Site Name: Stony Run

USGS Quad: Relay

The Pitch Pine-Red Maple Swamp Forest that borders Stony Run
is an uncommon community type on the Upper Coastal Plain.
Several of the herbaceous species in the swamp usually inhabit,
colder regions in the mountains or in the Piedmont farther north.
Forests as mature as the swamp along Stony Run are rare,
throughout the Coastal Plain. The well-stratified canopy and the
presence of large trees (pines greater than 15 in. in diameter)
indicate that portions of this area have not been logged in more
than 60 years. A colorful display of native wildflowers blankets
the forest in the spring and summer. The absence of invasive
non-native species throughout much of the swamp suggests minimal
recent disturbance to this area.

Three rare plant species grow in the well-developed
herbaceous layer of the swamp forest. one of these plants is
rare throughout its range and is listed as Threatened nationally.
In Maryland it is known from only four other sites and is listed
as Endangered. Portions of two of these sites are protected
voluntarily by landowners, but these voluntary agreements do not
provide long-term protection for these sites. The other rare
species are each known from fewer than ten sites in the State.
One is listed as Endangered in Maryland, and the other as
Threatened. This relatively mature swamp forest offers an
opportunity to preserve these rare species as well as an uncommon
community.

The Stony Run area is adjacent to a State Park and provides
an excellent opportunity to increase the diversity of habitats
within the park. Whether this swamp forest is annexed to the
park or protected as a separate entity, it will enhance the
recreational and educational values of the park by providing an
unusual habitat for visitors to explore.

Two additional rare plant species have been reported from
this area but have not been observed recently. Because there has
been little disturbance to portions of the habitat, further
survey may reveal that these species still inhabit the swamp
forest.

Site Name: Watershed Woods

USGS Quad: South River

Narrow, temporarily flooded wetlands border the streams of
this extensive forest. Beech and species of oak dominate the
adjacent uplands. Trees measuring two feet in diameter grow on
the stream banks and ravine slopes. Forests of similar age are
rare on the Upper Coastal Plain of Maryland. The absence of
disturbance to this forest has allowed the development of rich,
loamy soil that supports an abundance and diversity of herbaceous
species.

Among the numerous spring wildflowers is a species listed as
Endangered in Maryland that occurs in just two other sites in the
State. This rare plant apparently relies on a soil fungus in
order to absorb water and nutrients. However, the fungus only
thrives in undisturbed, loamy soils with a well-developed organic
layer. The rarity of this plant species, with its associated
fungus, is attributed to the scarcity of mature, undisturbed
forests on the Upper Coastal Plain.

The mature hardwood forest and adjacent swamp offer a
diversity of habitats to wildlife, including numerous songbirds.
The adjacent ponds provide feeding and resting grounds for
waterbirds and waterfowl.

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

BALTIMORE COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources Division
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Baltimore County that is designated as a nontidal wetland
of Special State Concern under the State Nontidal Wetlands
Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were prepared for
each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the designated
nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically important
buffers for habitat for plant and animal species identified as
rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department of Natural
Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated ' nontidal
wetlands are unique natural areas or harbor unusual natural
communities.

BALTIMORE COUNTY

Site Name: Beaverdam Run

USGS Quad: Cockeysville

This spring-fed, calcareous marsh is one of the few
remaining examples of a habitat that was once common in the
stream valleys and lowlands of this region. Most similar areas
of nutrient-rich soil were cleared for agriculture. Proximity to
Baltimore has led to additional habitat loss to residential and
commercial development. Mining of the underlying marble has also
destroyed similar habitat.

Among the species growing at the edge of this unusual
wetland are two State Endangered plants. For one species this
small population is the only known locality in Maryland. The
second species is known from fewer than five sites statewide.
This site supports the only population in the state that consists
of more than 100 individuals.

Site Name: Beetree Run

USGS Quad: New Freedom

Beetree Run contains a nontidal marsh located in a wooded
stream valley. The marsh is dominated by native herbaceous
species such as Tussock Sedge and Sensitive Fern. Among the
marsh plants is a large population of a rare flowering perennial
listed as Threatened in Maryland. This plant is known from fewer
than ten sites in the State. This occurrence is especially
important because the population is large, containing more than
500 flowering individuals in a 2-acre area. Most populations in
the state are small, consisting of fewer than 100 individuals.

Site Name: Big Gunpowder Falls - Forge Road Site

USGS Quad: White Marsh

This site supports an old riparian forest with large
individuals of ash, Box Elder and Sycamore growing in the
floodplain. The shrub and herbaceous layers are well-developed
and diverse. Forests of such.age and diversity are uncommon in
Maryland.

The site also contains seepage wetlands which support a
large population of a fern that is Rare in Maryland. This
species is known from fewer than a dozen sites in the State. The

population at this site is large, vigorous and reproducing
successfully.

Site Name: Club Hill Forest

USGS Quad: White Marsh

This rich, mesic bottomland forest provides habitat for a
rare herbaceous species that is listed as Endangered in Maryland.
This population is large, containing more than 500 individuals
growing along more than 1000 feet of river bottomland.
Widespread forest clearing for residential and commercial
development in this rapidly growing area has eliminated much
similar habitat. The rare species at this site is known from
fewer than five sites in the State.

Site Name: Glencoe/Gunpowder Falls

USGS Quad: Hereford

This riverine site encompasses a section of the river's
floodplain. It supports a very small population of an herbaceous
plant species that is considered Rare in Maryland and is known
from fewer than 10 sites in the State. Maryland's populations
are near the edge of the species range. Populations near the
edge of a plant's distribution are important to protect because
they often differ genetically from the rest of the species. This
genetic variation can help the species survive changing
environmental conditions that may threaten the majority of the
species' populations.

Site Name: Gwynns Falls North

USGS Quad: Reisterstown

This small swamp contains a population of a rare wildflower
that is listed as Threatened in Maryland. This is.an outlying
population. Most of our State's few populations occur in the
mountains of Western Maryland. Most, including this population,
are small and therefore especially vulnerable to habitat
alteration. If the species is to be preserved in Maryland, it is
important to protect as many populations as possible.

Site Name: Gwynns Falls South

USGS Quad: Reistertown

Gwynn Falls South contains a wetland complex that includes a
marsh, a wet meadow, and a boggy field. The wetlands are

dominated by native species such as Swamp Rose and cattail.
These wetlands support three small subpopulations of a rare
wildflower that is listed as Threatened in Maryland. The species
is known from fewer than a dozen other sites in the State. Only
five Maryland sites are known outside the mountains of Western
Maryland. Most populations are quite small, and are vulnerable
to habitat destruction and natural catastrophes. The plants are
slow-growing perennials that do not flower for thp first several
years. These attractive plants may also be vulndrable to
collection by wildflower enthusiasts.

A rare plant listed as Endangered in Maryland was known
historically from the site, but has not been seen recently. This
plant may not have survived periods of extreme drought that have
occurred since it was last observed.

Site Name: Loch Raven - Hampton Area

USGS Quad: Towson

In this area, the relatively flat shoreline of Loch Raven
Reservoir is composed of a fine silt to fine gravel substrate
that is seasonally inundated. The shoreline supports a large
population of a sedge that is listed as Endangered in Maryland.
This is the only current location for the species in the State
and it was known historically from just one additional locality.
This site appears to support a stable, healthy population, but
the plants are potentially vulnerable to drastic water level
manipulation in the reservoir.

A second herbaceous species that is Rare in Maryland grows
along the calcareous shore just above the high water mark, at the
edge of woody growth. It is known from fewer than five sites in
the State.

Site Name: Lower Chimney Branch

USGS Quad: Reisterstown

This deciduous floodplain forest along Lower Chimney Branch
supports a small population of a wetland wildflower that is
listed as Threatened in Maryland. The species is known from
fewer than 10 sites in the State. Many historic sites have been
lost due to habitat destruction. Although small, this population
is reproducing successfully. The site appears to be good
habitat, as it lacks disturbances such as invasive, non-native
species that could outcompete the rare species.

Site Name: Monkton Bog

USGS Quad: Phoenix

Monkton Bog is an alder and willow shrub swamp that provides
excellent habitat for many species of birds. Among the birds
using the swamp is one insect-eating species that is listed as In
Need of Conservation. This species is known fro4i@fewer than 30
sites in the State. It is dependent on the shrul@-Iswamp habitat
at this site and would be adversely impacted by hydrologic
disturbances to the wetland that would result from development.
Changes in the vegetational composition of the shrub'swamp could
also adversely impact the rare birds, which typically,inhabit
this type of shrub swamp.

This site is important because it is disjunct from the
primary range of the rare species in the North and the
Appalachian Mountains. Protection of disjunct populations may be
especially important to the long term survival.of species.
Disjunct populations often differ genetically.:.from populations in
the primary range of the species and may enable it to survive
natural catastrophes such as disease outbreaks or climate
changes.

Site Name: Phoenix Marsh

USGS Quad: Phoenix

Phoenix Marsh, a large nontidal wetland at the edge of a
reservoir, supports an important marsh plant community due to its
unusual calcareous soils. Three unusual species grow among the
emergent marsh vegetation and along the small stream that feeds
the marsh. One State Rare sedge found here is known from fewer
than three locations in the State. At Phoenix Marsh it grows
both in large dense patches and as scattered individuals. Two
uncommon marsh species, one a sedge and one a wildflower, grow
along the stream that feeds the marsh. The marsh is dominated by
grasses that may threaten the rare species if the grasses
increase in abundance in the marsh.

Site Name: Pikall Riverbank

USGS Quad: Ellicott City

Pikall Riverbank is a riparian forest with Sycamore,
Spicebush and moi sture-loving herbaceous species growing near the
river, and old forest covering the steep slopes above.. The
alluvial soils at the base of the steep slopes support a sizeable
population of a fern that is Rare in Maryland. This species is
known from fewer than a dozen sites in the State. The vigorous

population at Pikall Riverbank is unusually large, consisting of
thousands of individuals. In some parts of the site it forms the
dominant herbaceous vegetation. The rare plants appear to be
reproducing successfully.

Site Name: Putty Hill Wetlands

USGS Quad: Towson, White Marsh

A high quality alluvial stream meanders down a wooded slope
and along a powerline right-of-way at this site. Wetlands
associated with the stream include a shrub swamp and sphagnous
seeps with a sandy substrate. Some of these wetlands are
temporarily flooded and others remain inundated for most of the
year. A diversity of native plants grows in the wetland complex.
Upper Coastal Plain wetland complexes with this degree of natural
integrity are very uncommon in this highly urbanized area.

Two State Endangered plants grow in wetland openings within
the powerline right-of-way. Each of these is known from fewer
than five sites in the State. A State Rare plant grows in an
acidic, sphagnous seep in the forest adjacent to the right-of-
way. This plant is known from fewer than ten sites in Maryland.
Two additional species at the site are not yet considered
threatened, but are uncommon enough to warrant monitoring.

Site Name: Red Run Branch

USGS Quad: Reisterstown

This small Red Maple swamp supports a very large population
of a rare-wetland sedge listed as Threatened in Maryland. The
species is known from only five other sites in the State, three
of which are greatly threatened by disturbance. It is very
sensitive to changes in hydrology, including impacts on recharge
areas. An impoundment proposed for this area may eliminate the
rare species population.

Site Name: Rockland Meadows

USGS Quad: Cockeysville

Rockland Meadows consists of a bottomland forest dominated
by Red Maple, and a mesic, old-field meadow. The forest's
alluvial soils are calcareous. This site is one of the few
remaining examples of a habitat that was once common in the
stream valleys and lowlands of this region. most similar areas
of nutrient-rich soil were cleared for agriculture. Proximity to

Baltimore has led to additional habitat loss due to residential
and commercial development.

This site supports two rare species, although the exact
status of each has not yet been determined. one of these is a
rare herbaceous plant that grows at the bottamland/meadow edge
and is currently known from fewer than five other sites in the
State. This population is large, vigorous, and reproducing. The
other is a rare woody plant that grows in the alluvial soils at
the edge of the old field. This locality is the only currently
known site for this species in Maryland.

Site Name: Soldiers Delight

USGS Quad: Reisterstown

Soldiers Delight is a 2,000-acre Natural Environmental Area
that encompasses the largest serpentine ecosystem in the state.
It is among the most important, if not the most important,
serpentine area in Eastern North America. Soldiers Delight
contains globally rare serpentine grassland and savannah plant
communities as well as stream valleys and wet boggy areas.
Serpentine soils contain high levels of magnesium and often
contain naturally occurring heavy metals such as chromium,
cobalt, and nickel, that are toxic to plants. Most plants cannot
survive in these soils, but certain plants have special
adaptations that enable them to cope with the stressful soil
conditions. At least 32 Rare, Threatened, or Endangered plant
species grow at Soldiers Delight.

Among the rare plants at Soldiers Delight are nine wetland
species. Two of these are grasses that live only on stream banks
with serpentine soils. These grasses grow nowhere else in
Maryland and are both listed as Endangered in the State. Four
rare sedges grow in the wetlands at Soldiers Delight. Two of
these are each known from fewer than eight Maryland locations and
are listed as Threatened in the State. The Soldiers Delight
populations are especially important because several of the other
known populations of these sedges are threatened with
destruction. Another sedge found at this site occurs in only
three sites in Maryland, where it is near the southeastern limit
of the species range. A fourth sedge is a "drawdown" species,
growing in the exposed soils of seasonal wetlands when the water
recedes in late summer.

other rare plants at this site include a colorful wildflower
listed as Endangered and known from only 5 other Maryland sites,
and a State Threatened plant in the Rose Family that grows in a
shrub/emergent wetland.

In addition to rare plants, at least two rare insect species
are known from Soldiers Delight. One is a globally rare species
of planthopper that lives on a sedge found in herbaceous
wetlands. It is a candidate for listing under the U.S.
Endangered Species Act.

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

CALVERT COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources Division
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the office of Ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

ilp

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Calvert County that is designated as a nontidal wetland
of Special State Concern under the State Nontidal Wet-lands
Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were prepared for
each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the designated
nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically important
buffers for habitat for plant and animal species identified as.
rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department of Natural
Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated ' nontidal
wetlands are unique natural areas or harbor unusual natural
communities.

The identification and designation of these areas was a
cooperative effort between three agencies within the Department
of Natural Resources: the Natural Heritage Program, Nontidal
Wetlands Division, and Coastal Resources Division. As the
State's lead agency for the identification and protection of rare'
species and natural communities, the Natural Heritage Program
continually updates the ecological information for these areas.
For the most recent information on a particular site, please
consult the program's office in Annapolis.

In the following summaries the status of rare species
follows the Natural Heritage Program's Rare, Threatened and
Endancfered Animals of Maryland and Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Plants of Maryland as revised February 1991. While
the names of rare species occurring within each area are not
provided, the status is given in order to convey the ecological
significance of the areas. Common names are used for
characteristic species in descriptions of the vegetation except
when no common name is available. These common names generally
follow those found in Fernald's Gray's Manual of Botany, 8th
Edition (1950). When a specific species is named, the common
name is capitalized. Common names referring to a genus or family
are not capitalized.

CALV"BRT COUNTY

Site Name: Battle Creek Cypress Swamp

USGS Quads: Broomes Island Prince Frederick

Battle Creek Cypress Swamp is an extensive forested swamp
dominated by an unusual community type: a large, mature, almost
pure stand of Bald Cypress. This site is one of the last
remaining sites where Bald Cypress grows naturally in Maryland,
and it is recognized as one of the northernmost stands of cypress
in the country. Fossil cypress knees and stumps with diameters
up to ten ft. suggest that Bald Cypress was widespread throughout
the Chesapeake Bay area prior to one of the glacial periods of
the Pleistocene Epoch. Naturally occurring cypress stands are
now limited in Maryland to the Battle Creek site in Calvert
County and the Pocomoke River watershed on the Eastern Shore.
Although logged in the past for its decay-resistant lumber,
Battle Creek still contains mature cypress trees that tower 50 to
125 ft. in height with diameters up to four ft.

The extensive wetlands at this site protect the water
quality of Battle Creek and the Chesapeake Bay and provide
important habitat for numerous wetland plants and animals.
Cypress dominates the wettest habitats, which also support Black
Willow and herbaceous species such as Spring Beauty, Sensitive
Fern, Royal Fern, Skunk Cabbage, and Golden Club. Slightly
higher swamplands are dominated by bottomland hardwoods such as
Sycamore, Sweet Gum, Red Maple, ash and elm. Southern Arrowwood,
Common Greenbrier and Virginia Creeper dominate the shrub layer.
Many native ferns and wildflowers adorn the ground layer,
although Japanese Honeysuckle has invaded many areas. Among the
many species of mammals inhabiting the swamp are deer, rabbit,
skunk, opossum, fox and mink. Numerous fish occupy the creek,
and its swampy borders offer important breeding habitat for
sixteen species of amphibians. Seven species of snakes and eight
turtles also inhabit the site. The diversity of birds at Battle
Creek enables birdwatchers to view forest interior dwelling
species, raptors, owls, songbirds, migratory warblers and
waterfowl.

The unique characteristics of the cypress swamp led to
purchase of the core area by a private, non-profit conservation
organization in 1957. In 1965, the sanctuary was designated a
National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service. Although
the sanctuary remains in private ownership, Calvert County
assumed management responsibilities through a 20-year renewable
lease as of February 1977. Public activities such as nature
study and appreciation, passive recreation, and educational
pursuits have been encouraged at the site through construction

and staffing of a nature center, parking area, nature trails and
an elevated boardwalk.

Site Name: Calvert Cliffs State Park

USGS Quad: Cove Point

Along the streams that dissect this. site are excellent
examples of old Tulip Tree-Sweet Bay-American Holly bottomland
forest, Red Maple-Sweet Gum swamp forest, and old mixed oaks
upland forest. The presence of many dead standing trees and
well-decayed logs and the uneven age of the trees reveal that
these are old forests. This is among the largest contiguous
tracts of forest remaining in Calvert County. Numerous trees,
including oaks and Tulip Tree, measure more than 2 ft. in
diameter. The lack of non-native, weedy species indicates that
this area has received little recent disturbance. The large size
of the contiguous forest, the "wilderness character" and the
relative lack of human disturbance resulted in designation of
this site as a Wildlands Area by the State of Maryland in 1990.

The forested ravines and uplands maintain the high water
quality of the streams in the area. Nearly the entire watershed
of these streams occurs on State-owned land and is forested.
Protection of these forests would also protect the water quality
of this second-order stream complex that feeds directly into the
Chesapeake Bay.

The old forests at this site provide outstanding habitat for
many species of wildlife. Owls and numerous woodpeckers are
among the species that nest in the cavities of the large trees.
The maturity of the forest and the lack of disturbance in the
area provide excellent conditions for forest interior breeding
birds. These species are declining in abundance in this region
as forests are cleared for residential and commercial development
and for timber harvest. Herons and beaver frequent the swamps at
the mouths of the creeks. The swamps also provide habitat for
waterfowl, amphibians, and reptiles. Deer are present throughout
the area.

These old forests provide important educational resources to
both scientists and local residents. Because this area has
received minimal disturbance, the forests provide a laboratory
for the research of animals and plants in their natural habitats.
Large, relatively undisturbed forests.such as these are essential
for scientists to study the natural processes that sustain the
forest and to assess the effects of human-induced changes to the
forests of this region. Plans to construct a nature center in
the park have been proposed; such a facility would enhance
opportunities for environmental education. Local residents,
including students at local schools, may learn the natural
history of the area with assistance from interpreters affiliated

with the nature center. The forests provide excellent
recreational opportunities to hikers, birdwatchers, and
naturalists. The existing trails provide access to much of the
park.

The soils' well-developed organic layer and the lack of
recent clearing or selective''cutting in the old forests provide
excellent growing conditions for rare plant specios that inhabit
this County. The forest has not been surveyed for rare
herbaceous plants; however, because the habitat is of such high
quality it is possible that future surveys will reveal rare plant
populations within the site.

The wetlands and uplands at this site serve as a buffer for
the adjacent Cove Point Natural Heritage Area. The portion of
this Natural Heritage Area within the park harbors two rare
species of insects known from fewer than eight other sites in
Maryland. These species are rare throughout their ranges. This
area also buffers a nearby Bald Eagle nesting site.

Site Name: Patuxent Highlands

USGS Quad: Lower Marlboro

Wetlands at the base of these ravines harbor a rare plant
listed as Endangered in Maryland and known from only three other
sites in the State. This site supports the only population in
the State outside of the Allegheny Plateau in Western Maryland.
Historical records indicate that this species has always been
rare in the State. The non-acidic wetland habitat that this
species requires is rare in Maryland. Protection of the few
known sites for this species is therefore particularly important
because it is likely that few other suitable sites exist in the
State. In addition, this site is near the northern extreme of
the plant's range. Populations at the edge of a species' range
are important to protect because they often differ genetically
from populations near the center of distribution. This genetic
variation may help the species survive catastrophic environmental
conditions, such as climatic changes due to global warming.

The forested watershed maintains high water quality in the
wetlands. A small area along the wetland has been cleared and
maintained as a lawn; however, most of the watershed remains
forested. These wetlands feed directly into the Patuxent River
and contribute to the maintenance of water quality in the river.

Although there is evidence of selective cutting on the
uplands, numerous large trees are present and provide excellent
nesting and den sites for many species of wildlife.

Site Name: Port Republic Watershed

USGS Quad: Prince Frederick

Port Republic Watershed contains one of the few complete
second-order watersheds remaining in a relatively natural,
forested condition in this region. Many large forests have been
cleared or fragmented for agriculture or for resioential or
commercial development. Although most of the wafershed has been
logged within the past 100 years, the steep slopes do not appear
to have suffered from the severe erosion that has affected many
previously cultivated steep slopes in parts of Southern Maryland.
Underlying Miocene marl deposits have produced a band,of soils
that are porous and much less acidic than most soils 'of the
Coastal Plain. The circumneutral soils support a diverse group
of plants that are uncommon in this region. -springs and seepage
wetlands are common in these porous soils.

.. Parker Creek, into which this watershed drains, is unusual
in that it is a "barbed" watershed. It once flowed west, rather
than east, as evidenced by the direction of its feeder streams.
The second-order stream featured in this protection area flows
north into Parker Creek, resulting in many lateral ravines with
cool, north-facing slopes. Topography, geology, and hydrology
combine to produce a flora that is very unusual for the Coastal
Plain. North-facing slopes, calcareous soils, and wetland seeps
create microhabitats that are more characteristic of the mountain'
and the Piedmont--cool, nutrient-rich, and moist. Many disjunct
populations of species more common in the mountains or Piedmont,
such as Miterwort and Golden Saxifrage, occur in these
microhabitats.

Populations of at least six rare or uncommon plants occur at
Port Republic Watershed. Four of these are upland species. The
other two species grow in the rich palustrine forest. One is
listed as Threatened in Maryland and is known from fewer than ten
sites in the State. This population is the largest in Maryland,
consisting of several hundred plants. The other wetland species
is considered State Rare and grows on the banks-of the stream
that winds through the palustrine forest. An additional plant
species has been reported from the moist bottomland, but its
presence has not been recently confirmed. It is currently listed
as Endangered Extirpated in Maryland, and it will automatically
be considered Endangered if a viable, naturally-occurring
population is located.

This site adjoins a Listed Species Habitat Protection Area
in the Critical Area. Port Republic Watershed may provide
additional habitat for this listed species. This site helps
preserve the water quality and scenic qualities of the larger
Parker Creek watershed.

The small nontidal wetlands (springs and seeps) and the
clear-flowing streams in Port Republic Watershed provide
excellent breeding and feeding habitat for wildlife such as
amphibians and songbirds. The large size of the contiguous
forest and its relative maturity make this site suitable habitat
for a great diversity of forest interior breeding birds.

The research potential and educational opportunities offered
by a large, forested watershed such as this one are enormous.
Studies of the effects of human activities in altered ecological
systems require undisturbed sites for comparison. A forest that
is in the later stages of transition to an old-growth condition,
such as Port Republic Watershed, serves this purpose and is a
rare and invaluable resource.

Site Name: West Governor Run Watershed

USGS Quad: Prince Frederick

West Governor Run Watershed contains a mature hardwood
forest, many portions of which have not been logged for 70 years
or more. Older forests such as this are uncommon in the region,
due to the clearing of forests for timber management,
agriculture, and residential and commercial development. old
maps show that this site was one of the largest forested sites in
the area in the mid-1800s, when most of coastal Calvert County
had been cleared for agriculture, especially tobacco farming. A
number of uncommon plants grow at this site because of its
unusual geology and the deep humus and litter layers that have
developed in the absence of recent soil disturbance. Underlying
marl deposits from the Miocene Epoch have produced soils that are
much less acidic than most Coastal Plain soils. These
circumneutral soils support several plant species found more
often in the mountains and Piedmont than on the Coastal Plain.

West Governor Run Watershed harbors seven rare or uncommon
plant species. Three of these plants grow in the moist soils of
the floodplain forest, including one species that is listed as
Endangered in Maryland. It occurs in only three other sites in
the State, and this is the only Calvert County population.
Another floodplain species is listed a Threatened in Maryland,
and is known from fewer than ten sites statewide. It is an
annual species that is adapted to periodic flooding. The third
floodplain species is considered uncommon in Maryland.

This forested watershed provides excellent habitat for
forest interior dwelling species of breeding birds, which require
large tracts of contiguous, relatively old forest. The snags,
blow-downs and hollow trees characteristic of this older second
growth forest provide suitable nest and den sites for many
species of wildlife.

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

CAROLINE COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources Division
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the office of Ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Caroline County that is designated as a nontidal wetland
of Special State Concern under the State Nontidal Wetlands
Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were prepared for
each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the designated
nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically important
buffers for habitat for plant and animal species identified as
rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department of Natural
Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated nontidal
wetlands are unique natural areas or harbor unusual natural
communities.

CAROLINE COUNTY

Site Name: Baltimore Corner

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

Baltimore Corner is a large wetland complex that includes a
series of Delmarva bays, some of which are meadow-like with few
woody species, and others which are dominated by wetland shrubs,
such as Buttonbush, blueberry, and Sweet Pepperbush. Two of
these bays, both of which are circular and dominated by grasses
and sedges with no tree overstory, harbor five rare plants, and
the larger one, several acres in area, harbors a rare amphibian.
The bays are unusual nontidal wetlands recharged annually by
groundwater. Inundated in the winter and early spring, they
provide ideal breeding and resting habitat for amphibians,
songbirds, and other wildlife. As the bays dry in the summer,
moist depressions remain which are rapidly colonized by
herbaceous species.

Drainage and filling for agriculture and development have
destroyed many Delmarva bays. Those that remain often contain
rare, disjunct, or endemic species specially adapted to the
fluctuating water level.

The rare amphibian at this site, listed as In Need of
Conservation, uses the large Delmarva bay as breeding habitat.
An Endangered member of the Aster Family, found at only three
other locations in Maryland, grows in the open depression of the
smaller bay. A State Endangered carnivorous plant, also
occurring-at only three other locations in the State, flourishes
in the deeper inundated depressions during the summer months,
only appearing in the ponds during years of high precipitation.
Two other State Endangered species, a grass and a sedge, inhabit
these Delmarva bays. A State Rare sedge also germinates when
this bay dries in the summer. This annual species is abundant in
the central portion of the bay after the water recedes.

A private conservation organization owns and manages all of
the wetland openings at this site, totalling 296 acres in area.

Site Name: Bates Ditch

USGS Quad: Hickman

Bates Ditch is a roadside wetland adjacent to a young
Loblolly Pine Plantation. The wetland harbors a large population
of a State Endangered sedge. This plant species occurs at only

five other locations in Maryland and is a potential candidate for
listing under the U.S. Endangered species Act.

This sedge species may require periodic disturbance, a s well
as special soil or hydrologic conditions, to reproduce and
thrive. Natural disturbances that once created wetland gaps,
such as flooding and fire, have been largely suppressed by man.
The suppression of woody growth on roadsides with unusual soil
and hydrologic conditions can sometimes mimic natural wetland
openings suitable for colonization by rare species.

Site Name: Bridgetown Ponds NRKA

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

Bridgetown Ponds Natural Resources Management Area (NRMA) is
a system of Delmarva bays harboring three rare plant species and
two rare animal species. Delmarva bays are unusual nontidal
wetlands which are recharged annually by groundwater. Filling in
the winter and early spring, they provide ideal breeding and
resting habitat for amphibians, songbirds, and other wildlife.
As the bays dry in the summer, moist depressions remain which are
rapidly colonized by herbaceous species specially adapted to the
fluctuating water levels.

Many Delmarva bays have been destroyed by drainage and
filling for agriculture and development. As these bays become
increasingly rare, so do the rare plant and animal species that
rely on them. Existing bays often harbor rare, disjunct, or
endemic species.

Owned and managed by the State, Bridgetown Ponds NRMA
provides protection for three rare sedges. one species is listed
as State Endangered, one is State Threatened, and the third is
State Rare in Maryland. The Threatened sedge occurs at only
three other known locations in Maryland.

A State Endangered amphibian, one of only five populations
in Maryland, uses Bridgetown Ponds NRMA as breeding habitat in
the winter and early spring. A rare amphibian listed as In Need
of Conservation has also been recorded at this site.

Site Name: Central Avenue Corner

USGS Quad: Denton

Central Avenue Corner is an unusual forested wetland
containing at least eleven small ponds with various hydrologic
regimes. The diverse wetland types provide habitat for a great
variety of plant and animal species. These wetlands are examples

of small Delmarva bays, centripetally-drained wetlands found
almost exclusively on the Eastern Shore. Delmarva bays fill with
water during winter and early spring, and dry out by late summer
as groundwater recedes. They often contain rare, disjunct, or
endemic.species specially adapted to the fluctuating water
levels. Seasonal ponds were once more common on the Eastern
Shore, but many have been drained for agricultural use. The
ponds in this protection area remain relatively VVdisturbed. If
their hydrologic regimes are maintained in a nattiral,-condition,
it is highly probable that they will continue to support rare
species.

Three State Endangered species inhabit this area', emerging
and flowering when the bays dry in summer. An uncommon tree
species occurs on the uplands adjacent to the bays.

These nontidal wetlands provide ideal feeding and resting.
habitat for numerous amphibians, songbirds, and other wildlife.
Additional rare species may also inhabit the Delmarva bays. The
site has been surveyed in the autumn only. Because the flora and
fauna of these bays vary seasonally and annually with water
levels, several visits will be necessary to complete the species
inventory for this protection area.

Site Name: East Melville Pond

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

East Melville Pond is an oval Delmarva bay about 1 acre in
size, dominated by Buttonbush and species of beggar ticks. The
bay is partially buffered by a 300 foot-wide Red Maple-Sweet Gum
wooded swamp on the east side.

Delmarva bays differ from other nontidal wetlands in that
their primary source of annual recharge is groundwater.
Inundated in winter and early spring, they provide ideal breeding
and resting habitat for amphibians, songbirds, and other
wildlife. As the bays dry in the summer, moist depressions
remain which are rapidly colonized by herbaceous species
specially adapted to the fluctuating water levels.

Filling and drainage for agriculture and development have
destroyed many Delmarva bays. Those that remain often harbor
rare, endemic, or disjunct species specially adapted to the
fluctuating water levels.

Four rare plant species have been found in this bay after it
dries in the fall'. Three of these species, two sedges and a
grass, are State Endangered. Each of the Endangered species is a
candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. A

State Rare member of the Bluet Family also occurs in the moist
depressions of the bay.

Site Name: Floral Swale

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

Floral Swale is a low-lying wetland dominate@O by herbaceous
species within a powerline right-of-way. Wetland openings were
once more common when fires and floods created natural gaps in
wetlands. Since such natural disturbances have beenilargely
suppressed by man, wetland gaps and the species that inhabit them
have become increasingly rare. Powerline right-of-way
maintenance keeps wetlands free of woody species, mimicking
natural disturbances.

A State Endangered and nationally rare plant species, known
from only three other locations in the State, grows in this
swale. The population at this site is large and vigorous. The
limited distribution of this species may indicate that it has
highly specific soil or hydrologic requirements.

Site Name: Greer's Pond

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

A complex of shrub swamps and Delmarva bays occurs within
this swamp forest. Delmarva bays dominated by herbaceous species
are uncommon on Maryland's Eastern Shore; many similar ponds have
been destroyed by agricultural ditching and drainage. The water
level of Delmarva bays varies with groundwater fluctuations.
Normally the water is deepest in early spring, then recedes, and
the bay dries during the summer. Herbaceous species specially
adapted to the fluctuating water levels rapidly colonize the
moist depressions remaining in the pond's center.

Among these herbs is a State Rare sedge. Although this
species is known from several sites in Maryland, only four of
these sites are protected. In addition, two uncommon plants, a
grass and a sedge, also inhabit this site.

Rare amphibian species may inhabit these bays; for example,
the ponds provide ideal habitat for three State-listed
amphibians. However, these species are not apparent in the early
fall, when this site was surveyed. Because the flora and fauna
vary seasonally and annually with water levels, several visits
are required to develop a complete species list for this site.

Delmarva bays offer breeding, nesting and feeding grounds to
migratory waterfowl and songbirds. The bays also provide feeding

grounds for resident waterbirds. In addition, deer frequent the
ponds to feed and rest.

Site Name: Hourglass Pond

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

Within a large hardwood swamp is a two acre Delmarva bay
dominated by herbaceous species. Many similar bays on the
Eastern Shore have been destroyed by agricultural ditching and
drainage. The abundance of herbaceous vegetation in the bay's
center is maintained by the fluctuating groundwater regime.
Normally, the water level is highest in spring and the bay
gradually dries through the summer. This bay has an unusual
hourglass shape with deep depressions at both ends. Many
herbaceous species germinate in these depressions after the bay
dries and complete their life cycles in the brief period before
the fall frosts.

In the deepest section of the bay is a State Endangered
sedge which is a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered
Species Act. Fewer than 20 extant populations of this species
are known worldwide, and twelve of these occur in Maryland. Only
two of Maryland's populations are protected currently.

It is likely that rare amphibians inhabit Hourglass Pond.
The bay's flora and fauna change seasonally and an 'nually with
water level. These amphibians are not apparent in early fall
when the bay was surveyed. Several visits are needed to develop
a complete species list for the site.

The bay provides breeding, nesting, and feeding habitat for
migratory,waterfowl.

Site Name: Jackson Lane Site

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

Jackson Lane Site includes a series of Delmarva bays that
are predominantly herbaceous with scattered trees and shrubs.
The most significant is about an acre in size. Three State
Endangered plant species thrive under the unusual hydrologic
regime in this bay. The hydrology of.Delmarva bays depends on
the levels of groundwater present in the surrounding woodlands.
Recharged in the winter and early spring when groundwater levels
are highest, Delmarva bays provide excellent breeding and resting
habitat for-amphibians, songbirds, and other wildlife. As the
bays dry in the summer, moist depressions remaining in the pond
bottoms are rapidly colonized by herbaceous species specially
adapted to the fluctuating water levels.

One of the three State Endangered plants found at Jackson
Lane, a sedge species, is a candidate for listing under the U.S.
Endangered Species Act. It occurs at only eleven other locations
in the State. A second Endangered sedge at this site is known
from only two other locations in Maryland.

The third Endangered plant species, a floating-leaved
aquatic, matures through winter under standing water. Its
flowers emerge above the water in spring. Only five other
locations of this rare plant species have been recorded in the
State.

Many Delmarva bays such as the one at Jackson Lane have been
destroyed by drainage and filling for agriculture and
development. As Delmarva bays have declined in number, so have
the rare plant and animal species that rely on them for habitat.
Existing Delmarva bays often harbor rare, disjunct, or endemic
.species.

A private conservation organization owns and manages much of
the wetland, totalling 167 acres in area. However, only half of
the significant Delmarva bay has been acquired.

Site Name: Marvel Pond

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

Marvel Pond is a small Delmarva bay dominated by Buttonbush,
grasses, and sedges. A population of a State Rare member of the
Bluet Family occurs in the herbaceous openings of the bay, close
to its center. This species is found at fewer than fifteen
locations in the State. The bay is surrounded by a narrow wooded
buffer of-Red Maple and Sweet Gum.

Delmarva bays are annually recharged by groundwater, so that
water levels in the bay fluctuate seasonally. Inundated in the
winter and early spring, Delmarva bays provide ideal breeding and
resting habitat for amphibians, songbirds, and other wildlife.
As they dry in the summer, moist depressions remain which are
rapidly colonized by herbaceous species.

Drainage and filling for agriculture and development have
destroyed many Delmarva bays. Those that remain often harbor
rare, disjunct, or endemic species specially adapted to the
fluctuating water levels.

Site Name: Marydel East

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

Marydel East is a small Delmarva bay dominated by herbaceous
species and containing a population of a rare amphibian listed as
In Need of Conservation. Delmarva bays dominated,by herbaceous
species are uncommon on Maryland's Eastern Shore;tmany similar
bays have been destroyed by agricultural ditchind@,and drainage.

Normally, Delmarva bays are annually replenished by
groundwater, filling in the winter and early spring., These
inundated bays provide ideal breeding and resting habitat for
amphibians, songbirds, and other wildlife. As the bays dry in
summer, moist depressions remain which are rapidly colonized by
herbaceous species.

As Delmarva bays become increasingly rare, so do the rare
plant and animal species which rely on them for habitat.:-
Existing Delmarva bays often harbor rare, disjunct, or endemic
species specially adapted to the fluctuating water levels.

Site Name: Mt. Zion Pothole

Quad Name: Goldsboro

Mt. Zion Pothole is a shrub-dominated Delmarva bay harboring
a large variety of herbaceous species. Among these herbaceous
species is a State Endangered member of the Aster Family,
occurring at fewer than fifteen other locations in the State.
The population at this site is vigorous and fairly large. A rare
amphibian listed as In Need of Conservation utilizes the bay as
breeding habitat in the spring.

Delmarva bays are annually recharged by groundwater.
Filling in the winter and early spring, they provide ideal
breeding and resting habitat for amphibians, songbirds, and other
wildlife. As the bays dry in the summer, moist depressions
remain which are rapidly colonized by herbaceous species.

Drainage and filling for agriculture and development have
destroyed many Delmarva bays. As Delmarva bays become
increasingly rare, so do the rare plant and animal species which
rely upon them for habitat. Remaining Delmarva bays often harbor
rare, disjunct, or endemic species specially adapted to the
fluctuating water levels.

Site Name: Xt. Zion South Pond

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

Xt. Zion South Pond is a Delmarva bay harboring a State
Endangered amphibian species. This amphibian species occurs at
only five known locations in the State.
Delmarva bays differ from other nontidal we Atands in that
their primary source of recharge is groundwater. Groundwater
levels in surrounding woodlands fluctuate during the year,
resulting in seasonally variable water levels in the@bays.
Filling in the winter and early spring, the bays provide ideal
feeding, breeding, and resting habitat for amphibians" songbirds,
and other wildlife. As the bays dry in the summer, moist
depressions remaining in the wetland bottoms are rapidly
colonized by herbaceous species. Future surveys at Mt. Zion
South Pond during the drier months may reveal that the bay
contains rare plant species in addition to the.rare amphibian
already mentioned.

Drainage and filling for agriculture and development have
destroyed many Delmarva bays. As these bays decline in number,
so do the rare plant and animal species which rely on them for
habitat. Existing Delmarva bays often contain rare, disjunct, or
endemic species specially adapted to the fluctuating water
levels.

Site Name: Oldtown Pond

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

Oldtown Pond is an unusually deep, sparsely vegetated
seasonal pond. Like most other seasonal ponds, it is recharged
annually by groundwater. Filling in the winter and early spring,
it provides ideal breeding and resting habitat for amphibians,
songbirds, and other wildlife. It differs from other seasonal
ponds in that it does not dry as completely during the summer.
The center of the pond remains inundated while moist depressions
at its edge may be suitable for colonization by herbaceous
species.

Many seasonal ponds on Maryland's Eastern Shore have been
destroyed by drainage and filling for agriculture and
development. As seasonal ponds become increasingly rare, so do
the rare plant and animal species which rely on them for habitat.
Existing seasonal ponds often harbor rare, endangered, or
disjunct species specially adapted to the fluctuating water
levels.

A State Endangered sedge occurs in Oldtown Pond. This
population is fairly large, consisting of several hundred
fruiting plants.

Site Name: Opossum Hill Powerline

USGS Quad: Hobbs

Opossum Hill Powerline contains a bog-like wetland that
includes four rare plant species. Coastal Plain bogs are
nontidal wetlands that support unusual botanical communities
adapted to acidic, saturated soils. The bogs are usually
dominated by shrubs or herbaceous species and lack trees. Many
non-tidal wetlands on the Eastern Shore, including bogs, have
been destroyed by ditching and draining for agriculture and for
residential and commercial development.

Powerline rights-of-way provide significant habitats for
several threatened and endangered plant species. The management
of woody vegetation in the rights-of-way has created habitats
that are similar, although not identical, to herbaceous wetland
openings created historically by fire and beaver activity.
Natural forest openings have been nearly eliminated by modern
fire suppression practices, and beaver populations on the Eastern
Shore have declined drastically.

Three State Endangered species occur in the boggy powerline
opening. One of the Endangered species, a carnivorous plant, is
known from only two other sites in Maryland and is at the
northern limit of its range. The two other Endangered species, a
mint and a sedge, are known from fewer than seven other locations
in Maryland. An uncommon sedge also occurs in the bog.

This protection area encompasses a portion of the headwaters
of a stream that feeds a lake. Maintenance of the local
hydrology of the wetland will aid in the preservation of water
quality of this stream and the lake.

Site Name: Pasture Pond

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

Pasture Pond is a ditched and grazed Delmarva bay harboring
four rare or uncommon herbaceous species. Delmarva bays
dominated by herbaceous species are uncommon on Maryland's
Eastern Shore; many similar bays have been completely destroyed
by agricultural ditching and drainage.

Delmarva bays are annually recharged by groundwater.
Filling in the winter and early spring, they provide ideal

breeding and resting habitat for amphibians, songbirds, and other
wildlife. As they dry in the summer, moist depre 'ssions remain
which are rapidly colonized by herbaceous species. As Delmarva
bays become increasingly rare, so do the rare plant and animal
species which rely upon them for habitat. Existing Delmarva bays
often harbor rarel disjunct, or endemic species specially adapted
to the fluctuating water levels.

Of the four rare or uncommon herbaceous species occurring in
Pasture Pond, three are State Endangered. A large population of
a State Endangered sedge, found at only two other locations in
Maryland, occurs in this pond. The other two Endangered plant
species at this pond each occur at fewer than five other
locations in the State. An uncommon wildflower also thrives in
this Delmarva bay.

Site Name: Persimmon East

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

Persimmon East is a small sphagnous seasonal pond dominated
by Red Maple and Sweet Gum containing a large population of a
rare amphibian listed as In Need of Conservation. Seasonal ponds
are uncommon on Maryland's Eastern Shore since many similar ponds
have been destroyed by agricultural ditching and drainage.

Normally, seasonal ponds are replenished annually by
groundwater, filling in the winter and early spring. These
inundated ponds provide ideal breeding and resting habitat for
amphibians, songbirds, and other wildlife. As the ponds dry in
summer, moist depressions remain which are rapidly colonized by
herbaceous species.

As seasonal ponds become increasingly rare, so do the rare
animal and plant species which rely on them for habitat.
Existing seasonal ponds often harbor rare, disjunct, or endemic
species specially adapted to the fluctuating water levels.

Site Name: Persimmon Preserve

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

Persimmon Preserve includes an open Delmarva bay of grasses
and sedges adjacent to a wetland dominated by small trees of
persimmon. Grasses, sedges, and sphagnum are abundant under the
persimmons. The irregularly shaped, per-simmon-dominated wetland
appears to have once been open and unforested, and may just be a
shallow end of the bay that succeeded to young forest when
droughts enabled tree seedlings to establish. The bay typically

fills with groundwater from late fall through spring and then
dries in summer.

Of the five rare plant species at this site, four grow in
the moist depression that remains after groundwater recedes in
summer. One of these four, a State Endangered sedge, is a
candidate for federal listing under the U.S. Endangered Species
#Xct. A State Endangered grass at this site has boen found at
only five other locations in Maryland. The othei"two are State
Rare species, a sedge and a member of the Bluet Family. The
wetland now closing in with persimmons harbors Maryland's only
known occurrence of the fifth rare species, a State Endangered
grass. This species is a potential candidate for listing under
the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Delmarva bays are nontidal wetlands which are annually
recharged by groundwater. Filling in the winter and early
spring, these inundated ponds provide ideal breeding and resting
habitat for amphibians, songbirds, and other wildlife. 'As the
ponds dry in the summer, moist depressions remain which are
rapidly colonized by herbaceous species.

Many Delmarva bays have been destroyed by drainage and
filling for agriculture and development. As these bays become
increasingly rare, so do the rare plant and animal species which
rely on them. Rare, disjunct, or endemic species specially
adapted to fluctuating water levels are often associated with
existing Delmarva bays.

A private conservation organization owns and manages the 8-
acre persimmon-dominated wetland, but the adjacent open Delmarva
bay is in private ownership

Site Name: Petroski Bog

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

Petroski Bog is a sphagnous bog harboring a population of a
State Endangered wildflower. This rare plant thrives in sunny
wetland openings with acidic soils.

Bogs are acidic, nutrient-poor nontidal wetlands
characteristically covered by thick, floating mats of sphagnum.
The water in bogs is typically slow-moving or stagnant. In
Maryland, these bogs were historically created by fires or beaver
activity which dammed part of a free-flowing water channel. Bogs
have become increasingly rare on the Eastern Shore with the
decline of beaver'and man's suppression of fire. Species
uniquely adapted to the conditions of the bog have also become
increasingly rare.

Site Name: R & X Bay

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

R & X Bay is an unusually deep andopen Delmarva bay with a
silty bottom. It harbors a small population of a State
Endangered sedge. This sedge is a candidate for listing under
the U.S. Endangered Species Act. An uncommon gr4os also inhabits
this Delmarva bay.

Delmarva bays are nontidal wetlands which are annually
recharged by groundwater. Filling in the winter and'early
spring, these inundated ponds provide ideal breeding and resting
habitat for amphibians, songbirds, and other wildlife. As the
ponds dry in the summer, moist depressions remain which are
rapidly colonized by herbaceous species.

Many Delmarva bays have been destroyed by drainage and
filling for agriculture and development. As Delmarva bays
decrease in number, so do the.rare plant and animal species which
inhabit them. Remaining Delmarva bays often contain rare,
disjunct, or endemic species specially adapted to the fluctuating
water levels. Because the species composition of Delmarva bays
varies seasonally, future surveys of R & M Bay at different times
of the year may yield new rare species locations.

Site Name: Red Bridges Road Crossing

USGS Quad: Denton

Red Bridges Road Crossing is a swamp near the headwaters of
the Choptank River. A State Threatened shrub population grows in
the understory of the swamp forest along the lower banks of the
river. A few scattered shrubs were observed when the population
was surveyed in 1987; future surveys are needed to determine the
full extent of the population.

Only one other population of this Threatened shrub occurs in
Maryland. The low number of occurrences for this species may
indicate that it has highly specific soil or hydrologic
requirements.

Part of this swamp is owned by the county and is managed as
parkland. Undisturbed swamp forests have become increasingly
rare as wooded buffers are removed, allowing the invasion of
exotic species, siltation, and degradation of water quality.
Species associated with undisturbed swamp forests are also
declining in numbers.

Site Name: Schuyler Pond

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

This 1.5 acre seasonal pond contains Maryland's only known
population of a State Endangered plant species. Thought to have
been extirpated from Maryland until its discovery in 1987, this
plant species is also very rare in surrounding states. The
population in Schuyler Pond is large and was flowering profusely
at the time of the site visit, indicating that the population is
well established.

The seasonal pond was deepened by excavation over 15 years
ago. A dense mat of sphagnum moss occurs along the outer edge of
the pond, suggesting that this region was not severely disturbed
during excavation. Many similar ponds have been destroyed by
agricultural ditching and drainage. In addition, trees or shrubs
dominate most of the remaining seasonal ponds, while this pond is
a-grassy glade in late summer. Fluctuating groundwater level
maintains this abundance of herbaceous vegetation. The pond's
water level is highest in the spring, then recedes, and the pond
dries in the summer. Rare, disjunct, or endemic species uniquely
adapted to the fluctuating water levels are often found in
remaining seasonal ponds.

Rare amphibians may also inhabit this site. These
amphibians are not apparent in late summer, when the site was
visited; however, the landowner reported observing numerous
amphibians in the spring. Because the flora and fauna of the
pond vary seasonally and annually with water level, several
visits will be required to obtain a complete species list for the
site.

Site Name: Smithville Swamp

USGS Quad: Hickman

Smithville Swamp is an extensive swamp forest, partly logged
in 1983, which is located adjacent to a State Wildlife Management
Area. A sphagnous seep at the edge of the swamp harbors a fairly
large, vigorous population of a State Endangered sedge. This
plant species occurs at only five other locations in Maryland and
is a potential candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered
Species Act.

This sedge species may require periodic disturbance, as well
as special hydrologic and soil conditions, to regenerate and
thrive. Natural disturbances which once created wetland gaps,
such as fire and flooding, have been largely suppressed by man.
Today, removal of woody vegetation in wetlands with special soil

and hydrologic conditions can sometimes mimic natural wetland
openings suitable for colonization by rare species.

Site Name: South Melville Crossroads Pothole

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

This pond is a nontidal wetland referred to as a Delmarva
bay. The pond normally fills with water in the winter and spring
and dries during the summer. Such wetlands are usually forested
or dominated by shrubs. Bays dominated by emergent, herbaceous
vegetation, such as the South Melville Crossroads Pond, are rare
in Maryland. Many similar ponds have been destroyed by
agricultural drainage and ditching. As seasonal ponds are
reduced in number, so are the rare plant and animal species which
rely on them for habitat. Remaining seasonal ponds often harbor
rare, disjunct, or endemic species specially adapted to the
fluctuating water levels.

Of the four rare species in this bay, two are Threatened and
one is Highly State Rare in Maryland. In addition to the
populations in this bay, only three populations of the Threatened
sedge and six populations of the Threatened emergent plant
species are known to occur in Maryland. Just one population of
the sedge and two populations of the emergent plant are protected
currently. The Highly State Rare species at this site, a sedge,
thrives in the Delmarva bay after the groundwater recedes.

Seasonal ponds may be important sites of groundwater
recharge and thus may be important in maintaining groundwater
quality. The land surrounding the ponds may be the seepage face,
where groundwater meets the soil surface. When the soil profile
is saturated with water, it is likely that water drains into the
ponds from the surrounding land of slightly higher elevation.
Groundwater quality may also be enhanced by the filtering effects
of the seasonal pond vegetation.

Seasonal ponds are feeding grounds for a variety of resident
waterbirds such as herons and egrets. They also provide
important resting, breeding, and feeding grounds for migratory
waterfowl, shorebirds, and-songbirds.

Site Name: Tuckahoe Creek North

USGS Quad: Ridgely

Tuckahoe Creek North site encompasses seasonally flooded,
temporarily flooded, and saturated palustrine forests, shrub
swamps, and open water ponds upstream from and adjacent to the
Tuckahoe Creek North Natural Heritage Area (NHA). Preserving the

nontidal wetlands feeding into the Tuckahoe Creek North N.H.A. is
essential to maintaining the hydrologic regime, water quality,
species composition, and natural character of the NHA.

The nontidal wetland vegetation in this site acts as a
natural filter, reducing the sediment and chemical content of
surface runoff entering tidal areas. This function is especially
important because Tuckahoe Creek is the main trit?Utary of the
Choptank River. In addition to reducing pollution and siltation
in the NHA tidal wetlands and in the river, the nontidal wetlands
serve as catchment basins for seasonally high surface runoff.
Instead of flooding and increasing erosion in the tidal channel,
the excess surface runoff evaporates or is slowly absorbed into
the soil. Periodic freshwater discharge from the nontidal
wetland increases the nutrient availability in the tidal
wetlands, stimulating productivity. This freshwater influx also
creates varied habitat, resulting in increased species diversity.

A large and extensive population of a State Threatened shrub
species thrives in Tuckahoe Creek's riparian habitat. The
nontidal wetlands and adjacent upland forests buffer this rare
plant population from disturbance or nonnative weedy species
invasion. Although not surveyed, Forest Interior Dwelling Birds
probably breed in the site due to its large size and variety of
habitats.

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

CECIL COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources Division
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the office of ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Cecil County that is designated as a nontidal wetland of
Special State Concern under the State Nontidal Wetlands
Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were prepared for
each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the designated
nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically important
buffers for habitat for plant and animal species identified as
rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department of Natural
Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated nontidal
wetlands are unique natural areas or harbor unusual natural
communities.

In the following summaries the status of rare species
follows the Natural Heritage Program's Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Animals of Maryland and Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Plants of Maryland as revised February 1991. While
the names of rare species occurring within each area are not
provided, the status is given in order to convey the ecological
significance of the areas. Common names are used for
characteristic species in descriptions of the vegetation except
when no common name is available. These common names generally
follow those found in Fernald's Gray's Manual of Botany, Sth
Edition (1950). When a specific species is named, the common
name is capitalized. Common names referring to a genus or family
are not capitalized.

CECIL COUNTY

Site Name: Bald Friar Ravine

USGS Quad: Conowingo Dam

The lower slopes and stream banks of this ra'y'ine support a
lush deciduous forest with an exceptionally diverse herbaceous
layer. The soil is rich in nutrients and much less acidic than
most soils of this county. An outstanding display of spring
wildflowers thrives in this loamy, circumneutral soi1. Because
the slopes are extremely steep and stony, the ravine 'is
unsuitable for cultivation and there is little evidence of recent
disturbance.

An uncommon wildflower species and a rare form of a fairly
common plant species grow in the luxuriant herbaceous layer of
the forest. The uncommon species usually inhabits rich, cool
forests in the mountains. This may be the easternmost occurrence
of this species in Maryland, and it is the only reported site in
Cecil County.

The rich, cool slopes of the ravine, in conjunction with the
adjacent forest, provide excellent feeding and breeding habitat
for migratory songbirds. The marsh and pond at the mouth of the
ravine provide habitat for amphibians. Local residents fish in
the pond.

Site Name: Camp Rodney Swamp

USGS Quad: North East

This freshwater wetland complex is unusual both in size and
species diversity. At the center of the complex is an
exceptionally large shrub swamp that is dominated by Red Maple
and dotted with emergent marsh in the wettest areas. Forested
wetlands radiate from the shrub swamp. Water level differs
between the shrub swamp and the adjacent swamp forests. In
addition,, the water regimes within the swamp forests vary with
elevation and soil type, ranging from *semi-permanently to
temporarily inundated. The great diversity of plant species
within the wetland complex may be attributed to this hydrologic
variation.

Sphagnum hummocks within the shrub swamp produce acidic
conditions that favor the growth of unusual plants. Two unusual
plant species inhabit marshy edges and openings within the swamp.
This is the only known site in the State for one plant, which is
listed as Endangered in Maryland. This rare plant occurs in an

emergent marsh, and is sensitive to hydrologic changes. The
other species is considered uncommon in Maryland and grows at
this site in herbaceous openings among the wetland shrubs.

With further survey, it is likely that other rare species
will be found in these extensive wetlands.

The various types of wetlands in this proteAtion area
provide resting and feeding grounds for migrator]@,waterfowl and
songbirds and nesting habitat for resident waterbirds and
songbirds.

The wetlands and adjacent upland provide an outstanding
outdoor educational opportunity in conjunction with the natural
history courses taught at Camp Rodney.

Site Name: Cecil Bog

USGS Quad: Conowingo Dam

The feature of greatest ecological significance at this site
is an unusual nontidal wetland composed of a boggy wet meadow and
a gravel seepage slope. Chrome soils and the lack of woody
vegetation are the two unusual ecological features of this rare
wetland habitat. Although chrome soils are scattered throughout
northwestern Cecil County, they are usually well-drained and they'
seldom occur in wetlands.

The wet meadow lies in an actively maintained powerline
right-of-way. The upper portion of the meadow is dominated by
grasses and sedges, including three rare or uncommon species.
The lower portion of the meadow is a mixture of open areas and
shrubby areas with Meadowsweet as the dominant woody plant.
Moisture is supplied continuously to both areas by groundwater
seeping from the adjacent slopes. Sphagnum moss, orchids, and
carnivorous plants are scattered throughout the meadow.

The gravel seepage slope adjacent to the meadow is outside
the actively maintained area of the powerline. It is dominated
by woody saplings and shrubs. Open areas occur along the major
seepage courses where rivulets carry surface water to a small
stream. The herbaceous vegetation of these open areas is very
similar to the vegetation in the boggy meadow.

Historically, fire suppressed the growth of woody vegetation
on dry chrome soils and in the wetlands surrounded by these dry
soils. However, the modern practice of fire suppression has
nearly eliminated'these open, sparsely wooded habitats. Without
fire, woody vegetation slowly encroaches. The rare grasses and
forbs that inhabit the openings do not survive under the-canopy
of the invading trees and shrubs. The most open portion of Cecil

Bog occurs in a powerline right-of-way. The artificial exclusion
of woody vegetation from this powerline simulates the effect of
fire and maintains an unforested area similar, although not
identical, to the naturally open habitats that were more common
historically.

The unusual plant communities that occur on this rare
habitat include one species that is Rare in Maryland, known from
fewer than 20 sites in the State. Two additional species are
considered uncommon in Maryland, not currently threatened but
declining or restricted in the State. The populations of all
three species are vigorous and include numerous flowering and
fruiting individuals.

Additional rare species are likely to occur in this unusual
habitat. Further survey would be required to complete a species
list for the site.

Deer and other wildlife rest and feed in the wetland and
surrounding forest.

Two landowners adjacent to the bog have agreed to protect
the portions of their land that serve as forested buffer to the
bog. They have joined The Nature Conservancy's Natural Areas
Registry. For one of these properties, the Maryland Natural
Heritage Program has worked with the Project Forester to draft a
Forest Conservation Management Agreement that excludes from
logging the registered portion of the property plus a 200 ft.
buffer.

Site Name: Charlestown West Seeps

USGS Quads: Havre de Grace, North East

Charlestown West Seeps contains a small, meandering stream
and its tributary which is fed by a sphagnous seepage slope. The
seepage slope is dominated by sphagnum moss, Sweet Bay, and Skunk
Cabbage, and supports a population of a rare plant known from
only four other sites in the State. This species is listed as
Endangered in Maryland, and as Threatened under the U.S.
Endangered Species Act. The undisturbed, spring-fed, sphagnous
wetland habitat which the rare plant requires is increasingly
rare throughout its range. Urban development and agriculture
have led to direct loss or alteration of this habitat due to
draining, ditching, and filling of wetlands, channelization of
waters for flood control, and sedimentation from building
construction. Each site where this plant occurs in Maryland
receives some voluntary landowner protection, but no site is
adequately or completely protected.

This freshwater wetland supports a diverse array of
herbaceous species, including ferns, flowering shrubs, and herbs.
Surveys at various times during the growing season may reveal
additional rare plant species. The permanent, spring-fed seeps
and a large woodland pond on the site provide excellent habitat
for amphibians. The wetlands as well as the relatively mature
surrounding uplands provide suitable habitat for many wildlife
species, including songbirds, waterbirds, and deer.

Site Name: Log Cabin Sedge Meadow

USGS Quad: Conowingo Dam

This unusual wet sedge meadow occurs on chrome soil and
lacks woody vegetation. Wetlands such as this seldom occur on
chrome soils, which are usually well-drained. Historically, fire
created open, sparsely forested habitats such as this sedge
meadow. However, the modern practice of fire suppression has
nearly eliminated these habitats. The lack of woody vegetation
in the meadow is partially maintained by groundwater seepage.
Maintenance of the adjacent powerline right-of-way also
eliminates woody vegetation along the edge of the sedge meadow.
In addition, the shallow, chrome soil in portions of the adjacent
forest inhibits the growth of trees and shrubs, and supports only
a thin cover of woody vegetation.

Three unusual plant species grow among the sedges and forbs
of the sedge meadow. Nearby, in seeps and along a small stream
beneath the powerline, grow several smaller populations of the
same plants. one species is considered Rare in Maryland and is
known from fewer than 20 sites in the State. It grows abundantly
at this site. The other two species are considered uncommon in
Maryland--not yet threatened, but worthy of monitoring due to
restricted or declining populations.

Site Name: Octoraro Slopes

USGS Quad: Rising Sun

Although much of this area is upland habitat, wetland seeps
and floodplain forest form a small but important part. They
contribute to habitat diversity within the area and form part of
the forested buffer protecting rare plant populations.

Steep, wooded slopes and rich ravines characterize this
picturesque site overlooking Octoraro Creek. Dry serpentine
soils at the northern end of the area give way to rich, loamy
soils near the southern end, and the corresponding change in
vegetation is dramatic. The dry serpentine soil supports pine-
oak woods with a sparse herbaceous layer. The moist, more

fertile soil supports a diverse deciduous woods with a lush
herbaceous layer. The spring wildflower display is unusually
colorful and diverse. A State Rare plant species occurs
infrequently in the northern portion of the area on semi-open
outcrops of serpentine soil. It is known from fewer than a dozen
sites in Maryland. Numerous rock slides and talus slopes are
interspersed with moist ravines and seeps. The upland hardwood
forest blends into mesic deciduous woods on the kower slope near
the creek. At the base of the slope, along the 6reek, the
floodplain forest is dominated by Sycamore, Silver Maple, and Box
Elder.

The moist and dry forests of the protection area provide
excellent habitats for a variety of wildlife. Numerous birds,
reptiles, deer, and small mammals were observed during the field
survey. The scenic beauty of this slope is unmatched elsewhere
along Octoraro Creek, where similar areas have been logged or
developed.

Because the protection area includes a variety of habitats,
it is likely that further survey will reveal other rare species
at this site.

Site Name: Plum Creek

USGS Quad: North East

The Plum Creek site encompasses nontidal wetlands that are
adjacent to and form the headwaters of Plum Creek Natural
Heritage Area (NHA). It consists of palustrine forests, shrub
swamps, and open water ponds. Preserving the nontidal wetlands
upstream from Plum Creek NHA is essential if the water quality
and quantity, species composition, and natural character of the
NHA are to be maintained. The wetland vegetation in this site
reduces pollution and flooding in the NHA by slowing water flowl,
filtering sediment and chemical pollutants, and utilizing
nutrients. This helps preserve the habitat of the rare plant
species that inhabit the NHA.

The nontidal wetlands at Plum Creek provide habitat for a
variety of wildlife species such as beaver, Great Blue Heron,
waterfowl, and reptiles and amphibians.

Natural Heritage Areas are communities of plants and animals
that are considered to be among the best statewide examples of
their kind. The Plum Creek NHA encompasses at least five types
of Habitat Protection Areas recognized by Chesapeake Bay Critical
Area Criteria, including Natural Heritage Area, Endangered
Species, Nontidal Wetland, Riparian Forest, and Buffer. The NHA
contains a variety of habitats including tidal and nontidal

marshes and swamps, tidal mudflats, open water, and forested
ravines and slopes.

Among the plants growing in the tidal marshes of the NHA is
an herbaceous emergent species that is listed as Threatened in
Maryland. It is known from fewer than ten sites in the State. A
rare species listed as Endangered in Maryland was.observed
growing within the NHA in recent years but the pc
,pulation may
have been destroyed by siltation resulting from 6Qnstruction of a
bridge. Fewer than five other populations of that species occur
in Maryland, all of them in Cecil County. The NHA also supports
another plant species considered uncommon in Maryland.
Historically, it harbored three additional rare plants whose
current status is unknown.

Site Name: Port Deposit

USGS Quad: Aberdeen

This site contains forested, scrub-shrub, and emergent
wetlands along the shores of the Susquehanna River. Although
generally weedy in nature, the wetland supports a population of
an annual, herbaceous, plant that is considered Rare in Maryland.
This annual thrives with the periodic disturbance of flooding.
However, the river also acts as a corridor for the spread of non-
native, weedy species that tolerate frequent flood scouring.
These weedy species are displacing native species along many of
Maryland's river banks and may pose a threat to the rare species
in this floodplain.

Site Name: Roaring Woods

USGS Quad: Conowingo Dam

Several seeps and small streams occur on the steep to
moderately steep forested slopes of this area. The seeps and
streams support areas of exceptionally lush herbaceous growth. A
narrow band of floodplain forest occurs along Octoraro Creek,
supporting species such as River Birch and Sycamore.

The diverse herbaceous layer at this site includes a wetland
.wildflower that is considered uncommon in Maryland and worthy of
monitoring. A State Threatened plant species, known from only
six sites in Maryland, grows in the moist soils of the north-
facing slopes. Collection for medicinal use is reported to have
severely depleted populations of this plant throughout its range.
The sites in Maryland are near the southern limit of the range of
this species.

The wetlands and forested slopes at Roaring Woods aid in
flood control and protect the water quality of Octoraro Creek by
slowing and absorbing rainfall. The forests and floodplain along
the creek provide diverse habitats for a wide variety of
wildlife. Due to the unusual chrome-rich soils of this area,
additional rare species are",likely to occur in the vicinity.
The forested slopes, streams and seeps are extremely scenic.
Much of this watershed has been cleared for farming or for
residential and commercial purposes. This site is one of only a
handful of picturesque forested tracts remaining along Octoraro
Creek.

Site Name: Stone Run Millpond

USGS Quad: Rising Sun

Stone Run Millpond is a wetland complex of open water,
emergent marsh, shrub swamp, and forested swamp. The wetlands
are fed by several streams and are created by the impoundment of
Stone Run. The variety of wetland habitats supports a remarkable
diversity of native vegetation. Among the diverse species in the
swamp forest upstream from the open marsh is a small population
of a rare wildflower. This species is listed as Threatened in
Maryland and is known from fewer than ten other sites in the
State. It is a long-lived perennial plant that is especially
rare in the eastern part of Maryland; this is the only current
record of the species in Cecil County.

Historically, natural freshwater ponds and associated
wetlands in this area were created almost exclusively by beaver
activity. However, as a result of trapping and habitat
destruction, beaver are now much-less common than they were
historically. The rock dam that impounds this area creates
wetland habitats similar to naturally occurring habitat that is
now uncommon on the Upper Coastal Plain.

The wetland complex provides ideal feeding and resting
ground for resident waterbirdg, songbirds, and migratory
waterfowl. Many reptiles and amphibians were observed during the
field survey, especially along the shoreline of the pond and in
the emergent marsh.

This site occurs in close proximity to residential
communities. Paths traversing the area between the wetland and
the nearest housing development suggest that it is an important
site for passive outdoor recreation and nature appreciation.

Site Name: Whitaker swamp

USGS Quads: Bay View, Havre de Grace, North East

Whitaker Swamp contains a prime example of a mature,
deciduous, swamp forest. Swamp forests of this size and age are
rare in Maryland due to clearing and draining for development or
logging. The high water quality of groundwater seeps feeding
this swamp is maintained by the undisturbed, forested slopes that
border the swamp. These soils are less acidic than most soils of
the Upper Coastal Plain and they support a high diversity of
herbaceous species. Wildflowers carpet the swamp in spring and
early summer.

Two rare plants grow among the numerous herbaceous species
in the swamp. One of these is a perennial species that is listed
as Endangered in Maryland and as Threatened under the U.S.
Endangered Species Act. It is rare throughout its range,
confined to very specific types of wetlands, and it is known from
only four other sites in Maryland. This population is the
largest in the State and is reproducing well. This site affords
the best opportunity for protection of this species in the State.

The second rare plant in the forested wetland at this site
is also listed as Endangered in Maryland and is a candidate for
listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. This is the only
Cecil County population reported since 1928. A third significant
plant species grows on the forested slopes above the wetland. It
is considered uncommon in Maryland, not currently threatened but
in need of monitoring. This population is among the largest in
the State.

The large freshwater wetland at this site provides excellent
feeding and nesting habitat for migratory songbirds and
amphibians. In addition, large forested swamps such as this play
an important role in protecting the water quality the Chesapeake
Bay.

Site Name: Wildcat Ravine

USGS Quad: Conowingo Dam

Wildcat Ravine contains a small pond and emergent marsh at
the bottom of a scenic, steep-sided ravine. Seeps emerge from
the steep slopes and are lush with herbaceous growth. The water
quality throughout the site appears to be good. The pond and
marsh provide habitat for waterbirds. The lack of recent
disturbance throughout most of the site is unusual, as is the
large size of the trees in the ravine. The dominant species on
the ravine slopes is Hemlock, which is unusual for Cecil County.
The major landowner has agreed to voluntarily protect this site.

A species of fern that is listed as Endangered in Maryland
was reported historically from this area. Further survey would
be required to determine whether the species survives in Wildcat
Ravine. Because there has been little disturbance, the fern may
still grow at this site.
The scenic stream, forest and wetland provi@ke opportunity
for hiking and birding. The site provides habitdt for resident
and migratory songbirds.

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

CHARLES COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources Division
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the office of Ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Charles County that is designated as a nontidal wetland
of Special State Concern under the State Nontidal Wetlands
Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were prepared for
each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the designated
nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically important
buffers for habitat for plant and animal species identified as
rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department of Natural
Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated nontidal
wetlands are unique natural areas or harbor unusual natural
communities.

CHARLES COUNTY

'. t
Site Name: Brentland Woods

USGS Quad: Mathias Point

Brentland Woods consists of an extensive bottomland forest
and narrow palustrine forests in two ravines that feed into the
main tract. This bottomland forest is dominated by Tulip Tree,
Red Maple, and Sweet Gum; the lush understory is dominated by
Spicebush, Pawpaw, and numerous herbs. Many large trees remain
in the forest, especially north of the main stream.

The spring herbaceous cover is unusually lush and diverse,
especially along the floodplain and on the moist lower slopes.
Among the numerous wildflowers is a floodplain species that is
considered Highly State Rare. None of the populations of this
rare species are protected. This population appears vigorous;
hundreds of flowering and fruiting plants were observed in the
floodplain forest along both the main stream and its tributaries.
Because the population is large, the rare species' habitat is
extensive, and the watershed remains forested, Brentland Woods
provides an excellent opportunity to preserve this species in
Maryland.

The upland woods, dominated by oaks, Beech, and American
Holly, are as fine an example of this habitat as remains in the
county. Most areas of similar habitat in Charles County have
been destroyed by clearing for residential and commercial
development, agriculture, and silviculture.

This-large, contiguous tract of forest provides excellent
habitat for forest interior dwelling birds. Sightings and signs
of fox' deer, woodchuck, squirrel, and owl were noted, indicating
that the area is rich in wildlife.

Site Name: Bryantown Swamp

USGS Quad: Hughesville

Scattered within this wetland are large swamp forests, shrub
swamps, emergent marshes, and wet, grassy meadows. The area is
uncommonly diverse in its habitats and wetland plant communities.
Emergent marsh borders slightly higher, drier floodplain forest;
open areas dominated by herbaceous growth intermingle with wooded
swamp. A rare plant species listed as Endangered in Maryland
occurs in several of the more open, grassy meadows. Most of the
other populations of this species known from the Upper Coastal
Plain occur in vulnerable sites that will be difficult to

protect. Bryantown Swamp offers one of the best opportunities to
successfully preserve this rare species on the Upper Coastal
Plain.

It is likely that other rare species occur in this wetland
complex. A second rare plant species, listed as Endangered
Extirpated in Maryland, was reported from this area as recently
as 1969, but was not observed during a field visit in 1988. it
is possible that the species still exists at this site. If the
species is rediscovered at this or any other site in Maryland,
its status will automatically convert to Endangered in the State.
Because observable plant species differ from one season to the
next, several more visits to the site will be required to produce
a complete species list.

This diverse wetland complex provides fine habitat for
migratory and resident birds, amphibians, reptiles, deer, and
other mammals.

Site Name: Cat Pond

USGS Quad: La Plata

This is the only seasonal pond dominated by herbaceous
vegetation that is known on the Western Shore, and it is a superb
example of this habitat. In Maryland, the majority of seasonal
ponds occur on the Eastern Shore and are dominated by woody
vegetation. Approximately two acres of Cat Pond are dominated by
grasses, sedges, and other herbaceous plants. Shrubs and
deciduous forest border this grassy area. During the fall,
winter, and spring the pond fills with water. This long period
of flooding discourages the growth of most woody species. In
late spring, the water recedes and exposes mud flats along the
pond edge. By late summer there is very little water in the
pond. The exposed flats are covered by "drawdown" plants that
germinate after the water recedes and complete their life cycles
before the pond refills. The fluctuating water regime creates a
unique habitat in which plants must endure long periods both of
flooding and drought.

Although no rare species were observed during the most
recent field surveys in 1988, the pond provides suitable habitat
for several rare plants and amphibians. Further survey may
reveal populations of these species at Cat Pond. Similar ponds
on the Eastern Shore harbor a number of rare plants and three
rare amphibians. Because the flora and fauna of the pond vary
seasonally, several visits will be required to obtain a complete
species list for the site.

Cat Pond provides excellent resting and feeding grounds for
migratory waterfowl. The pond also provides habitat for
amphibians.

Site Name: County Line Trail Seep

USGS Quad: Brandywine

At least three hydrologically different wetland-types occur
within this mature Tulip Tree-Red Maple Forest. These wetlands
provide habitat for diverse vegetation. The absence,of non-
native species in this forest is particularly signifi'cant.
Seepage from adjacent gravelly slopes raises the water level
locally in small depressions. These groundwater-fed wetlands
support excellent examples of a plant community that is more
common in the mountains. They have received little artificial.
disturbance recently, and the soil is rich in nutrients.

Two unusual plant species inhabit the seepage wetlands.
These are disjunct populations of both species; both plants
usually occur in the mountains. This is Maryland's only known
population of one these species, which is listed as State
Endangered. This population appears to be stable and
successfully reproducing.

The other species is considered uncommon in Maryland, not
currently threatened but in need of monitoring. Hydrological
change, either an increase or reduction of the water level of the
swamp, would destroy the rare species habitat and alter the
vegetative composition of the site. The rare and uncommon
species are intolerant of extended flooding but require very wet,
boggy soil. Sedimentation in the wetland would also adversely
impact these species.

The forested swamp and adjacent slope provide habitat for
native and migratory songbirds. The swamp also provides habitat
for amphibians and reptiles. Numerous deer inhabit the forest.

Site Name: Doncaster Forest

USGS Quad: Nanjemoy

A mature bottomland forest of Sweet Gum,' Tulip Tree, and Red
Maple borders the stream that flows through this site.
Spicebush, Pawpaw and numerous ferns and herbs grow in the rich
soils of this old forest. Several trees are greater than two
feet in diameter.- The presence of large, well-decayed logs and
the developing structure of the forest canopy also reveal the
maturity of the forests. Forests of similar age lacking recent
disturbance are rare on the Upper Coastal Plain. The clearing of

forests for agriculture and for commercial and residential
development has nearly eliminated mature forests from this
region. The uplands adjacent to this wetland site support a
mature forest of oaks and hickory, with Virginia Pine dominant in
two younger areas.

The mature forests in this area provide a variety of
habitats that are absent from young forests. CayLity-nesting
birds such as woodpeckers inhabit large, old tredr?.-Insects
thrive on the decaying logs and dead standing trees,:and provide
food for a variety of forest-dwelling birds. Warblers and other
songbirds feed on the insects that inhabit the well-developed
canopy. The decaying logs and leaf litter return nutrients to
the soil. If allowed to mature further, a greater diversity of
native herbaceous species, including numerous wildflowers, will
grow in the developing soil of this forest than will inhabit
repeatedly cleared, young forests.

The bottomland forest maintains the water quality of the
stream it borders by preventing erosion and filtering sediment
that might otherwise enter the stream. The mature forests
provide excellent opportunities for hiking, birdwatching, and
natural history education.

Site Name: Maryland Point Swamp

USGS Quad: Nanjemoy

This diverse wetland complex contains fine examples of
forested swamp, shrub swamp, emergent marsh, and bottomland
forest. Six rare and uncommon plant species inhabit these
wetlands. Three of these species are listed as Endangered in
Maryland. The dominant aquatic plant in most of the shrub swamp
and emergent marsh is a State Endangered species known from no
other site in the State. This population is located on the
northern fringe of the species' range. The presence of numerous
flowering and fruiting plants indicates that this is a thriving
and viable population.

The other two Endangered plants at this site are both
sedges. one of these is known from only four other sites in the
State. All known populations of this sedge in Maryland are
small, and although it contains fewer than one hundred fruiting
stems, this population may be the largest in the State.
The fourth rare species is a wetland wildflower that is
designated as State Rare and is known from fewer than six other
sites in Maryland. Two additional plants are considered uncommon
in the State, not currently threatened but worthy of monitoring.

This wetland is influenced by beaver activity which aids in
maintaining consistent water levels throughout the growing
season. Historically, beaver played an important role in the
creation of freshwater wetlands required by many rare species.
Unfortunately, the decline of beaver populations has resulted in
the loss of many of these important habitats. Many more have
been destroyed by drainage for logging, development, and
agricultural purposes.

Further survey of this important wetland complex may yield
records of rare amphibians. This wetland provides excellent
habitat for resident and migratory waterfowl, other birds, and
other wildlife.

Site Name: Pomonkey School Stream

USGS Quad: Port Tobacco

This Tulip Poplar-Red Maple bottomland forest supports a
population of a wetland plant considered Highly State Rare. It
is known from fewer than ten sites in Maryland. This species
benefits from the relatively neutral soils at this site. Most
soils on Maryland's Coastal Plain are acidic. The calcareous
soils at Pomonkey School Stream are due to the presence of
underlying Miocene shell deposits, brought to the surface by
stream erosion. The rare species is an annual plant that is
dependent on the flooding regime at this site for successful
reproduction and establishment. Maryland's populations of this
rare plant are located at the northeastern limit of the species,
range. outlying populations are especially important to protect
because they often differ genetically from populations nearer the
center of the species' range. These genetic differences can help
the species survive severe environmental changes.

Site Name: Popes Creek

USGS Quad: Popes Creek

This site contains bottomland forests and forested swamps
along the headwaters of Popes Creek. These nontidal wetlands are
part of one of Maryland's most productive and diverse
tidal/nontidal wetland complexes. The portion of the complex
within the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area is designated as Popes
Creek Natural Heritage Area (NHA). Preserving the nontidal
wetlands upstream from the NHA is essential if the water quality
and quantity, species composition, and natural character of the
NHA are to be maintained. These nontidal wetlands are very
important filters for upland runoff. Furthermore, they discharge
freshwater into contiguous tidal marsh communities and thus
contribute to their high productivity and species diversity.

These nontidal forested wetlands and surrounding uplands are
also important as habitat for forest interior dwelling birds. In
a recent survey of NHA forests adjacent to this site, ten forest
interior dwelling bird species were recorded, including eight
that may breed in the area, four that were clearly defending
territory, and four that are indicative of high-quality breeding
habitat. The forests in and surrounding the nontidal wetland of
Special State Concern are important contiguous habitat for these
forest interior birds.

Natural Heritage Areas'are communities of plants and animals
that are considered to be among the best statewide examples of
their kind. Popes Creek NHA contains seven major wetland
communities in a relatively small area. The Saltmarsh Cordgrass
Community occurs closest to the Potomac River, followed in an
inland direction by communities of Big Cordgrass, Swamp Rose-
Mallow, a nontidal forested wetland, and finally an open water
beaver pond. Deciduous upland forest surrounds the wetland
complex and both are utilized by a bird species that is listed as
Endangered by both Maryland and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.

The Salt Marsh Cordgrass Community is one of the most
productive communities worldwide. Annual primary productivity
averages about 4 tons per acre, and most of this detritus becomes
available to the estuarine food web by tidal flushing. This type
of marsh also provides food and breeding sites for fish,
muskrats, waterfowl, and other birds. The Big Cordgrass
Community is second only to the Salt Marsh Community in the
amount of detritus available to the aquatic food web. The
Cattail Community provides habitat and food for both game and
non-game wildlife. The Rose-Mallow Community is especially
important as a nesting area for non-game birds. These marshes at
the NHA also function as sediment traps for upland runoff and as
buffers to shoreline erosion.

This site is in the vicinity of an historical record for a
State Rare plant species that occurs on shorelines of tidal and
nontidal wetlands. Further survey may reveal that the rare plant
still grows at this site.

Site Name: Port Tobacco Run

USGS Quad: Port Tobacco

This Red Maple-River Birch floodplain forest supports a
large, vigorous population of a plant species that is considered
Highly State Rare. This population is one of fewer than ten
known populations in Maryland, five of which occur in Charles
County.

Populations of this species in Maryland represent the
northeastern limit of the species' range. Because outlying
populations must adapt to environmental conditions which are
extreme for the species, they often differ genetically from
populations near the center of species' distribution. Protection
of these outlying populations maintains genetic variability,
which is necessary for a species to respond to eMvironmental
change and survive.

Although this rare species population is exceptionally
large, the limited number of populations in Maryland@indicates
that the species may have highly specific habitat requirements.
It appears to thrive on the periodic flooding that occurs at this
site. Since it is an annual species, the rare plant's population
size and distribution within the floodplain forest may fluctuate
dramatically from year to year. The best sites for seedling
germination and survival may also vary with annual changes in
hydrologic regime. A large continuous span of floodplain forest
is important for this annual species because it allows the
population to establish in the most appropriate sites.

The rare species and its codominant, Yellow Corydalis,
thrive in circumneutral soils. Soils of Maryland's Coastal Plain
are typically acidic. The reduced acidity of the soil at this
site may be attributed to Miocene shell deposits in the substrate
which are brought to the surface by stream erosion. These
circumneutral soils may support other plant species uncommon to
the Coastal Plain.

The floodplain forest also provides habitat for forest
interior dwelling birds, amphibians, and reptiles. The Barred
Owl, a forest interior dwelling bird, was heard calling in this
forest during its breeding season. One of the preferred habitats
of this species is mixed floodplain forest and it often nests in
the cavities of maple trees.

Protection of the forested area will also buffer Port
Tobacco Run from sediment and chemical runoff from upland farm
fields.

Site name: Thomas Stone National Historical site

USGS Quad: Port Tobacco

This site consists of a lush, deciduous bottomland forest
along a section of Hoghole Creek and a tributary which feeds it.
The circumneutral'soils produced by underlying shell deposits are
uncommon on Maryland's Coastal Plain. Along Hoghole Creek, an
active beaver population has created a complex of open water
ponds and emergent marshes dominated by Common Rush, Sallow

Sedge, and Water Purslane. The young bottomland forest is
bordered by Sweet Gum and supports Ironwood, ferns, wildflowers,
and sedges. The clearing of a powerline right-of-way and past
logging within the bottomland have encouraged the invasion of
weedy species, such as Japanese Honeysuckle and Stinging Nettle.
The ravine slopes are dominated by large American Holly and
adorned with several wildflowers and numerous ferns such as New
York, Christmas, and Lady Fern.

Within the bottomland forest grows a dense stand of an
annual plant that is listed as Threatened in Maryland. It is
known from fewer than ten sites in the State. Most of Maryland's
populations are quite small whereas this population consists of
several hundred plants. Maryland's populations are near the
northern limit of the distribution of this species. The
protection of outlying populations is important because they
often differ genetically from populations nearer the center ofa
species' range. This genetic variation may help a species
survive drastic climate changes or other environmental
perturbations.

A second, smaller stand of the same rare plant occurs just
outside of the nontidal wetland of Special State Concern, on a
small bluff near the top of the ravine.

The wetlands at this site, especially the emergent wetlands,
provide important feeding and resting habitat for waterfowl,
songbirds, and other wildlife.

Site Name: Upper Nanjemoy Creek

USGS Quad: Nanjemoy

This large wetland complex includes bottomland forest, shrub
swamp, beaver ponds, seasonal pools, and spring-fed seepage
areas. These wetlands form the headwaters of Nanjemoy Creek, a
tributary of the middle reach of the Potomac River. The mature
bottomland forests support the largest Great Blue Heron Rookery
in Maryland. A large portion of this site is owned by a non-
profit conservation organization that manages the site as a
nature preserve to protect the heron rookery. The herons have
been nesting at this site since 1945 and the rookery currently
consists of more than 800 active nests.

Dominant trees in the bottomland forest are Tulip Poplar,
Beech, and Red Maple. Many of these trees are unusually large
and mature for Maryland's Coastal Plain, most of which has been
heavily timbered.* The herbaceous layer of the bottomland forest
includes many species of ferns and wildflowers, including a
number of species that are unusual for Maryland's Coastal Plain.

These plants require a rich woods habitat and are more
characteristic of the Piedmont.

Among the plants in the nutrient-rich, moist woods at this
site is a large colony of a perennial herb that is listed as
Endangered in Maryland and'is found nowhere else in the State.
This site represents the northernmost occurrence of this species
on the Atlantic coast. Populations at the edge of a species'
range are important to protect because they often differ
genetically from populations near the center of distribution.
These genetic differences may help the species survive
potentially catastrophic environmental changes.
There is little vegetation immediately under the streamside
trees that support heron nests, because of high nitrogen levels
in the soil beneath the nests. This lack of vegetation combined
with the steepness of the stream banks causes streams in the
heron rookery to be particularly susceptible to erosion. It is
essential to preserve the forested watershed above the rookery,
in order to avoid storm-related pulses in water flow that would
increase erosion in the rookery and sedimentation downstream.

Upper Nanjemoy Creek provides habitat for a bird that is
listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act as
well as by the State of Maryland. The site also supports
breeding populations of mink, river otter, beaver, anadromous
fish, and other wildlife species.

The forests at this site form part of a very large block of
contiguous forest habitat. Maryland's forests have become
increasingly fragmented due to conversion for agriculture and
residential and commercial development. Many forest species
cannot survive in fragmented forests. At least 12 species of
forest interior dwelling birds have been identified at this site.
Their long-term survival in this area is dependent on the
maintenance of a large, unfragmented forest.

The wetlands at this site are directly upstream from the
Upper Nanjemoy Creek Natural Heritage Area (NHA). This NHA was
designated for protection because it is one of the best statewide
examples of a wetland complex of tidal freshwater wetlands,
nontidal wetlands and upland islands. In order to maintain the
water quality and quantity, species composition, and natural
character of the NHA, it is essential to preserve the contiguous
nontidal wetlands upstream. Vegetation and buffer of the
nontidal wetland of Special State Concern reduce pollution and
flooding in the NHA by slowing water flow, filtering sediment and
chemical pollutants, and utilizing nutrients.

Site Name: Zekiah Swamp

USGS Quads: Brandywine, Hughesville, La Plata, Popes Creek,
Charlotte Hall

Zekiah Swamp is a vast wetland complex of extensive hardwood
swamp forests intermingled with smaller areas of shrub swamp,
emergent marshes, mudflats, vernal pools and beaver ponds.
Nearly a mile wide throughout much of its 16 mile length, Zekiah
swamp's approximately 15,000 acres make it the largest hardwood
swamp on the Western Shore.

Despite major disturbances over the years, Zekiah Swamp
still supports many native plants and animals, including several
rare species. It provides superb wildlife habitat. The wet,
organic soils and shallow, highly braided channels make the site
difficult to penetrate on foot or even by canoe. The biological
resources and remote, wild character of the swamp led the
Smithsonian Institution to designate Zekiah as a "Primary Natural
Area Recommended for Protection" in its report on ecological
priorities for the Chesapeake Bay Region (1974). The swamp was
also included in the Department of State Planning's "Catalog of
Natural Areas in Maryland" in 1968. The Wicomico River, to which
Zekiah Swamp is the largest contributor of freshwater, was
designated a Maryland Scenic River in 1971.

Beginning in the mid-1970's and continuing into the mid-
19801s, the State purchased land in Zekiah Swamp to establish a
Natural Environmental Area (NEA) totalling approximately 400
acres. The steering committee is currently working on
development of a system of trails through the NEA and is planning
to build an interpretive center on the site.

Among the unusual plants in Zekiah Swamp is a sizeable
population of a sedge that is listed as Endangered in Maryland.
Another rare plant was known historically from the swamp. It has
not been reported since 1969 and is now listed as Endangered
Extirpated in the State. Further survey may reveal that this
plant still occurs in Zekiah Swamp. If a viable, naturally
occurring population is discovered in Maryland, the species,
status will automatically convert to Endangered. A third
significant plant found in Zekiah Swamp is a tree that is
considered uncommon in the State, not yet threatened but worthy
of monitoring. Two additional rare plants occur within Zekiah
swamp but grow in sites designated separately as small nontidal
wetlands of Special State Concern. These are discussed in
separate reports for Bryantown Swamp and County Line Trail Seep.

At least one bird inhabiting this site is listed as
Endangered both in Maryland and under the U.S. Endangered Species
Act. Zekiah Swamp is also the type locality and possibly the
only known location for a globally rare stonefly.

Wildlife species using Zekiah Swamp are many and varied, and
include beaver, mink, Maryland Diamondback Terrapin, Sora Rail,
Ospreyl waterfowl, overwintering Wilson's Snipe, and large
concentrations of migrating birds. A heron rookery occurs within
the swamp. The large forest *ed area in Zekiah Swamp provides
excellent habitat for forest interior dwelling birds, These are
species that require large tracts of contiguous,,,Unfragmented
forest to survive. This area was recognized as early as the
1960's by Maryland's Department of Game and Inland Fish as the
most important area for wildlife in Southern Maryland.

Zekiah Swamp is immediately upstream from the wetlands in
Allen's Fresh Natural Heritage Area (NHA). Natural Heritage
Areas are communities of plants and animals that are considered
to be among the best statewide examples of their kind.
Preserving the nontidal wetlands upstream from the NHA is
essential if the water quality and quantity, species composition,
and natural character of the NHA are to be maintained. The
wetland vegetation in Zekiah Swamp reduces pollution and flooding
in the NHA by slowing water flow, filtering sediment and chemical
pollutants, and utilizing nutrients. This helps preserve the
unique natural communities and the plant and animal habitats in
the NHA.

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

DORCHESTER COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources Division
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the Office of.Ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Dorchester County that is designated as a nontidal
wetland of Special State Concern under the State Nontidal
Wetlands Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were
prepared for each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the
designated nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically
important buffers for habitat for plant and animal species
identified as rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department
of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated
nontidal wetlands are unique natural areas or harbor unusual
natural communities.

In the following summaries the status of rare species
follows the Natural Heritage Program's Rare, Th eatened and
Endangered Animals of Maryland and Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Plants of Maryland as revised February 1991. While
the names of rare species occurring within each area are not
provided, the status is given in order to convey the ecological
significance of the areas. Common names are used for
characteristic species in descriptions of the vegetation except
when no common name is available. These common names generally
follow those found in Fernald's Gray's Manual of Botany, 8th
Edition (1950). When a specific species is named, the common
name is capitalized. Common names referring to a genus or family
are not capitalized.

DORCHESTER COUNTY

Site Name: Bar Neck Oxbow

USGS Quad: Church Creek

The creek running through Bar Neck Oxbow fee'dis a 2 acre
seasonally dry "oxbow" pond as well as a long, narrow artificial
pond, wet year-round.. Each pond contains a large population of a
State Endangered aquatic plant species found at only,four other
locations in Maryland. Additionally, a population of@an uncommon
sedge occurs in the oxbow pond.

A mosaic of similar naturally-occurring ponds were once
created by beaver activity in Maryland's wetlands. With the
decline of beaver on the Eastern Shore, ponds which are wet year-
round have become especially rare. Depending on soil and
hydrologic conditions, artificial ponds may supply habitat for
rare plants once found in beaver ponds.

Oxbow ponds are created as a water channel changes its
course, cutting across and isolating a bend in the channel. The
isolated oxbow pond is no longer primarily stream-fed, relying
instead on surface runoff and groundwater for recharge. Whatever
their origin, seasonally dry ponds have become increasingly rare
as human activities, such as draining, filling, and intensive use
during dry periods, have altered their hydrology and topography.
Remaining seasonal ponds often harbor rare, disjunct, or endemic
species specially adapted to the fluctuating water levels.

Site Name: Big Millpond

USGS Quad: East New Market

Big Millpond is a large pond created by the impoundment of
the Chicamacomico River. It contains two aquatic plants which
are Endangered in Maryland. one has been seen in only one other
pond in Maryland. The other is a carnivorous plant known from
only three other sites in the State.

This pond is unusually diverse and productive because it
contains three different wetland types, all of which are
extensive in size. Closest to the dam is a lacustrine zone which
.is only intermittently exposed and which contains broad-leaved,
non-persistent vegetation. In the middle, the vegetation is
composed mainly of narrow-leaved, persistent, emergent plants
with some shrubs in upstream areas. The third zone consists of
forested wetlands which exhibit a variety of water regimes,
resulting in diversity within the forest.

Site Name: Brookview Ponds

USGS Quad: Rhodesdale

The Brookview Ponds Area includes nine, naturally-occurring,
seasonal ponds, also referred to as Delmarva Bays, that provide
habitat for numerous rare species. The hydrological system of
these bays is linked to groundwater levels. The-,ponds usually
fill with water in the winter and spring and dry'Ouring the
summer. Many Delmarva bays have been destroyed by drainage and
filling for agriculture and development. Remaining bays often
harbor rare, disjunct, or endemic species specially adapted to
the fluctuating water levels.

The abundance of herbaceous vegetation in the Brookview
Ponds is particularly unusual; most bays are shallower forested
swamps or shrub swamps. Several rare plants grow in the deepest
portion of the ponds. These plants germinate in summer on the
exposed pond bottom and complete their life cycle in the brief
period before fall arrives.

Of the thirteen rare.plant species that grow here, nine are
State Endangered. Of these exceptionally rare plants, six are
worthy of special mention here. An Endangered member of the
Gentian Family had not been seen in Maryland since the early
1940's until it was discovered at this site in 1987. Until
discovered here in 1987, an Endangered sedge species had not been'
recorded in Maryland since 1972. Another Endangered plant
species occurring in these seasonal ponds is known from only two
other Maryland locations where the numbers of individuals are
much lower. This population numbers in the thousands. Two
Endangered grass species found in the bays are each known from
only one other site in the state. Finally, this is the only
known population in Maryland for a State Endangered plant species
which occurs in the natural area's southeastern uplands.

An amphibian listed as In Need of Conservation relies on the
bays for breeding habitat.

Delmarva bays provide breeding, nesting, and feeding grounds
to migratory waterfowl and songbirds. In addition, the ponds
provide ideal habitat for reptiles and amphibians, including
several rare salamander and frog species.

Site Name: Cabin Creek Seep

USGS Quad: East New Market

The low-lying, sphagnous seep within the protection area
supports a population of a State Endangered species known from
just four other sites in the State. This species, Federally

listed as Threatened, is rare throughout its range, and is known
from fewer than one hundred sites nationwide. This is the only
known site for this species on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Although the population is small, casual observations reported to
the program suggest that the population may be expanding. An
uncommon tree species grows on the upland forest slopes bordering
the seep to the east.

The pine-hardwood swamp provides excellent habitat for
birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Protection of the forested area
would buffer this wetland from runoff from upland farm fields.

Site Name: Chicone Creek

USGS Quad: Rhodesdale

Chicone Creek Natural Heritage Area (NHA) abuts this
Nontidal Wetland of Special State Concern and benefits from the
protection of this wetland area. The nontidal wetlands consist
of temporarily flooded palustrine forests, seasonally flooded or
seasonally saturated palustrine forests, and temporarily flooded
palustrine emergent marshes. Preserving the nontidal wetlands
adjacent to Chicone Creek NHA is essential to maintaining the
hydrologic regime, water quality, species composition, and
natural character of the NHA.

The nontidal wetland vegetation in this site acts as a
natural filter, reducing the sediment and chemical content of
surface runoff. This function is especially important because
Chicone Creek feeds into an extensive marsh providing prime fish
and wildlife habitat along the Nanticoke River. In addition to
reducing pollution and siltation of tidal wetlands in the NHA,
the nontidal wetlands serve as catchment basins for seasonally
high surface runoff. Instead of flooding and increasing erosion
in the tidal channel, the excess surface runoff is slowly
absorbed by the nontidal wetlands or evaporates from the wetland
surface. Periodic freshwater discharge from the nontidal wetland
increases nutrient availability, stimulating productivity in the
tidal wetlands. This freshwater influx in tidal areas also
creates varied habitat, resulting in increased species diversity.

The nontidal wetlands at this site are buffered by ancient
sand dunes that harbor an unusual upland community. Unlike most
ancient dunes, soil pH is apparently pircumneutral. The cause of
this anomaly is unknown, but the combination of well-drained
sandy soil and high pH has resulted in a mixed deciduous
community with piedmont affinities. A State Endangered plant
species is associated with the upland buffer of the nontidal
wetland habitat outside of the NHA. A State Threatened upland
plant species and a Highly State Rare wetland shrub occur within
the NHA.

At least seven species of forest interior breeding birds use
this area. Two of the species, Kentucky Warbler and Worm-eating
Warbler, are also indicators of high quality forest.

Site Name: Dorchester Pond

USGS Quad: East New Market
Rhodesdale

Dorchester Pond is an oval 15-acre Delmarva bay dominated by
herbaceous vegetation and surrounded by a low sand rim, the .
largest and most species-rich pond of its kind in Maryland. This
seasonally inundated wetland supports eight rare plant and two
rare animal species dependent on its unique soil and hydrologic
conditions.

Delmarva bays fill with water during the winter and early
spring, drying by late summer as the groundwater recedes.
Amphibians use these seasonal ponds as breeding habitat in the
spring and herbaceous species rapidly colonize the moist
depressions left in the pond after it has dried. These Delmarva
bays also provide ideal feeding and resting habitat for numerous
amphibians, songbirds and other wildlife. Many similar bays have
been destroyed by drainage and filling for agriculture and
development. Remaining ponds often harbor rare, disjunct, or
endemic species specially adapted to the fluctuating water
levels.

Dorchester Pond harbors the only known population in
Maryland of a State Endangered plant species. of the other rare
plant species inhabiting this Delmarva bay, six are State
Endangered and one is State Threatened. Most of these listed
species occur at fewer than five other locations in the state. A
rare amphibian listed as In Need of Conservation utilizes the
pond as breeding habitat during the spring. A State Rare bird
species also inhabit the pond.

A private conservation organization owns Dorchester Pond in
its entirety, totalling 52 acres in area, and manages it as a
nature preserve.

Site Name: Gales Creek

USGS Quad: Sharptown

Gales Creek includes two millponds that host an exceptional
number and variety of rare species. One, Irving Millpond, is no
longer impounded but consists of palustrine shrub swamp with a
bog at the center. There are few bogs on Maryland's Eastern

Shore, and this unique habitat supports six rare plant species.
The other, Galestown Millpond, is still impounded and supports an
open water habitat. On the Maryland coastal plain, such man-made
ponds are the only ones which have constant freshwater inflow and
outflow. Historically, beaver were responsible for creating such
conditions, but these animals are now much less common on the
coastal plain. Consequently, the unusual conditions provided by
a large body of gently flowing fresh water provid
habitat for
some specialized rare plants.

The number of-rare species in these millponds is at least
nineteen. One, a State Endangered carnivorous plant; was
discovered in 1987 and was not previously known to occur in
Maryland. One rare species at this site is Nationally Rare and
is listed as Endangered Extirpated in Maryland. Nine others are
designated as State Endangered Species, and one is listed as
State Threatened. A shrub species in this pond is listed as
Highly State Rare in Maryland and is a potential candidate for
listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.- Finally,@ this
site also supports one herbaceous species which is considered
Highly State Rare and five which are uncommon.

This area is contiguous with the Upper Nanticoke River
Natural Heritage Area, an area targeted by the State because it
contains several State Endangered Species and is considered to be
one of the best statewide examples of its kind. Because the
Gales Creek area is just upstream, its water quality directly
affects the species and natural communities in the Natural
Heritage Area. By preserving both areas, an extensive wildlife
corridor is established and provides access for the free
migration of species within their natural habitat.

Site Name: Marshyhope Seasonal Pond

USGS Quad: Federalsburg

This area contains an excellent example of a large Delmarva
bay dominated by herbaceous vegetation, buffered by an extensive
upland mixed pine-hardwood forest. Delmarva bays are nontidal
wetlands which fill with water in the winter and spring and dry
in the summer as groundwater recedes. Water levels in Marshyhope
Seasonal Pond vary from about 2 feet in the winter to no standing
water in the summer. As the groundwater recedes, moist
depressions remain which are rapidly colonized by herbaceous
species. When inundated, Delmarva bays provide ideal breeding
and resting habitat for amphibians, songbirds, and other
wildlife.

Nontidal wetlands dominated by herbaceous vegetation are
rare on the Delmarva peninsula. Many similar seasonal ponds have
been destroyed by drainage and filling for agriculture and

development. Remaining Delmarva bays often harbor rare,
disjunct, or endemic species specially adapted to the fluctuating
water levels.

Two rare species inhabit this Delmarva bay. An amphibian
listed as In Need of Conservation inhabits the pond, and a State
Rare sedge grows near the center of the pond. Additional rare
species of plants and animals may be found if thj$ area is
explored further. Because flora and fauna vary s ,easonally and
annually with water levels, several visits will be required to
develop a complete species inventory of this-site.

Site Name: Messick Pond

USGS Quad: East New Market

Messick Pond is a nontidal wetland referred to as a Delmarva
bay. These Delmarva bays are centripetally-drained and-range in
size from one to 15 acres and may hold up to 4 ft. of water in
the spring. They often contain rare, disjunct or endemic species
specially adapted to the fluctuating water levels, and are
considered unique natural communities because they are among the
few remaining naturally open, freshwater wetlands on the coastal
plain. Many similar ponds have been drained for agricultural
use.

Five plant species considered rare in Maryland are found
here. A State Endangered sedge growing in this pond is known
from only two other sites in the state. Also listed as State
Endangered, a member of the Yellow-eyed Grass Family occurring
here is known from four additional locations. A State Threatened
carnivorous plant in this pond occurs at only four known sites in
Maryland. Another carnivorous plant, known from only three other
sites in Maryland, is listed as Endangered in Maryland. A Highly
State Rare sedge also inhabits this seasonal pond.

Numerous species of amphibians and waterfowl have been
recorded here, indicating that the pond provides important
habitat for wildlife. It is highly likely that rare amphibians
breed here.

Site Name: Ocean Gateway Pond

USGS Quad: Rhodesdale

Ocean Gateway Pond, a Delmarva bay, harbors three rare or
uncommon plant species, two of which are State Endangered. These
Delmarva bays are centripetally-drained wetlands ranging in size
from one to 15 acres and may hold up to 4 ft. of water in the
spring. As the bay dries in the summer, moist depressions

remaining in the center are rapidly colonized by herbaceous
species. Delmarva bays often contain rare, disjunct or endemic
species specially adapted to the fluctuating water levels, and
are considered unique natural communities because they are among
the few remaining naturally open freshwater wetlands on the
coastal plain. Each of the Endangered plants present in this
pond occurs at fewer than five other locations in Maryland. An
uncommon sedge also grows in this pond.

Delmarva bays and the species that inhabit them have become
increasingly rare as wetlands have been drained, filled, and
otherwise altered for development and agriculture.

Site Name: Rhodesdale Powerline

USGS Quad: Rhodesdale

Rhodesdale Powerline harbors a large, exceptionally vigorous
population of a State Endangered plant species. occurring at
only five other locations in the state, this species requires
unforested wetland openings for its survival. Natural
disturbances such as floods and fires once created such gaps in
wetland forests. With the suppression of these natural forces by
man, wetland gaps and the species they harbor have become
increasingly rare. Powerline right-of-way maintenance keeps
wetlands free of large trees, providing habitat for wetland gap
species. Because this rare species occurs in so few natural or
artificial wetland gaps, it probably requires unusual soil or
hydrologic conditions.

Site Name: Rhodesdale Powerline SE

USGS Quad: Rhodesdale

Rhodesdale Powerline SE harbors a population of a State
Endangered grass species. one of only two known occurrences in
Maryland, this population thrives in a seasonal pond, or Delmarva
bay, in the powerline right-of-way. The hydrologic regime of
Delmarva bays are very different from most other nontidal
wetlands, since their main source of recharge is groundwater.
Inundated during the winter and early spring, they provide ideal
breeding and resting habitat for amphibians, songbirds, and other
wildlife. They dry during the summer, leaving moist depressions
for herbaceous species to colonize.

Many Delmarva bays have been destroyed by filling and
drainage for development and agriculture. Those that remain
often contain rare, disjunct, or endemic plant and animal species
specially adapted to the fluctuating water levels.

Before their suppression by man, fire and flooding once
created natural gaps in the wetland canopy coverage, allowing
herbaceous species to flourish. Powerline right-of-way
maintenance in wetlands can mimic natural forces by keeping the
wetlands free of woody species.

Site Name: Savanna Lake

USGS Quad: Chicamacomico
Mardela Springs

The Savanna Lake site encompasses seasonally inundated and
seasonally saturated palustrine forests adjacent to the Savanna
Lake Natural Heritage Area (NHA). Preserving these nontidal
wetlands is essential to preserving the hydrologic regime, water
quality, species composition, and natural character of the
adjacent NHA.

The wetland vegetation in this site acts as a natural
filter, reducing the sediment and chemical content of surface
runoff entering the tidal wetland. In addition to reducing
pollution and siltation in the tidal areas, the nontidal wetlands
serve as catchment basins for seasonally high surface runoff.
Instead of flooding and increasing erosion in the tidal channel,
excess surface runoff evaporates or is slowly absorbed into the
soil. Periodic freshwater discharge from the nontidal wetlands
increases nutrient availability in the tidal wetlands,
stimulating productivity. This freshwater influx in tidal areas
also creates varied habitat, resulting in increased species
diversity.

This site provides important wetland buffer for the
assemblage of Delmarva bays occurring in the NHA. Located close
to one another and aligned parallel to the prevailing salinity
gradient, these bays exhibit significant variability in
topographic relief, salinity, and vegetation type. Three bird
species listed as In Need of Conservation and one bird species
listed as State Rare utilize the diverse wetland habitat at this
site. A rare amphibian listed as In Need of Conservation was
reported from one of the Delmarva bays between 1975 and 1984 and
may still inhabit the area.

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

HARFORD COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources Division
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Harford County that is designated as a nontidal wetland
of Special State Concern under the State Nontidal Wetlands
Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were prepared for
each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the designated
nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically important
buffers for habitat for plant and animal species identified as.
rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department of Natural
Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated nontidal
wetlands are unique natural areas or harbor unusual natural
communities.

The identification and designation of these areas was a
cooperative effort between three agencies within the Department
of Natural Resources: the Natural Heritage Program, Nontidal
Wetlands Division, and Coastal Resources Division. As the
State's lead agency for the identification and protection of rare'
species and natural communities, the Natural Heritage Program
continually updates the ecological information for these areas.
For the most recent information on a particular site, please
consult the program's office in Annapolis.

HARFORD COUNTY

Site Name: Bynum Run

USGS Quad: Bel Air

This area harbors one of Maryland's largest populations of a
State Threatened wildflower species. The wildflower grows in an
extensive meadow bisected by a stream, kept free of woody species
by periodic mowing. Wetland openings such as these were
historically maintained by fire and flooding. These natural
disturbances have been largely excluded from natural areas by
human intervention. Artificial disturbances such as mowing can
create wetland gaps which closely mimic naturally occurring wet
meadows. Mowing must be timed seasonally so as to allow the rare
meadow species to complete their life cycle.

The meadow in which the rare wildflower species occurs also
provides a natural stream buffer, filtering surface runoff from
upland sources.

Site Name: Deer Creek Serpentine Barren

USGS Quad: Delta

This site encompasses one of the largest and most ecolo-
gically significant serpentine areas in Maryland. Historically,
serpentine areas supported a mosaic of prairie-like grasslands
and rocky openings harboring species uniquely adapted to the dry,
nutrient-poor soils. These diverse habitat types were kept
relatively free of woody species-by Native American fire-hunting.
since European civilization, Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana),
Eastern Red Cedar (juniperus virginiana), and Common Greenbriar
(Smilax rotundifolia) have overgrown many of the prairie-like
grasslands.

At Deer Creek, the two most extensive grassland areas
persist on steep, south-facing slopes. Downslope from these
grasslands are mesic ravines. This habitat supports a vigorous
population of a State Threatened wildflower which occurs at only
four other sites in Maryland. An uncommon wildflower species
also grows in the ravine areas, while.two other uncommon plant
species occur in the savanna-ravine ecotone.

The serpentine grasslands and ravines are surrounded by a
fairly large tract of forest. Although predominantl, . ed
y compris
of Virginia Pine woodlands, late successional stands of mixed
mesophytic species and bottomland hardwoods are also present.
These diverse forest types provide habitat for some bird,

wildlife, and plant species requiring extensive forest interior.

The preserve concurrently protects a portion of the Deer
Creek watershed which contains the world's only population of the
a Federally Endangered fish species.

Site Name: Harford Glen

USGS Quad: Edgewood

Harford Glen is a shallow seep draining into a man-made
lake. Two juveniles of an uncommon amphipod species were found
in this seep under decaying wood. This amphipod species appears
to require clear, flowing seepage areas and its presence may be
indicative of good groundwater quality.

The range of this amphipod species is restricted to a few
Piedmont and Coastal Plain localities in the mid-Atlantic states.
It is not abundant at any location outside the greater Washing-
ton, D.C area. Extensive development in the vicinity of the
amphipod's greatest population concentration has reduced the
availability of suitable seepage habitat.

Site Name: Hess Pond

USGS Quad: Phoenix

Hess Pond is a seasonal pond occurring along a stream. This
seasonal pond borders a small stream and is part of a broad
wetland complex of emergent marsh, shrub swamp, and floodplain
forest. The marsh harbors a population of a State Threatened
sedge known from only four other-known locations in Maryland.

Seasonal wetlands along tributaries were historically
created by fire and beaver activity, the fallen timber
restricting channel flow and inundating portions of the stream.
Natural disturbances such as these have been largely suppressed
by man.

Many of the remaining seasonally inundated wetlands have
been drained or filled for agriculture and development. As their
habitat has been eliminated, the animal and plant species relying
on seasonally inundated wetlands have.become increasingly rare.

Site Name: Little Gunpowder Falls

USGS Quad: White Marsh

Moderately sloping to steeply sloping hills and cool, narrow

j1W

ravines border Little Gunpowder Falls in the vicinity of this
site. These hills and ravines drain southward into a narrow
floodplain, and eventually into the Gunpowder River.

Natural canopy gaps within the mature alluvial oak-Beech-
Tulip Poplar forest and a powerline right-of-way harbor two
populations of a State Threatened wildflower species. Growing on
steep, south-facing slopes of the ravine, the p?pUlations at this
site represent the only occurrence for the species in the county.
This species has been observed at only six other known locations
in Maryland. The populations at this site are fairly large and
vigorous. A State Rare Sedge species and four uncommon plant
species also occur at this site. III

Powerline maintenance sometimes mimics natural disturbances,
such as flooding and fire, which once maintained open habitats.
Since these natural disturbances have been largely suppressed by
man, plant and animal species relying on canopy gaps have
dwindled in numbers.

The mature forest which occupies the hillsides and
floodplain of the site provides an excellent natural buffer to
the Little Gunpowder River. Forest interior breeding birds
inhabiting the extensive contiguous forest that borders the river
include the Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus), Acadian Flycatcher
(Empidonax virescens), Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus), Louisiana.
Waterthrush (Seiurus motacilla), and Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides
villosus).

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

KENT COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources Division
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the office of Ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Kent County that is designated as a nontidal'wetland of
Special State Concern under the State Nontidal Wetlands
Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were prepared for
each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the designated
nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically important
buffers for habitat for plant and animal species identified as
rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department of Natural
Resources, Natural Heritage Program. other designated,nontidal
wetlands are unique natural areas or harbor unusual natural
communities.

In the following summaries the status of rare species
follows the Natural Heritage Program's Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Animals of Maryland and Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Plants of Maryland as revised February 1991. While
the names of rare species occurring within each area are not
provided, the status is given in order to convey the ecological
significance of the areas. Common names are used for
characteristic species in descriptions of the vegetation except
when no common name is available. These common names generally
follow those found in Fernald's Gray's Manual of Botany, Sth
Edition (1950). When a specific species is named, the common
name is capitalized. Common names referring to a genus or family
are not capitalized.

KENT COUNTY

Site Name: Big Marsh

USGS Quad: Betterton

Big Marsh is a large, freshwater, coastal plain
emergent/scrub marsh covering several hundred acres. The marsh
is a mosaic of sedge tussocks, standing water, and alder
thickets. Steep upland slopes support an oak-beech forest.

Maryland's only population of an aquatic member of the
Buttercup Family inhabits the nontidal portion of the marsh.
This species is vulnerable to hydrologic change and sedimen-
tation. It is currently listed as an Endangered species in
Maryland. The size of the population at this site is unknown,
since the plant was completely submerged at the time of the
survey.

Relatively undisturbed marshes as large as Big Marsh have
become increasingly rare due to drainage and filling for
development and agriculture. Existing marshes are often
negatively affected by sediment runoff, chemical contamination,
and exotic species invasion from upland sources. Maintaining
woodland buffers adjacent to marshes contributes to maintenance
of water quality and quantity, as well as the integrity of the
plant community.

Site Name: Black Bottom Ponds

USGS Quad: Millington

This nontidal wetland complex includes several Delmarva bays
which harbor five State Endangered Species plus a State Rare
Species. The natural dominance of herbaceous species within the
bays is unusual. Most of Maryland's nontidal wetlands are
dominated by shrubs or trees. Many herbaceous, emergent wetlands
have been drained for agriculture. The herbaceous communities
within these Delmarva bays are maintained by fluctuating
groundwater levels. The bays normally fill in the fall, winter
and spring, and dry in the summer. Most of the rare herbaceous
species germinate and mature in the summer on exposed mudflats.
The exception is an Endangered floating-leaved aquatic which
appears to mature through winter under standing water; its
flowers emerge above the water surface in spring. These rare
species are unique in their ability to endure seasonal extremes
of drought and flooding.

An exceptional variety of rare plant species inhabits these
bays. Large stands of a State Endangered sedge occur in three
Delmarva bays in the area. This species is a candidate for
listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Fewer than 20
extant populations of this Endangered sedge have been reported
worldwide; twelve of those occur on Maryland's Eastern Shore, but
only one of the Maryland sites is protected.

Delmarva bays provide ideal habitat for amphibians,
including several rare species. The ponds also provide feeding
grounds for resident waterbirds, and offer nesting, feeding and
breeding grounds for migratory waterfowl and songbirds. Numerous
tracks through the ponds reveal that deer frequent these sites.

Site Name: Browns Pond

USGS Quad: Millington

Browns Pond is a seasonal pond dominated by a variety of
herbaceous species along its perimeter and by Buttonbush at its
center. It is usually inundated in the winter and early spring,
annually recharged by groundwater influx, and then dries at the
pond's center as the summer progresses. In summer, the moist
depression is rapidly colonized by herbaceous species. When
inundated, the pond serves as suitable breeding grounds for
amphibians.

Many similar ponds on the Eastern Shore have been destroyed
by agricultural ditching and drainage. As seasonal ponds have
decreased in number, so have the rare plant and animal species
which rely on them for habitat. Remaining seasonal ponds often
harbor rare, disjunct, or endemic species specially adapted to
the fluctuating water levels. -

A State Endangered amphibian, one of only five populations
in the state, uses Browns Pond as breeding habitat in the winter
and early spring. A rare, spring-blooming member of the
Buttercup Family, Endangered in Maryland, flourishes in the rich,
mucky bottom of the pond, its leaves suspended below the surface.
This plant species is known from only two other locations in the
state.

A third State Endangered species, a floating-leaved aquatic
plant, grows among the Buttonbush at the pond's center. Known
from only five other sites in Maryland, this species matures in
winter under standing water, its flowers emerging above the water
surface in spring.

Site Name: Cypress Branch Pond

USGS Quad: Millington

Cypress Branch Pond, a Delmarva bay within a powerline
right-of-way, harbors a population of a State Endangered
amphibian species. This amphibian species is known from only
four other locations in the state. Delmarva bayp@ typically
recharged annually by groundwater sources in thewinter and early
spring, are ideal breeding grounds for amphibians. In Delmarva
bays, herbaceous species typically colonize the moist depressions
present after the pond has dried in the summer. At this site,
powerline right-of-way maintenance aids herbaceous species
establishment by keeping the pond free of woody species. Rare,
disjunct, or endemic plant and animal species specially adapted
to fluctuating water levels are often associated with seasonal or
semi-permanent ponds because this wetland type has been reduced
by agricultural ditching and drainage. Future surveys at
different times of the year may reveal additional rare plant or
animal populations.

Site Name: Golts Pond West

USGS Quad: Millington

Golts Pond West is a shallow semi-permanent freshwater pond
dominated by herbaceous species. The pond is annually recharged
from groundwater influx in the late winter and early spring. It
may dry during the summer, leaving moist depressions suitable for
colonization by herbaceous species. When it is inundated, this
pond provides important breeding habitat for amphibians.

Many similar ponds on the Eastern Shore have been destroyed
by agricultural ditching and drainage. As seasonal ponds have
decreased in number, so have the rare plant and animal species
relying on their unique soil and hydrologic conditions.
Remaining seasonal ponds often harbor rare, disjunct, or endemic
species specially adapted to fluctuating water levels.

At least one rare amphibian, listed as State Endangered and
found at only four other locations in Maryland, uses Golts Pond
West as breeding habitat. Although no egg masses were seen at
the time of the survey, both swollen males and spent females were
observed, probably indicating a reproducing population. A small
population of an uncommon sedge also grows at the muddy edge of
the pond.

Site Name: Golts Ponds

USGS Quad: Millington

This protection area contains two Delmerva bays, unique
nontidal wetland ecosystem restricted to five counties on the
Eastern Shore. These ponds are centrilpetally-drained basins
which range in size from one to fifteen acres and which hold up
to 4 ft. of water in the spring. They often contain rare,
disjunct, or endemic species and are considered unique because
they are among the few remaining naturally open freshwater
wetlands on the coastal plain. Many similar ponds have been
drained and filled for agricultural and development.

Three rare or uncommon plant species and a State Endangered
amphibian inhabit Golts Ponds. One plant, a State Endangered
sedge, is a Federal candidate for listing under the U.S.
Endangered Species Act. The Golts Pond population is the
northernmost occurrence of this sedge. These ponds also harbor
another Endangered sedge occurring at its northern limit and an
uncommon plant species.

Site Name: Golts Railway Pond

USGS Quad: Millington

This nontidal wetland is unique in the abundance and variety
of herbaceous vegetation at the pond's center. Among these
species is a State Endangered floating-leawed aquatic species.
Five additional populations of this species are known in
Maryland, but only one population is protected. The life cycle
of this aquatic herb is closely linked to the seasonal water
level fluctuations of the pond. As the pond water level drops in
the summer, its seeds germinate on exposed mud. The seedlings
mature under water as the pond level rises through fall and
winter. The flowers of this plant merge from the standing water
in spring.

Many seasonal ponds have been destroyed by drainage and
filling for agriculture and development. As these unique wetland
habitats are reduced in number, so are the rare plant and animal
species which rely on them for habitat. Remaining seasonal ponds
often harbor rare, disjunct, or endmic species specially adapted
to the fluctuating water levels.

South of the pond along the sandy upland forrest border is a
small population of a State Endangered legume. Just three other
populations of this species are known to occur in Maryland and
only one population is protected.

Rare amphibians may also occur in this pond. Because the
flora and fauna of ponds vary both seasonally and Annually with
changes in pond water level, several visits will be necessary to
develop a complete species list for the site.

When standing water is present, the pond provides feeding
and resting grounds for resident waterbirds. Also, the pond
offers nesting, feeding and breeding grounds for migratory
waterfowl and songbirds. Deer frequent the pond and surrounding
woods.

Site Name: Lovers Lane

USGS Quad: Chestertown

Lovers Lane is a small tributary draining into the east fork
of Langford Creek. The humus-rich, acidic soil along its banks
supports a State Threatened fern species, growing among dense
alder thickets. Found at only six other locations in the state,
this fern is the only species of its genus occurring this far
north; most if its close relatives inhabit tropical forests. It
is rare throughout its range in the eastern United States, which
may indicate highly specific soil or hydrologic requirements.

Site Name: Massey Pond

USGS Quad: Millington

Massey Pond is a shallow, permanent, excavated pond domina-
ted by herbaceous species. The pond is annually recharged from
groundwater sources in the late winter and early spring. It
gradually dries during the summer, leaving moist depressions at
its perimeter suitable for colonization by herbaceous species.
When inundated, such ponds provide important breeding habitat for
amphibians. many similar ponds on the Eastern Shore have been
destroyed by agricultural ditching and drainage. As ponds like
these have decreased in number, so have the rare plant and animal
species requiring their unique soil and hydrologic conditions.
Remaining seasonal ponds often harbor rare, disjunct, or endemic
species specially adapted to the fluctuating water levels.

Massey Pond harbors a population of a State Endangered
amphibian, recorded at only four other locations in Maryland.
Both adult and larval forms have been observed using the pond
over a period of several years, indicating a stable, reproducing
population.

The pond has only been surveyed in the wet months. Future
surveys of the pond after it has dried in the late summer and

early fall may reveal the presence of rare herbaceous species as
well.

Site Name: Millington WMA Ponds

USGS Quad: Millington

A shrub swamp and an excavated pond contain the unique
elements of this protection area. The shrub swamp appears
undisturbed and represents a habitat that is dwindling on
Maryland's Eastern Shore due to agricultural ditching and
drainage. An uncommon aquatic plant species inhabits the
southern edge of this swamp. Southeast of the shrub swamp
is an excavated pond that appears to be permanently flooded.

Among the herbs that dominate the exposed mud banks are
large populations of a State Endangered sedge and a State
Endangered member of the Aster Family. The sedge is known from
fewer than 20 extant sites worldwide, twelve of which occur in
Maryland. This species is a candidate for listing under the U.S.
Endangered Species Act. Only two of the populations in Maryland
are protected. The Endangered aster species occurs at thirteen
extant sites in Maryland, only one of which is protected. A
small population of another State Endangered sedge grows along
the banks of the pond. Nine extant populations of this rare
sedge occur in Maryland, only one of which is protected.

Rare amphibians may also occur in the pond and shrub swamp.
The flora and fauna of the pond and swamp vary seasonally and
annually with water level. The rare amphibians are not apparent
in late summer and early fall when the pond was surveyed.
Several visits are necessary to develop a complete species list
for the site. The excavated pond and shrub swamp offer ideal
breeding, nesting and feeding grounds to migratory waterfowl and
songbirds, and feeding grounds to resident waterbirds. In
addition, deer frequent these areas to feed and rest.

Site Name: Morgan Creek

USGS Quad: Galena

Morgan Creek is a diverse swamp forest containing dense
alder thickets and emergent marshes, bordered by an upland mixed
hardwood-pine forest. Close to the mouth of one of the
tributaries feeding the creek, a population of a State Rare plant
species grows in the swamp's muddy banks. Only four occurrences
of this plant species have been documented in Maryland. Its
limited distribution may indicate highly specific soil or
hydrologic requirements.

Undisturbed swamp forests have become increasingly rare as
wooded buffers are removed, allowing the invasion of exotic
species, siltation, and degradation of water quality. species
associated with undisturbed swamp forests are also in decline.

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources Division
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Prince Georges County that is designated as A nontidal
wetland of Special State Concern under the State Nont'idal
Wetlands Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). similar reports were
prepared for each of Maryl@andls 16 coastal counties. Most of the
designated nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically
important buffers for habitat for plant and animal species
identified as rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department
of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated
nontidal wetlands are unique natural areas or@@harbor unusual
natural communities.

In the following summaries the status of rare species
follows the Natural Heritage Program's Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Animals of Maryland and Rare, Threatened and
Endanaered Plants of Maryland as revised February 1991. While
the names of rare species occurring within each area are not
provided, the status is given in order to convey the ecological
significance of the areas. Common names are used for
characteristic species in descriptions of the vegetation except
when no common name is available. These common names generally
follow those found in Fernald's Gray's Manual of Botany, 8th
Edition (1950). When a specific species is named, the common
name is capitalized. Common names referring to a genus or family
are not capitalized.

PRINCE GEORGEIS COUNTY

Site Name: Beek Woods

USGS Quad: Laurel

This site contains a wetland complex consisting of
bottomland forest, Red Maple and alder swamp, shallow open water
pools, sedge-dominated herbaceous wetland openings, and an
impounded lake. The diversity of native plants in these wetlands
is high. Occasional lowering of the water level in the lake has
revealed the presence of a species of sedge that is considered
uncommon in Maryland--not currently threatened, but in need of
monitoring due to declining populations. The uncommon sedge
grows in the wet, organic soils that are exposed when the lake is
drained.

Two rare wetland plant species are known to have occurred
historically in the general vicinity of Beck Woods. With further
survey, these species may be found to grow here still. Surveys
at various times during the growing season may reveal the
presence of additional rare species at this site.

Together with adjacent pine-oak forest, the forested
wetlands at this site form a Research Forest designated for
protection and research by the Beltsville Agricultural Research
Center (BARC). In annual breeding bird censuses conducted
throughout the mid-Atlantic region, this forest is consistently
the location of one of the highest densities of Neotropical
migrants. Many of these species are forest interior breeding
birds which require large tracts of mature, well-stratified,
unfragmented forest.for breeding success. This site is important
because it is one component of a-very large, relatively
contiguous forest comprising lands under the jurisdiction of
several federal agencies. Agriculture and residential and
commercial development have made such large forest systems very
rare in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of the mid-Atlantic
states.

Recent Smithsonian Institution surveys of the dragonfly
fauna at BARC have determined that the wetlands at this site also
support an unusually high diversity of dragonfly species,
including at least one species known from nowhere else in the
State.

The extensive, high quality wetlands at Beck Woods provide
feeding and breeding habitat for amphibians, migratory songbirds,
waterfowl, and other wildlife. Such wetlands are very important
for their role in maintaining the quality of the rivers they feed
and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay.

Site Name: Belt Woods

USGS Quad: Lanham

The nontidal wetlands at the Belt Woods site are bottomland
forests along streams. The primary reason for their designation
is that they serve as essential corridors connecting the rich
mesic forest of the Belt Woods Natural Environmental Area (NEA)
to other nearby forested areas. The ecological importance of
Belt Woods NEA is so great that the small site has been
designated as a State Wildland. The forested corridors in the
Belt Woods area have been documented in the scientific literature
as essential components in a system of interrelated forest
fragments. Together these fragments are able to support many
species usually absent from forest patches of such small size.
Although too narrow to provide permanent or' breeding habitat for
forest interior species, the corridors provide cover for
individuals moving between forest blocks. These bottomland
forests are composed primarily of Sweet Gum, Pin Oak and Tulip
Tree. In addition to their role as corridors, these wetlands
offer habitat to edge-tolerant wildlife species. They also
control pollution, sedimentation and erosion of the streams they
border.

The NEA served by the wetland corridors contains an old-
growth, mesic, upland forest which may never have been logged.
The relative lack of disturbance is evidenced by such factors as
the large diameter of many trees, light gaps, snags, standing
dead and fallen timber, and well-stratified forest layers. The
soil has a well-developed organic layer and is less acidic than
most soils of the Coastal Plain, due to underlying Miocene shell
deposits. The nutrient-rich, circumneutral soils and lack of
recent disturbance have resulted in very high diversity of
species in a relatively small acreage. These include unusually
high densities of neotropical migrant birds, a group experiencing
serious decline throughout their U.S. range. The age and
ecological significance of Belt Woods has been well-documented in
the scientific literature.

Two rare plants occur among the diverse herbaceous species
carpeting the forest floor in the NEA. One is a wildflower that
is listed as Endangered in Maryland and is known from only one
other site in the State. The second species, listed as
Threatened in Maryland, is known from fewer than a dozen other
sites statewide, including only one other site in Prince George's
County.

The diversity and lack of disturbance in the NEA make it a
very important habitat for many wildlife species. Standing dead
timber provides sites for cavity nesting birds, and both standing
and fallen logs offer den sites for small mammals. The site
supports an extremely high density of forest interior dwelling

birds, as measured in censuses of breeding birds throughout the
State.

Site Name: Beltsville Airport Bog

USGS Quad: Laurel

This site contains a large wetland complex *-ith an open
canopy. The complex includes a wet meadow, an emergent marsh,
and a large shrub bog with narrow open water channels that wind
between hummocks of sphagnum moss, sedges, and shrubs. This
wetland is remarkably diverse and includes unusual species such
as Poison Sumac. Large, unforested nontidal wetlandi such as
this are uncommon in Maryland, particularly near the
Piedmont/Coastal Plain interface. Many of our nontidal wetlands
have been lost due to draining and filling for agriculture and.
urban development. Such wetlands are increasingly valued for
their important role in maintaining the quality of the rivers
they feed and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay,@.

Two unusual plant species inhabit the bog. One is a sedge
that is listed as Threatened in Maryland and is known from fewer
than ten sites in the State. The other is a small herbaceous
species found only in swamps and bogs and considered uncommon in
Maryland.

The wet meadow at one end of this site supports Maryland's
only population of a rare species of leafhopper. The exact
status of this rare insect species has not yet been determined.

Two additional rare plant species were reported historically
from the vicinity of Beltsville Airport Bog and may still grow at
this site. Portions of the bog are virtually impenetrable and
may harbor additional rare species that were not observed during
the field survey.

Dense, shrub-dominated and forested nontidal wetlands
provide excellent habitat for birds and other wildlife. The
freshwater, emergent marsh upstream from the bog provides
important amphibian habitat. The entire ecosystem is significant
not only for its unusual habitats, but also because it is part of
a large, contiguous forest that provides habitat for species
intolerant of forest fragmentation.

Site Name: Beltsville Bottomland Forest

USGS Quads: Beltsville, Laurel

This site is an important example of a bottomland deciduous
forest large enough to support the entire array of native

bottomland bird species expected in this type of habitat.
Smaller tracts of similar habitat usually harbor far fewer
species of breeding birds. Several species that breed at this
site, such as the Kentucky Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, and
Barred Owl, are forest interior breeding birds. These species
require large tracts of forest and, in some cases, relatively
mature trees in order to successfully reproduce., Numerous other
neotropical migrant birds use this forest during,lspring migration
for feeding and nesting habitat.

A large portion of this area is designated by the Beltsville
Agricultural Research Center as a Research Forest. This site is
especially important because it is part of a very large,
relatively contiguous forest in the Beltsville-Laurei area,
comprising lands owned by several federal agencies. Such large
forest systems have become extremely rare in central Maryland due
to forest conversion for agriculture and residential and
commercial purposes.

A broad floodplain forest borders a wetter hardwood swamp
forest at one end of the site. These wetlands provide important
breeding sites for amphibians and reptiles. In addition, such
nontidal wetlands are increasingly valued for their important
role in maintaining the health of the rivers they feed and,
ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay.

Site Name: Beltsville Forest and Meadow

USGS Quad: Laurel

The nontidal wetlands at this site are important habitat for
unusual plants, forest interior breeding birds, and other
wildlife, and they provide valuable sites for ecological
research. Most of the wetland consists of bottomland forest
dominated by Red Maple, with Sweet Bay, Black Gum and Spicebush
in the understory. Wetland ferns and sedges, such as Cinnamon
Fern and Long Sedge, are abundant in the wet organic soils of the
forest floor. The bottomland forest grades into a shrub swamp of
Sweet Pepperbush and Greenbrier.

Two boggy, sphagnous openings occur where a powerline right-
of-way crosses the wetland forest. In one of these the soil has
not been disturbed for many years. A small pool is surrounded by
a tiny bog with sphagnum moss, wetland wildflowers, and a bog
plant considered uncommon in Maryland. This species is not
currently thought to be threatened, but is considered worthy of
monitoring.

Another rare plant species is known to have occurred in
wetlands in the vicinity of this site. With additional surveys,
this species may be found still growing here.

Several factors make these wetlands and the adjacent
deciduous upland forests very important as habitat for forest
interior breeding birds. As one of the largest forested tracts
at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), this area
is an essential part of a large, interconnected forest comprising
lands owned by several federal agencies. Forest interior
breeding birds require relatively large, unfragmented forests for
successful reproduction. Many are neotropical migrants, which
form a majority of the territorial bird species in large eastern
forests but decrease dramatically when forest stands are reduced
to small, isolated woodlots. Small forest patches have a high
ratio of edge to interior, and edge effects, including trampling,
nest predation, and brood parasitism impact neotropical migrant
species disproportionately for several reasons. Many migrant
species place their nests on or near the ground. In addition,
these birds have a relatively low reproductive rate, typically
producing just one small brood per year. The large, contiguous
forests that neotropical migrants require have become
increasingly-rare on the Upper Coastal Plain of Maryland due to
clearing for agriculture and for residential and commercial
development.

This area has been selected for a number of significant
ecological research projects. The forest was censused for a
major study which documented the importance of large forest size
and the value of forested corridors to neotropical migrant bird
species. It is also the site of long-term gypsy moth research.
Most of the area has been designated by BARC as a Research
Forest. The Research Forest provides a laboratory for studies of
plants and animals in their natural habitats.

This site provides excellent habitat not only for birds, but
for many types of wildlife such as insects, amphibians, and large
mammals. In addition, these wetlands maintain water quantity and
quality of the rivers they feed and, ultimately, the Chesapeake
Bay.

Site Name: Beltsville Seasonal Ponds

USGS Quad: Laurel

Two small, centripetally-drained seasonal ponds are the
focus of this site. No streams feed or drain the ponds. The
ponds fill with water during the winter and early spring, and
gradually dry during the summer.

This habitat is uncommon in Maryland; many such ponds have
been destroyed by draining, ditching, or filling for agriculture
or development. Seasonal ponds are especially rare in the Upper
Coastal Plain, occurring more commonly on the Eastern Shore.
They provide ideal habitat for an unusual group of plants known

as I'drawdown" species, which flourish in the moist soil exposed
when the water recedes in late summer.

A rare herbaceous drawdown species is abundant in one of
these ponds. This species is listed as Endangered in Maryland
and is known from fewer than ten sites in the State. At this
site it grows under a canopy of Buttonbush, which dominates the
center ofrthe pond, and in several openings between shrubs.

Between the two ponds is a forested wetland of Red Maple and
Pin Oak, with an open understory. East of the ponds, a stream
flows through a small swamp dominated by Red Maple, with Southern
Arrowwood, greenbrier, and sedges in the understory.

The seasonal ponds and surrounding wetlands offer feeding
and breeding habitat for migratory songbirds and for amphibians.
The ponds are the site of ecological studies of large, unusual
salamanders that breed here.

Additional rare plant species may occur at this site. The
flora and fauna of seasonal ponds vary seasonally and annually
with water level. Several visits are required to develop a
complete list of species which inhabit this site.

Site Name: Buck Lodge Road Bog

USGS Quad: Beltsville

Buck Lodge Road Bog is a sphagnous seep occurring within a
powerline right-of-way. Naturally-occurring sphagnous seeps were
once kept free of woody species by sporadic floods or fires.
Since these natural disturbances are now suppressed by man, many
of the species associated with sphagnous seeps have become
increasingly rare. Powerline right-of-way maintenance prevents
woody plant invasion at this site, keeping the sphagnous seep
open and allowing rare species to flourish.

Buck Lodge Road Bog, dominated by Roemer's Rush, grasses,
and an uncommon orchid, harbors populations of two State
Endangered and one State Threatened species. Each of the
Endangered species is known from fewer than four sites in
Maryland. For one of these species, a rare sedge, this is the
only known Maryland population outside of the Eastern Shore. The
species listed as Threatened in Maryland is known from fewer than
ten sites in the State.

This sphagnous seep is a habitat generally unfavorable to
plant growth. Due to the high clay content of the soil at this
seep, any moisture accumulating from precipitation or seepage
tends to remain on the surface. The acidic soil is relatively
poor in nutrients and highly erodible. The rare species that

inhabit this area have adapted to these severe conditions. These
species are seldom found in more favorable environments because
they cannot compete with other, more common species.

This unusual wetland may provide suitable habitat for
colonization by other bog species. The dense thickets of Naked
Withe-rod and Red Chokeberry to the east of the seep, bordering
the stream, provide food and nesting habitat for )pirds. The
stream and adjacent upland White Oak-Chestnut OajeBlack
Huckleberry woods provide habitat for birds, amphibians, and
reptiles.

Site Name: Chews Lake

USGS Quad: Bristol

The mature bottomland forest that borders Chews Lake is
composed of species that usually dominate riparian floodplain
forests along rivers much larger than the streams that flow
through this area. sycamore, American Elm, and Box Elder
dominate the forest canopy. The herbaceous layer is lush and
includes many spring wildflowers. A long beaver dam maintains
the water level in the lake. Other than beaver activity and a
horse trail, there has been minimal recent disturbance to this
forest.

Two rare plant species inhabit this unusual bottomland
forest. Both are listed as Endangered in Maryland. This is the
only known site in Maryland for one of these species. Further
survey is needed to determine the size and vigor of this
population. The other Endangered species is known from only one
other site in the State. The population at Chews Lake is much
larger than the other known population of this species; thousands
of flowering plants carpet the floodplain. Because the potential
habitat for these rare species is extensive and of high quality,
this site offers an excellent opportunity to preserve these
species in Maryland.

The floodplain and adjacent upland forest provide habitat
for deer, beaver, and forest interior dwelling birds. The lake
provides habitat for water dependent species of birds,
amphibians, and reptiles. In addition, the broad floodplain
forest absorbs floodwaters, thus reducing potential flooding and
pollution downstream.

Site Name: Fort Ravine

USGS Quad: Xount Vernon

This site contains a narrow band of palustrine forest
bordered by mesic deciduous forest on the slopes of a steep,
narrow ravine. Together, these forests provide an exceptional
example of a mature, deciduous forest. Due to tIje clearing of
land for agriculture, silviculture, and housing c1qvelopment,
forests of similar age are extremely rare on the Upper Coastal
Plain. Trees greater than two ft. in diameter are scattered
along the stream, and decaying, moss-covered logs straddle the
ravine. The forest understory and herbaceous cover Are well-
developed. Spring wildflowers line the stream banks.'

The bottomland forest is dominated by Tulip Tree and
Sycamore, with Pawpaw and Spicebush in the understory and patches
of Nettle and Jewelweed on the forest floor. Along the stream
banks and lower slopes are scattered patches of a rare plant
species known from fewer than a dozen other sites in Maryland.
This State Threatened plant requires the deep shade and organic
soils of a mature forest. The species is found more commonly in
the Piedmont and mountains, with few populations reported from
the Coastal Plain in surrounding states.

The mature forest provides feeding and nesting habitat for
migrating songbirds. A trail near the mouth of the stream
provides access for hikers, birdwatchers, and nature
photographers.

Name: Huntington Park Woods

USGS Quad: Laurel

This site contains a Red Maple bottomland forest, a shrub
swamp dominated by Sweet Pepperbush, and small seepage areas with
dense vegetation dominated by Sweet Bay. These wetlands are
composed primarily of native plant species with only minor
evidence of invasion by weedy, non-native species.

One of the dominant species on the wetland forest floor is a
rare plant which is known from fewer than 10 other sites in the
State, and no other sites in Prince George's County. This
species is listed as Threatened in Maryland. This is one of the
largest populations of this plant in the State, and it appears to
be reproducing successfully.

This area offers nature study opportunities to a rapidly
developing, suburban community.

The surrounding uplands consist of mature pine-oak forest.
Forests of this age are becoming increasingly rare as residential
and commercial development expand. The mature forest provides
habitat for many woodland plant and wildlife species, including
standing dead trees for cavity-nesting birds.

Site Name: Johnson's Gully

USGS Quad: Mount Vernon

This steep ravine supports a narrow band of bottomland
forest and a mesic, deciduous forest. These forests are more
characteristic of the Piedmont than the Upper Coastal Plain. A
great diversity of herbaceous species, including numerous
wildflowers, carpet the lower slopes and stream banks. This
well-developed herbaceous cover, the presence of large, well-
decayed logs, and the complex structure of the canopy indicate
that the forest is mature. Due to clearing for commercial and
residential development and agriculture, few mature forests exist
on the Upper Coastal Plain. If left undisturbed, this will be an
excellent example of an old growth forest.

Along the lower slope of the ravine grows a rare plant
species that is listed as Threatened in Maryland. This species
more commonly inhabits the cooler forests of the mountains and
Piedmont. The steep slopes of the ravine and the dense canopy
produce a cool, shady habitat for this plant, far from its normal
range. The undisturbed bottomland forest prevents soil erosion
and sedimentation that would be detrimental to the rare species.

The small stream and adjacent moist banks provide excellent
habitat for invertebrates and amphibians. The mature forest
provides feeding and nesting habitat for migratory songbirds. In
addition, fossils have been found in the streambed, suggesting
that this ravine may be important in revealing the biological
history of this area.

Site Name: Patuxent Maple Swamp

USGS Quad: Bowie

This site is an excellent example of a palustrine floodplain
forest. Red Maple dominates this section of the Patuxent River
floodplain, which supports a variety of bottomland hardwood
species, including Sweet Gum, River Birch, Sycamore, Ironwood,
and ash. Occasional scouring by floodwater of the Patuxent River
maintains an open understory. Patches of shrubs occur on
slightly elevated areas and herbaceous openings form in the
depressions and channels that retain floodwaters longer. These
natural herbaceous openings are unique to floodplain forests;

they do not occur in other palustrine, nontidal wetlands of the
Upper Coastal Plain.

At the west end of the wetland complex, temporary pools and
saturated soils of the Red Maple-Sweet Gum Forest provide habitat
for an uncommon crustacean. This species is declining and worthy
of monitoring in Maryland. These small creatures are
predominantly subterranean and only occasionally appear in
surface waters. The bulk of the population lives in saturated
soils well shaded by the deciduous bottomland forest.

The forested wetlands along the Patuxent River absorb
floodwater during storms and thus reduce the impacts of flooding
downstream.

Site Name: Patuxent Wildlife Research Center

USGS Quad: Laurel

The Research Center includes over 3000 acres of nearly
contiguous forest. These forests include approximately 700 acres
of mature bottomland forest bordering the Patuxent River. The
Society of American Foresters identified the Research Center's
bottomland forest as one of nearly 400 natural areas in their
national inventory of mature forests. The Society's inventory of
natural areas was initiated because these relatively undisturbed
forests provide a vital educational resource. The extensive
tracts of forest provide a laboratory for studies of plants and
animals in their natural habitats and for studies of the
ecological processes that sustain the forests. The forest
ecosystems remain essentially intact;,for example, they include
species of forest interior dwelling birds such as neotropical
migratory species that are unable to survive in smaller forests.
only by understanding the natural processes that sustain these
extensive, relatively undisturbed forests, can scientists assess
the effects of human-induced changes to forests of this region.

At least two rare plant species inhabit the wetland. One
rare species, a sedge, is known from only four additional sites
in the State and is listed as Threatened in Maryland. The other
is a State Threatened wildflower. There are several historical
reports of additional rare species at the Wildlife Research
Center. The forests were not searched for these species during
the field surveys conducted for this report. However, it is
likely that the rare species survive because therp has been very
little disturbance to the habitats from which th6y were reported.
Further survey of the forest is needed to confirm the presence of
these rare species.

Most of the forested acreage at the Research Center, both
upland and bottomland, has been designated by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service as Research Natural Areas. These forests, in
association with adjacent forests on Fort Meade, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture Research Center, and other federally-
owned lands, constitute one of the largest remaining contiguous
tracts of forest in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area.
As commercial and residential development merge formerly distinct
metropolitan areas of the mid-Atlantic states, the forests that
remain are usually small, isolated patches. These small patches
cannot support many of the plants and animals native to this
region that require extensive forests or are intolerant of
frequent disturbance. The forests of the Wildlife Research
Center and adjacent Federal properties offer the best available
opportunity to conserve the native plants and wildlife of this
region that will not survive in small, isolated forests.

Site Name: Route 1-95 Bog

USGS Quad: Beltsville

The unusually sandy, acidic soil within this powerline
right-of-way supports rare plant communities in sphagnous, low
elevation bogs. Several similar bogs, historically referred to
as powder mill bogs, were reported from Prince George's County in
the early 19001s. The flora reported for these bogs is
remarkably similar to that of bogs in the pinelands of southern
New Jersey. This site may be a remnant of such a bog. With the
exception of a portion of Suitland Bog, none of the bogs
historically reported in this region is known to exist today.
All have apparently been drained or filled during the commercial
and residential development of this suburban area.

Two rare plant species grow in or along the edge of bogs in
this right-of-way. Both species are near the limits of their
ranges. one species is listed as Threatened in Maryland and is
known from just five other sites in the State. This population
is large and the plants flower profusely. This is the larger of

the two known Maryland populations of the other rare bog species,
which is listed as Endangered in Maryland.

Due to the loss of natural habitat, powerline rights-of-way
have become increasingly important habitat for some rare species.
Where rights-of-way cross certain wetlands, the removal of woody
plants during powerline construction and maintenance mimics the
natural disturbances that create and maintain Coastal Plain bogs.
Further survey may reveal additional rare species'@Jn this site.

Two additional significant plants grow in nearby uplands
within the powerline right-of-way. One is a State Endangered
species known from only three other Maryland sites. The other
species is uncommon and declining in the State.

Site Name: Southwest Branch Bottomland Forest

USGS Quad: Lanham, Upper Marlboro

The rich soil along the banks of Southwest Branch supports a
bottomland forest dominated by large Tulip Trees. Box Elder and
River Birch are common, and Spicebush is abundant in the
understory. The forest sustains an unusually luxuriant cover of
spring wildflowers. Within this diverse herbaceous layer is a
vigorous population of a wildflower listed as Endangered in
Maryland and known from just two other sites in the State. In
Maryland, all of the known sites for this species are in Prince
George's County. This species is also rare in adjacent states.

Mature bottomland forests are uncommon within this rapidly
urbanizing area. This site offers local residents outstanding
recreational and educational opportunities such as hiking,
birdwatching, and nature study.

This forest maintains the water quality and flow-level of
Southwest Branch by filtering runoff from adjacent uplands and by
absorbing floodwaters.

Site Name: Suitland Bog

USGS Quad: Anacostia

Suitland Bog contains a wetland complex that includes
palustrine forest, emergent marsh, magnolia swamp and seepage
slopes. The focal point of the site is a two-acre sphagnum bog
occurring on a west-facing seepage slope. This bog is the last
relatively undisturbed example of more than ten Coastal Plain
bogs reported historically in Prince George's County. Commercial
and residential development have destroyed or drastically altered

all but this bog. Bogs are now rare throughout the Coastal Plain
of Maryland.

The saturated, acidic soil characteristic of sphagnum bogs
is unfavorable to the growth of most plants. A few plant species
have adapted to this harsh environment, including several rare
species. Within Suitland Bog, open areas lacking woody
vegetation harbor three State Endangered, two State Threatened,
and two State Rare plants. One of these species is known from
just one other site in Maryland, one occurs in two other sites,
and for one species Suitland Bog is the only known population in
Maryland. In addition, ten plant species considered uncommon in
the State inhabit the bog. These plants are not yet thought to
be threatened in the State, but are worthy of monitoring due to
declining or restricted populations.

Below the bog is a sma ,11 stream that flows through a swamp
dominated by Sweet Bay. Several small, partially open seeps
occur along the east side of this stream a short distance south
of the main bog. Several rare plant species occur in these
seeps.

Suitland Bog is a potential site for a rare crustacean that
lives in saturated wetland soils. Hybrids of this federally
listed species have been reported historically from "near
Suitland". Therefore, the parent species could potentially
inhabit Suitland Bog.

At least 13 other rare and uncommon plant species were
reported historically from Suitland Bog but have not been seen
recently.

The proximity of this bog to urban residential areas makes
it an important educational sitei County park staff members lead
numerous interpretive programs for local residents.

Site Name: Watkins Regional Park

USGS Quad: Lanham

This bottomland forest along Western Branch and the mesic
forest that buffers it are outstanding examples of the Tulip
Tree-dominated forests characteristic of the stream valleys of
this county. Much of the forest in this area shows little sign
of recent disturbance, and large sections of the forest are old.
Forested areas of similar age are rare on the Upper Coastal
Plain.

Two plants listed as Endangered in Maryland grow in the
older sections of the bottomland forest. one is an annual
species that contributes to the impressive display of spring

wildflowers carpeting the forest floor. Known from only two
other sites in the State, this plant is very abundant at this
site. The other is a rare sedge known from only three other
sites in the State. A third rare plant species grows along a
hiking trail in the bottomland forest. Fewer than ten other
sites of this State Threatened spring wildflower are known in the
State. Just a few individuals were observed at this site.

Within the mesic forest buffer adjacent to the wetland grows
a State Endangered wildflower known from only two other sites in
the State. Scientists believe that this species relies on a soil
fungus in order to absorb water and nutrients. However, the
fungus only grows in undisturbed, loamy soils with a well-
developed organic layer. The rarity of this plant species, with
its associated fungus, is attributed to the scarcity of mature,
undisturbed forests on the Upper Coastal Plain.

The well-stratified canopy of the old forest provides
excellent habitat for a variety of forest interior dwelling
birds. Studies of the bird populations conducted by staff of the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have documented several forest
interior species breeding in this forest. Clearing for
residential and commercial development and for agriculture has
severely fragmented the forests of Prince George's County,
eliminating most of the available habitat for these species.
This is one of the few large tracts of forest remaining in the
area.

Its proximity to the urban and suburban communities
bordering Washington, D.C. enhances the value of this area for
passive recreational uses such as hiking, birdwatching, and other
types of nature study. The regional park's nature center is near
the site and provides excellent opportunities for environmental
education-related to the wetland-and the old forest. Students
have the chance to see the vegetation and the animals associated
with these habitats, and to observe the natural ecological
processes that maintain the forest.

Site Name: Zekiah Swamp

USGS Quads: Brandywine, Hughesville, La Plata, Popes Creek,
Charlotte Hall

Zekiah Swamp is a vast wetland complex of extensive hardwood
swamp forests intermingled with smaller areas of shrub swamp,
emergent marshes, mudflats, vernal pools and beaver ponds.
Nearly a mile wide throughout much of its 16 mile length, Zekiah
Swamp's approximately 15,000 acres make it the largest hardwood
swamp on the Western Shore.

Despite major disturbances over the years, Zekiah Swamp
still supports many native plants and animals, including several
rare species. It provides superb wildlife habitat. The wet,
organic soils and shallow, highly braided channels make the site
difficult to penetrate on foot or even by canoe. The biological
resources and remote, wild character of the swamp led the
Smithsonian Institution to designate Zekiah as a "Primary Natural
Area Recommended for Protection" in its report on@ecological
priorities for the Chesapeake Bay Region (1974).'@'The swamp was
also included in the Department of State Planning's "Catalog of
Natural Areas in Maryland" in 1968. The Wicomico River, to which
Zekiah Swamp is the largest contributor of freshwater, was
designated a Maryland Scenic River in 1971.

Among the unusual plants in Zekiah Swamp is a sizeable
population of a sedge that is listed as Endangered in Maryland.
Another rare plant was known historically from the swamp. It has
not been reported since 1969 and is now listed as Endangered
Extirpated in the State. Further survey may reveal that this
plant still occurs in Zekiah Swamp. If a viable, naturally
occurring population is discovered in Maryland, the species'
status will automatically convert to Endangered. A third
significant plant found in Zekiah Swamp is a tree that is
considered uncommon in the State, not yet threatened but worthy
of monitoring. Two additional rare plants occur within Zekiah
swamp but grow in sites designated separately as small nontidal
wetlands of Special State Concern. These are discussed in
separate reports for Bryantown Swamp and County Line Trail Seep.

Wildlife species using Zekiah swamp are many and varied, and
include beaver, mink, Maryland Diamondback Terrapin, Sora Rail,
osprey, waterfowl, overwintering Wilson's Snipe, and large
concentrations of migrating birds. A heron rookery occurs within
the swamp. The large forested area in Zekiah Swamp provides
excellent habitat for forest interior dwelling birds. These are
species that require large tracts of contiguous, unfragmented
forest to survive'. This area was recognized as early as the
1960's by Maryland's Department of Game and Inland Fish as the
most important area for wildlife in Southern Maryland.

Zekiah Swamp is immediately upstream from the wetlands in
Allen's Fresh Natural Heritage Area (NHA). Natural Heritage
Areas are communities of plants and animals that are considered
to be among the best statewide examples of their kind.
Preserving the nontidal wetlands upstream from the NHA is
essential if the water quality and quantity, species composition,
and natural character of the NHA are to be maintained. The
wetland vegetation in Zekiah Swamp reduces pollution and flooding
in the NHA by slowing water flow, filtering sedii'O',nt-and chemical
pollutants, and utilizing nutrients. This helps preserve the
unique natural communities and the plant and animal habitats in
the NHA.

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

QUEEN ANNES COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources Division
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the office of Ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Queen Annes County that is designated as a nontidal
wetland of Special State Concern under the State Nontidal
Wetlands Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were
prepared for each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the
designated nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically
important buffers for habitat for plant and animal species
identified as rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department
of Natural Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated
nontidal wetlands are unique natural areas or...harbor unusual
natural communities.

The identification and designation of these areas was a
cooperative effort between three agencies within the Department
of Natural Resources: the Natural Heritage Program, Nontidal
Wetlands Division, and Coastal Resources Division. As the
State's lead agency for the identification and protection of rare'
species and natural communities, the Natural Heritage Program
continually updates the ecological information for these areas.
For the most recent information on a particular site, please
consult the program's office in Annapolis.

In the following summaries the status of rare species
follows the Natural Heritage Program's Rare. Threatened and
Endangered Animals of Maryland and Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Plants of Maryland as revised February 1991. While
the names of rare species occurring within each area are not
provided, the status is given in order to convey the ecological
significance of the areas. Common names are used for
characteristic species in descriptions of the vegetation except
when no common name is available. These common names generally
follow those found in Fernald's Gray's Manual of Botany, Sth
Edition (1950). When a specific species is named, the common
name is capitalized. Common names referring to a genus or family
are not capitalized.

QUEEN ANNES COUNTY

Site Name: Andover Platwoods

County: Queen Annes

This nontidal wetlands complex includes two Delmarva bays
that harbor five rare plant species. Many seasonal ponds
dominated by herbaceous vegetation have been destroyed by
drainage and filling for agriculture and development.

Delmarva bays usually fill with water in the winter and
early spring, gradually drying through the summer. The presence
of standing water throughout much of the year inhibits the growth
of trees. However, certain herbaceous plants germinate when the
water recedes in summer and are able to flower and fruit before
fall frost. Remaining seasonal ponds often harbor rare,
disjunct, or endemic species specially adapted to the fluctuating
water levels.

All five rare plants occurring at this site are State
Endangered species and one is a candidate for Federal listing.
This site harbors the largest populations in Maryland of two of
these rare plants.

Delmarva bays often provide habitat for rare amphibians.
Further survey in spring is needed to inventory the species of
amphibians using the area. The bays also offer breeding,
nesting, and feeding grounds to migratory waterfowl and
songbirds. Deer frequent this area to feed and rest.

Site Name: Cleaves Fork

USGS Quad: Sudlersville

Cleaves Fork is a Delmarva bay harboring a population of a
State Endangered amphibian. This amphibian species uses the bay
when it is fully inundated in the winter and early spring as
breeding habitat. Only four other populations of this species
are known in Maryland.

As this Delmarva bay dries in summer, remaining moist
depressions in the soil are quickly colonized by herbaceous
species. Future surveys during the dry months may reveal the
presence of rare plant species in this Delmarva bay.

Many similar wetlands on the Eastern Shore have been
destroyed by agricultural ditching and drainage. As Delmarva

bays have decreased in number, so have the rare plant and animal
species which rely on them for habitat. Those that remain often
contain rare, disjunct, or endemic species specially adapted to
the fluctuating water levels.

Site Name: Kane Crossroads Pond

USGS Quad: Goldsboro

Although most Delmarva bays are forested or dominated by
shrubs, this pond, surrounded by swamp forest, is dominated by
herbaceous vegetation. Fluctuations in groundwater level produce
seasonal and annual fluctuations in the pond's water level.
Normally the Delmarva bay fills in the winter and early spring,
and dries in the summer. Many similar bays on Maryland's
Eastern Shore have been destroyed by drainage or filling fo::
agriculture or development. As Delmarva bays decline in nur.;aers,
so do the plant and animal species which rely on them for
habitat. Remaining bays often harbor rare, disjunct, or endemic
species specially adapted to the fluctuating water levels.

Most of the rare or uncommon species inhabiting this pond
germinate after the pond has dried and complete their life cycles
before fall frost. The populations of these species and the
dominant herbaceous species are maintained by the fluctuating
groundwater regime.

An unusual variety of rare species inhabit the pond center
at this site, including a State Endangered sedge. Known from
fewer than 20 sites worldwide, this species is a candidate for
listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Twelve extant
populations of this species are known from Maryland, but only one
is protected. Two State Rare species, a sedge and a member of
the Bluet Family, occurring in the pond are each known from fewer
than twenty extant sites in Maryland. An amphibian listed as In
Need of Conservation and an uncommon grass species also inhabit
this pond.

other rare amphibians may also occur at this site. The
flora and fauna of Delmarva bays varies seasonally and annually
with the pond's water level, and several visits will be needed to
complete a thorough survey.

Site Name: Prices Chapel Ponds

USGS Quad: Sudlersville

Prices Chapel Ponds includes three seasonal ponds, one of
which is undisturbed by logging activities. The undisturbed pond
is dominated by common sedges and surrounded by a wooded buffer.

Two small, sphagnous openings in the sedge cover support a small
population of a State Endangered sedge occurring at twelve other
locations in the state. This sedge species is a candidate for
listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Seasonal ponds are nontidal wetlands which fill with water
in the winter and the spring and dry in the summer as the
groundwater recedes. Moist depressions remaininq@after the pond
dries are rapidly colonized by herbaceous specie9k Seasonal
ponds such as these have become increasingly rare due to drainage
and filling for development and agriculture. Those that remain
often contain rare, disjunct, or endemic species specially
adapted to the fluctuating water levels. These nontidal wetlands
also provide ideal feeding and resting habitat for numerous
amphibians, songbirds, and other wildlife.

Site Name: Pristine Pines

USGS Quad: Sudlersville

Pristine Pines is a Delmarva bay of approximately 2 acres in
size, dominated by sedges and grasses with scattered Red Maple
and Sweet Gum trees. This bay harbors five rare plant and one
rare animal species. A population of a nationally rare plant
species, listed as Endangered in Maryland, grows in this Delmarva.
bay at the northern extreme of its range. Since this is
Maryland's only population and the number of individuals within
the population is small, its continued existence in the state is
very tenuous. Research is currently being conducted to determine
whether seedlings of this population can be propagated under
greenhouse conditions. The seedlings may then be planted in this
site to replenish the diminishing population.

Two State Endangered and a State Threatened plant species
occurring in this Delmarva bay are each known from fewer than
five other sites in the state. A rare amphibian In Need of
Conservation utilizes this bay as breeding habitat. Finally, a
State Rare sedge also thrives in this wetland.

Delmarva bays are nontidal wetlands which fill with water in
the winter and early spring. During these inundated periods,
they provide ideal feeding and resting habitat for numerous
amphibians, songbirds, and other wildlife. These seasonal ponds
dry during the summer as the groundwater recedes, leaving moist,
often sphagnous depressions which are rapidly colonized by
herbaceous species. Many ponds of this type have been destroyed
by drainage and filling for agriculture and development. Those
that remain often contain rare, disjunct, or endemic species
specially adapted to the fluctuating water levels.

The Nature Conservancy, a private conservation organization,
owns and manages this wetland opening in its entirety, a total of
30 acres in area.

Site Name: Pristine Pines South

USGS Quad: Sudlersville

A population of an amphibian listed as In Need of
Conservation occurs in this wetland. Rare amphibians often rely
on seasonal ponds as breeding habitat during the winter and
spring when the ponds are inundated. Seasonal ponds dry during
summer as groundwater levels recede, leaving moist depressions
which are rapidly colonized by herbaceous species. Many ponds of
this type have been destroyed by drainage and filling for
agriculture and development. As seasonal ponds become
increasingly rare, so do the rare plant and animal species which
rely on them for habitat. Rare, endemic, or disjunct species
specially adapted to the fluctuating water levels are often
associated with the few remaining seasonal ponds.

Site Name: Starr Ponds

USGS Quad: Wye Mills

Two small Delmarva bays are the focus of this natural area.
Delmarva bays are centripetally-drained wetlands which, in
Maryland, are virtually unique to the Eastern Shore and often
contain rare, disjunct, or endemic species specially adapted to
the fluctuating water levels. While most Delmarva bays have been
drained and converted to agricultural land, the two bays in this
protection area remain relatively undisturbed and, if maintained,
can continue to support rare plant species.

These two wetlands are flooded early in the'spring, and
water levels recede during the summer, leaving moist depressions
at the wetland's center. Three State Endangered herbaceous plant
species inhabit these moist depressions. The Endangered grass
species is known from only five other sites in Maryland and is at
the northeastern limit of its range.

Other rare species may inhabit these bays. Because flora
and fauna vary seasonally and annually with water levels, several
visits would be required to develop a complete species inventory
for this site.

Delmarva bays offer breeding, nesting, and feeding habitat
for many birds and amphibians. In addition, deer and other
wildlife frequent the ponds to feed and rest.

Site Name: Teats Branch

USGS Quad: Sudlersville

Amidst hardwood forests and cultivated fields lies a large
seasonal pond dominated by shrubs and herbaceous vegetation. Many
similar ponds have been destroyed by drainage and filling for
agriculture and development. As these seasonal ponds decline in
number, so do the plant and animal species which rely on them for
habitat. Remaining seasonal ponds often contain rare, disjunct,
or endemic species specially adapted to the fluctuating water
levels.

The abundance of herbs within this pond is unusual. Many
seasonal ponds are dominated by trees and shrubs. A fluctuating
groundwater regime maintains this herbaceous cover. The pond
water level is highest in early spring, then recedes, and the
pond normally dries during the summer. Species inhabiting the
pond must endure long periods of both drought and flooding.

These extreme conditions provide habitat for one State
Endangered grass species and one uncommon grass species. The
Endangered species is known from just five other sites in
Maryland, only one of which is protected in this State.

In addition, this area borders The Nature Conservancy's
Pristine Pines Preserve and will provide further protection to
the five state-listed species inhabiting that preserve. This
habitat is vulnerable to hydrologic alterations caused by
ditching or drainage of surrounding lands. Protection of both
the Teats Branch wetlands and Pristine Pines will eliminate the
potential for drainage within a broader area.

Rare'amphibians may also occur in the Teats Branch Pond.
The pond's flora and fauna vary both seasonally and annually with
water level, and the amphibians are usually not apparent in late
summer when this site was surveyed. Several visits will be
necessary to obtain a complete species list for the site.

Seasonal ponds provide excellent feeding, breeding, and
nesting grounds for migratory waterfowl and offer feeding habitat
to resident waterbirds. As shoreline habitat is lost to
development, these inland wetlands become increasingly important
resources for migratory and resident birds.

Numerous tracks were observed in the pond, revealing that
this site is a resting and feeding area for deer.

Site Name: Templeville Ponds

USGS Quad: Sudlersville

Templeville Ponds are two separate Delmarva bays dominated
by herbaceous vegetation within an extensive oak-pine forest.
Delmarva bays are nontidal wetlands which fill with water in the
winter and spring and dry in the summer as groundwater recedes.
Nontidal wetlands dominated by herbaceous species have become
increasingly rare due to drainage and filling for development and
agriculture. Those that remain often contain rare, disjunct, or
endemic species specially adapted to the fluctuating water
levels. These nontidal wetlands also provide ideal feeding and
resting habitat for numerous amphibians, songbirds and other
wildlife.

Two rare or uncommon plant species grow in this Delmarva bay
system dominated by sedges and Buttonbush. A small population of
a-State Endangered sedge, found at twelve other locations in the
state, inhabits the ponds. This sedge species is a candidate for
listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. These wetlands
also harbor an uncommon grass species. Future surveys at
different times of the year may reveal that other rare plant and
animal species rely on these bays for habitat.

Site Name: Tuckahoe Creek North

USGS Quad: Ridgely

Tuckahoe Creek North site.encompasses seasonally flooded,
temporarily flooded, and saturated palustrine forests, shrub
swamps, and open water ponds upstream from and adjacent to the
Tuckahoe Creek North Natural Heritage Area (NHA). Preserving the
nontidal wetlands feeding into the Tuckahoe Creek North N.H.A. is
essential to maintaining the hydrologic regime, water quality,
species composition, and natural character of the NHA.

The nontidal wetland vegetation in this site acts as a
natural filter, reducing the sediment and chemical content of
surface runoff entering tidal areas. This function is especially
important because Tuckahoe Creek is the main tributary of the
Choptank River. In addition to reducing pollution and siltation
in the NHA tidal wetlands and in the river, the nontidal wetlands
serve as catchment basins for seasonally high surface runoff.
Instead of flooding and increasing erosion in the tidal channel,
the excess surface runoff evaporates or is slowly absorbed into
the soil. Periodic freshwater discharge from the nontidal
wetland increases the nutrient availability in the tidal
wetlands, stimulating productivity. This freshwater influx also
creates varied habitat, resulting in increased species diversity.

Site Name: unicorn Millpond

USGS Quad: Sudlersville

Unicorn Millpond was created by the damming of Unicorn
Branch, a tributary to the Chester River. Permanent, freshwater
lakes do not occur naturally on the Eastern Shore, but similar
habitat has been created by beaver dams. Due to trapping and
habitat destruction, few beaver survive in this region. Thus,
Unicorn Lake represents a vanishing habitat.

The lake and adjacent wetlands support six rare or uncommon
plant species. Two State Endangered submergent species
inhabiting the lake are each known from only one or two other
extant locations in the State. This is the only known occurrence
in Maryland for a Highly State Rare submergent species. Three
uncommon plant species also rely on the high water quality of
this lacustrine habitat.

Unicorn Lake offers ideal nesting, feeding, and breeding
grounds for resident and migratory waterbirds, waterfowl, and
songbirds. Herons, egrets and ducks frequent the lake. The lake
provides high quality fish habitat and supports extensive
Submerged Aquatic Vegetation. Reptiles and amphibians are common
in the water and in the shallow marshes along the perimeter.

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

ST MARY'S COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources Division
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in St. Marys County that is designated as a nontidal wetland
of Special State Concern under the State Nontidal Wetlands
Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were prepared for
each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the designated
nontidal wetlands provide' habitat or ecologically important
buffers for habitat for plant and animal species identified as
rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department of Natural
Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated nontidal
wetlands are unique natural areas or harbor unusual natural
communities.

In the following summaries the status of rare species
follows the Natural Heritage Program's Rare. Threatened and
Endangered Animals of Maryland and Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Plants of Maryland as revised February 1991. While
the names of rare species occurring within each area are not
provided, the status is given in order to convey the ecological
significance of the areas. Common names are used for
characteristic species in descriptions of the vegetation except
when no common name is available. These common names generally
follow those found in Fernald's Gray's Manual of Botany, 8th
Edition (1950). When a specific species is named, the common
name is capitalized. Common names referring to a genus or family
are not capitalized.

ST. MARY'S COUNTY

Site Name: Church Swamp

USGS Quad: Rock Point

This large wetland includes a swamp forest and a well-
drained, bottomland forest. Areas that remain saturated
throughout the year are intermixed with areas that are only
seasonally flooded. When the site was visited in 1988, isolated
stands of mature hardwood forest, with scattered large, old
trees, were present in several locations throughout the swamp.
Due to drainage, logging, and development, mature, undisturbed
bottomland forests are uncommon on the Western Shore.

Five rare and uncommon plant species occur in relative
abundance in the extensive wetlands at this site. Two of these
are sedges that are listed as Endangered in Maryland. one of the
Endangered sedges is known from only four other sites in the
State. All known populations are small and the species is
extremely sensitive to habitat disturbance. Another sedge at the
site is listed as Threatened in Maryland. It is known from only
five additional sites in the State, three of which are threatened
with imminent habitat destruction. Another State Endangered
plant is a wildflower that occurs in only three other sites in
Maryland. Church Swamp is the only Maryland site for this
species west of the Chesapeake Bay. The fifth species of concern
is a sedge that is considered uncommon in Maryland, not currently
threatened but worthy of monitoring.

The rare species at this site are all sensitive to changes
in water quality or quantity in their wetland habitat. Any
hydrological disturbance, whether from logging, ditching, road
construction, or other activities, would be deleterious to the
swamp forest and its rare species. The wetland is relatively
flat, and hydrological changes in the surrounding groundwater
recharge areas influence the hydrology of this swamp.
Hydrological changes that alter the length of flooding would
change the composition of the swamp forest and could eliminate
the rare plants. The invasion of weedy non-native species that
typically follows logging may also threaten rare species
populations. Upstream disturbance could cause excessive
siltation and reduce the water quality in the swamp.
Unfortunately, at the time of the most recent site visit,
extensive logging was taking place within the wetland. The
resulting effects of this disturbance on the rare species
populations are unknown.

The deciduous swamp and bottomland hardwood forests provide
excellent habitat for forest interior dwelling birds, reptiles,
and amphibians.

Site Name: Mill Creek Pond

USGS Quad: Hollywood

Mill Creek Pond is a large millpond created by the damming
of Mill Creek. A rare aquatic plant species that is listed as
Endangered in Maryland is abundant in the pond. This plant is
known from only three other sites in the State. A second State
Endangered plant, known from only one other site in Maryland,
grows in the organic soils at the edge of the open water. This
is the only known site on the Upper Coastal Plain for both of
these Endangered species. A great diversity of more common
wetland plants occurs along the shoreline and in emergent marsh
areas where two feeder streams enter the pond. Water quality at
this site remains high because the upstream watershed is forested
and relatively undisturbed. Development proposed upstream may
alter the hydrology of this site and may degrade the rare species
habitat.

Abandoned millponds have become an increasingly important
artificial habitat for numerous rare and uncommon plant species.
Historically, beaver activity created many freshwater ponds.
Beaver populations have been reduced because beaver are often
perceived as a nuisance. Where soils and hydrologic conditions
are suitable, abandoned millponds simulate a natural habitat that
has become increasingly uncommon on the Western Shore.

Additional survey of this pond, particularly in the emergent
marsh areas, would be likely to yield more records of rare plant
species and possibly rare amphibians. The pond offers superb
habitat for reptiles, amphibians, and resident and migratory
waterfowl. The forested watershed provides habitat for forest
interior dwelling birds.

Site Name: Miski Run Woods

USGS Quad: Leonardtown

Miski Run Woods contains a large, unusually diverse
bottomland forest with many species that are typically found in
the mountains and Piedmont, but are uncommon on the Coastal
Plain. The soils at this site are calcareous, due to shell
deposits in the underlying Choptank geological formation.
Circumneutral soils are uncommon on the Coastal Plain, which is
typically characterized by more acidic soils. The nutrient-rich

floodplain is carpeted with wildflowers in the spring, and is
flanked by steep, north-facing slopes. The clear stream which
flows through the site supports insect larvae characteristic of
unpolluted waters. Abundant mosses and liverworts grow on its
uneroded banks.

Three unusual plants grow in the bottomland forest at this
site. A dense population of an attractive wildf@,,pwer that is
listed as Threatened in Maryland carpets the low6r end of the
protection area along Miski Run. It grows in only four other
locations in the State. A small population of another State
Threatened species grows in the damp soil near the stream. This
plant is known from only six other sites in Maryland,: and all
known populations are small. Large portions of the floodplain
forest floor are covered in the spring with a plant that is
considered uncommon in Maryland--not yet Threatened but worthy of
monitoring.

Site Name: St. Mary's River Bottomland

USGS Quad: Hollywood

This site is a very wet, heavily wooded floodplain. Red
Maple, River Birch and Sweet Gum dominate the forest canopy, with
alder, Sweet Bay, Pawpaw, Spicebush, and Sweet Pepperbush in the
understory. The floodplain forest harbors a population of a
State Endangered amphibian that lives under the bark of fallen
logs and breeds in vernal pools. This species is known from
fewer than three other sites in the State.

Although logged in the past, this bottomland forest shows
few signs of recent disturbance. The woodland floor is littered
with decaying logs that provide excellent habitat for the rare
species. Portions of the site are very wet and provide breeding
sites even in relatively dry years. As winter approaches, the
frogs move up out of the area with potential for flooding to
higher ground, where they overwinter in burrows.

Site Name: West California swamp

USGS Quad: Hollywood

This site contains a wetland complex composed of a seepage
shrub swamp with herbaceous openings and long open marshes. The
shrub swamp, dominated by alder and Sweet Bay Magnolia, is
characterized by a well-developed vegetation structure and a
rich, diverse flora. Its many berry-producing shrubs provide
excellent food sources and habitats for many birds and other
wildlife species.

West California Swamp supports a large population of a sedge
that is listed as Endangered in Maryland. This species is known
from fewer than five sites in Maryland. At this site it occurs
in a large patch of approximately 1000 sq. ft. as well as several
scattered smaller patches. The site has been searched only
briefly and should be further inventoried for additional rare
species. Construction was occurring within 1000 ft. from the
site and may threaten the rare species populatior' with
sedimentation.

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

SOMERSET COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources Division
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the office of Ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Somerset County that is designated as a nontidal wetland
of Special State Concern under the State Nontidal Wetlands
Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were prepared for
each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the designated
nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically important
buffers for habitat for plant and animal species identified as.
rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department of Natural
Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated nontidal
wetlands are unique natural areas or harbor unusual natural
communities.

SOMERSET COUNTY

Site Name: Dublin Swamp

USGS Quad: Princess Anne
Dividing Creek

Dublin Swamp includes a densely forested swamp within the
Wellington Wildlife Management Area and naturally regenerating
swamp forest on private land harvested about six years ago. The
removal of canopy cover on private land has created a wetland
opening, naturally regenerating in sedges, grasses, and Red
Maple. In some respects, this artificial opening mimics wetland
gaps created by fire and flooding before these natural
disturbances were suppressed by man.

A moderately large and widespread population of a State
Threatened sedge grows in the wetland opening. only two other
occurrences of this sedge are known within the state. Its very
limited distribution indicates that its rarity may be due to
highly specific soil or hydrologic requirements.

Site Name: Eden swamp and Powerline

USGS Quad: Eden

This swamp forest/emergent marsh complex hosts an
extraordinary variety of rare species. Few nontidal, emergent
marshes remain on the Eastern Shore due to ditching and drainage
for agriculture and development. Although artificially
maintained, the marsh in the powerline right-of-way is
representative of a natural habitat once much more common. Three
State Endangered and one State Threatened plant species inhabit
this marsh. In the adjacent swamp forest, natural canopy gaps
provide habitat for a fourth State Endangered Species and
additional habitat for a State Endangered Species that also grows
in the right-of-way.

Due to fire suppression, natural canopy openings are now
uncommon. Artificial canopy gaps, such as those produced by
logging, are usually accompanied by extensive disturbance to the
surrounding environment that does not occur in natural openings.
Weedy or non-native species often colonize these artificial
openings.

The State Endangered and Threatened Species that inhabit
this site are each known from fewer than ten extant sites in

Maryland. At the most, just one population of each of these
species is currently protected.

The marsh and adjacent upland and swamp forests provide
feeding, breeding and nesting habitat for resident and migratory
songbirds, and feeding grounds for waterfowl.

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

TALBOT COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources DiVision
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the Office of Ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Talbot County that is designated as a nontidal wetland of
Special State Concern under the State Nontidal Wetlands
Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were prepared for
each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the designated
nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically important
buffers for habitat for plant and animal species identified as
rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department of Natural
Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated nontidal
wetlands are unique natural areas or harbor unusual natural
communities.

In the following summaries the status.of rare species
follows the Natural Heritage Program's Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Animals of Maryland and Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Plants of Maryland as revised February 1991. While
the names of rare species occurring within each area are not
provided, the status is given in order to convey the ecological
significance of the areas. Common names are used for
characteristic species in descriptions of the vegetation except
when no common name is available. These common names generally
follow those found in Fernald's Gray's Manual of Botany, 8th
Edition (1950). When a specific species is named, the common
name is capitalized. Common names referring to a genus or family
are not capitalized.

TALBOT COUNTY

Site Name: Geib Fairview Ponds

USGS Quad: Fowling Creek

Buffered by an upland hardwood forest are palustrine swamp
forests, shrub swamps and seasonal ponds dominated by Buttonbush
and various herbaceous species, including three State Endangered
Species. Once abundant on the Eastern Shore, seasonal ponds are
now uncommon due to drainage and filling for agriculture and
development. As seasonal ponds decline in number, so do the
plant and animal species which rely on them for habitat.
Remaining seasonal ponds often harbor rare, disjunct, or endemic
species specially adapted to the fluctuating water levels.

These ponds normally fill in the winter and early spring,
and dry in the summer. This fluctuating groundwater regime
maintains an unusual abundance of herbaceous growth in one
seasonal pond at this site. Three State Endangered plant species
occur among this herbaceous vegetation in the deepest section of
this pond. Two of the Endangered plants, one a member of the
Aster Family and the other a grass, complete their life cycles in
the brief period after this deep portion of the pond dries in
summer and before fall frosts. The third Endangered species, a
floating-leaved aquatic, overwinters under water and flowers and
fruits in spring before the pond dries.

Seasonal ponds provide ideal habitat for a variety of
wildlife. Tracks throughout the ponds indicate that deer
frequent this site. The ponds offer nesting, feeding and
breeding grounds to migratory waterfowl and songbirds. Resident
waterbirds also feed in the ponds. Rare amphibians may inhabit
these ponds. Pond flora and fauna vary with water level, so
several visits will be necessary to develop a complete species
list for the site.

Site Name: The Xill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary

USGS Quad: Wye Xills

The Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary, a 160 acre forest
preserved by the Maryland ornithological Society, harbors seven
rare plant species within its upland beech-oak forests and Red
Maple swamp forests. The extensive woodlands and wetlands also
provide prime habitat for forest interior dwelling birds.

Two State Endangered ferns occur adjacent to a portion of
the stream valley dammed by beavers. Each of these Endangered
plants occurs at fewer than four other sites in Maryland. A
Federally Endangered mammal inhabits the upland forested buffer
of the wildlife sanctuary. A State Rare plant species found
beside this swamp also relies on this flooding regime for its
survival.

A large population of a State Threatened pldz@t species,
known from only four sites in Maryland, thrives along the steep
north-facing bluffs above the swamp. A State Endangered member
of the Aster Family occurs further downstream along one of the
creek's tributaries and is known from only five sites,in the
state. A Highly State Rare plant and a rare member of the Grape
Family whose status has not yet been determined also grow in the
vicinity.

Site Name: Seth Pond

USGS Quad: Trappe

The deep detritus layer at the bottom of Seth Pond, a pond
within a state demonstration forest, provides excellent habitat
for saprophytic diving beetles. In 1973, a rare aquatic beetle,
formerly believed to be extirpated in the state, was observed in
both adult and larval forms in the pond. In 1978, a species of
scavenger beetle new to science and known nowhere else in the
world was discovered in the pond. Since that date, the pond was
altered, apparently to make it more suitable as waterfowl
habitat. Recent surveys have failed to turn up individuals of
either diving beetle species, so that both are believed to be
extirpated. Future surveys will be needed to determine whether
either of these rare diving beetles has survived the disruption
of its habitat.

Seasonal ponds are now the only natural, herbaceous, non-
riverine, freshwater wetlands left on the coastal plain. Because
they are hydrologically recharged by groundwater, water levels
vary both seasonally and annually, causing fluctuations in plant
species and cover. When inundated in the winter and early
spring, these ponds provide ideal breeding and resting habitat
for amphibians, songbirds, and other wildlife. As they dry in
the summer, remaining moist depressions are rapidly colonized by
herbaceous species. Many ponds like these have been filled or
drained for development and agriculture. Those that remain often
harbor rare, disjunct, or endemic species specially adapted to
the fluctuating water levels.

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

WICOMICO COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources DiVision
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the office of ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Wicomico County that is designated as a nontidal wetland
of Special State Concern under the State Nontidal Wetlands
Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were prepared for
each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the designated
nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically important
buffers for habitat for plant and animal species identified as
rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department of Natural
Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated nontidal
wetlands are unique natural areas or harbor unusual natural
communities.

In the following summaries the status of rare species
follows the Natural Heritage Program's Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Animals of Maryland and Rare, Threatened and
Endangered Plants of Maryland as revised February 1991. While
the names of rare species occurring within each area are not
provided, the status is given in order to convey the ecological
significance of the areas. Common names are used for
characteristic species in descriptions of the vegetation except
when no common name is available. These common names generally
follow those found in Fernald's Gray's Manual of-Botany, 8th
Edition (1950). When a specific species is named, the common
name is capitalized. Common names referring to a genus or family
are not capitalized.

WICOXICO COUNTY

Site Name: Barren Creek

USGS Quad: Hebron, Mardela Springs
This site encompasses the wetlands along thd'.1upstream.
portion of Barren Creek, a tributary of the Nanticoke River, from
the headwaters of the creek's main branch to the boundary of the
Chesapeake Bay Critical Area. The site contains at least four
former millponds, one of which remains an open-water pond with a
mature hardwood swamp along its fringe. Several other ponds have
been partially drained due to destruction of their dams. Old
millponds mimic a habitat that was once more common on the
Eastern Shore. In the past, old beaver ponds'created-wetlands,
with an open, treeless canopy that supported successional plant
communities. Beaver have been greatly reduced in number and with
them this habitat type has diminished. Many of the plant species
associated with this habitat are now rare in Maryland.

All four ponds at the Barren Creek site support a rare woody
species along their banks or in the moist, exposed soils of the
formerly flooded ponds. This State Rare species is found in only
two geographic areas worldwide -- on the Delmarva peninsula and
in two counties in Oklahoma. In Maryland, it is limited to the
upper reaches and tributaries of three rivers: the Nanticoke,
Pocomoke, and Wicomico. The population along Barren Creek is
extensive and includes young shrubs as well as mature, fruiting
individuals, indicating that the population is reproducing
successfully.

The unique distribution of this rare woody species poses
questions about its evolution and biogeography. If several
populations can be protected, genetic and ecological research may
be conducted to clarify the reasons for its disjunct and narrowly
limited range. A study examining the effect of increasing canopy
closure on the rare species (in the ponds where natural
succession is occurring due to destruction of the old millpond
dams) might provide insights concerning the limited distribution
of the species.

Two significant herbaceous plants occur in the high-quality,
freshwater seeps at the southeastern edge of one of the formerly
flooded millponds. One species is known from fewer than a dozen
other locations in Maryland and is considered State Rare. The
other species is considered uncommon in Maryland, not currently
threatened but in*need of monitoring. The sphagnous seeps also
support diverse vegetation including grasses, sedges, club moss,
orchids, carnivorous plants, and young alder trees.

The large, open-water ponds within this site provide
excellent resting, feeding, and breeding habitat for numerous
birds and amphibians.

The area immediately downstream from this site has been
designated as a Habitat Protection Area for Locally Significant
Habitat (#WI 0-4) in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Program.
Protection of the upper portion of Barren Creek w@ll help to
maintain water quantity and quality in the adjac6tt Critical Area
site. The Habitat Protection Area supports a continuation of the
population of the rare woody species found in the nontidal
wetland of Special State Concern.

Site Name: Campbell Powerline

USGS Quad: Pittsville

Campbell Powerline contains extensive wet sphagnous meadows
dominated by Loose-headed Beakrush and Virginia Meadow-beauty. A
large, vigorous population of a State Endangered species occurs
in the wet sphagnous meadows and, to a lesser extent, in
contiguous grassy upland habitat. Half of the six Maryland
populations of this species are located in Wicomico County. A
plant considered uncommon in Maryland is a codominant in these
wet meadows.

Naturally-occurring forest openings, created by flood or
fire, once provided habitat for wet meadow species. Since these
natural disturbances are now suppressed by man, species
associated with wet meadows have become increasingly uncommon.
The removal of woody vegetation for right-of-way maintenance to
some degree mimics the natural disturbances and provides an open
canopy habitat for meadow species.

The low-lying, poorly diained soils at this site are often
flooded or saturated. The rare and uncommon species that inhabit
the meadows are uniquely adapted to this standing acidic water.
Many non-native weeds can not invade these meadows because they
can not tolerate acidic conditions.

Wet sphagnous meadows are valuable as breeding grounds for
amphibians and provide forage for birds. Pine-hardwood forests
to the southeast and northwest of the meadows also provide rich
habitat for wildlife.

Site Name: Horsebridge creek Bog

USGS: Wango

The Horsebridge Creek Bog is an open sphagnous wetland of
emergent vegetation. Removal of woody species for maintenance of
a powerline right-of-way maintains the open canopy at this site.
During pre-settlement history, fires and floods created and
maintained similar habitats. Now that these natural phenomena
have been artificially suppressed, powerline rights-of-way
provide important habitat for species which require open, early
successional conditions.

The wet, acidic, nutrient-poor habitat is not conducive to
the growth of most plants. However, an unusual group of plants
specially adapted to these conditions thrives in this wetland.
Among them are sizeable populations of four rare species. One of
these is listed as Endangered in Maryland, two are listed as
Threatened, and one is State Rare. A fifth species is considered
uncommon in Maryland.

In the early 1980's four additional rare species were
reported from this site. Although they were not observed in
1987, all of these species may persist at the site.

This area provides an opportunity to research the effects of
an active drainage ditch that artificially lowers the water table
in an ecologically significant wetland.

Site Name: Johnson Pond

USGS Quad: Delmar

The Johnson Pond Protection Area contains a large Atlantic
White Cedar swamp. The swamp is a mixture of cedar, Red Maple,
Black Gum, oaks, and Sweet Gum. Cedar Swamps are becoming
increasingly rare on the Delmarva peninsula and areas this large
are particularly unusual.

A vigorous population of an herbaceous, wetland plant that
is listed as Endangered in Maryland grows in the swamp. Several
subpopulations occur in different sections of the braided river
channels. This species is known from only four other sites.in
Maryland and is rare in surrounding states as well.

Two additional rare species occur in the mesic upland
habitat adjacent to the swamp. one is Maryland's only population
of a tree species that is listed as Endangered in the State.
Maryland is near the northeastern limit of this species' range.
The other is a small population of a State Rare wildflower that
grows in grassy upland clearings.

Additional rare plants may be found if this area is further
explored. Atlantic White Cedar Swamps frequently contain unusual
sedges and carnivorous plants.

Site Name: Lawes Ditch

USGS Quad: Wango

Lawes Ditch site contains nontidal wetlands associated with
two tributaries of Nassawango Creek: Beech Island Creek and Lawes
Ditch. These wetlands form part of the Nassawango swamp forest,
an area of regional and perhaps national ecological significance.
Nassawango swamp represents the northern limit of distribution
for many species and supports a dense concentration of rare
species.

Lawes Ditch harbors the northernmost breeding population of
a songbird listed as In Need of Conservation in Maryland. In our
State, this species is known only from the Pocomoke-Nassawango
swamp ecosystem. This swamp forest also provides excellent
habitat for many other wildlife species.

A butterfly listed as In Need of Conservation in Maryland,
and known from fewer than 5 sites statewide, also occurs within
wetlands at this site. It is found in conjunction with its
larval food plant, a shrub considered State Rare. Both butterfly
and shrub are predominately southern species and the shrub is
known in Maryland only from the Nassawango area.

A rare fern listed as Threatened in Maryland and known from
fewer than ten sites in the State is found in two locations at
Lawes Ditch site. It grows in the damp soil associated with
spring-fed seeps. A woody plant considered uncommon in Maryland,
not currently threatened but in need of monitoring, grows in the
forested swamp at this site.

In the nearby uplands are three additional rare species. A
large colony of an attractive wildflower listed as Endangered in
Maryland grows along the sandy roadsides. It is known from only
one Maryland site outside of the Nassawango swamp area. A State
Endangered butterfly and its State Threatened food plant also
inhabit the sandy roadsides.

Site Name: Litsea Pond

USGS Quad: Wetipquin

PLEASE SEE SUMMARY UNDER SITE NAME IIWETIPQUIN POND"; LITSEA POND
IS AN INCORRECT NAME AND SITE HAS BEEN RENAMED WETIPQUIN POND.

Site Name: Middle Plum Creek

USGS Quad: Sharptown

This wetland complex contains a fine example of an Atlantic
White Cedar swamp surrounded by a drier swamp forest of Red Maple
and Sweet Gum. Cedar swamps are becomingly incre"-@asingly uncommon
on the Delmarva peninsula. The forest canopy in the'wettest
areas of this site is composed of virtually 100% cedar.

Within the cedar swamp grow five plant species that are rare
or uncommon in Maryland. A rare wildflower listed as'State
Threatened is widely distributed along the edges of the cedar
swamp. A tiny State Rare plant grows abundantly in the wet peaty
soils over more than one acre of the swamp. Three other plants
in the cedar swamp are considered uncommon in Maryland, not yet
threatened but worthy of monitoring due to declining or.
restricted populations.

Site Name: Mockingbird Pond

USGS Quad: Hebron

PLEASE SEE SUMMARY UNDER SITE NAME "BARREN CREEK"; MOCKINGBIRD
POND HAS BEEN DELETED AS A SEPARATE SITE NAME AND INCLUDED AS
PART OF BARREN CREEK.

Site Name: Nassawango Creek

USGS Quad: Wango, Snow Hill

The mature Bald Cypress-Black Gum swamp bordering Nassawango
Creek is widely recognized by scientific and environmental
organizations, including as the Smithsonian Institution, as one
of the most important natural areas in Maryland. Much of the
site is protected as a nature preserve by a non-profit
conservation organization. These wetlands form a major portion
of the Pocomoke-Nassawango cypress swamp ecosystem, the best
representative of the cypress-gum swamp community north of
Virginia. This swamp is one of the northernmost examples of this
southern swamp type in the nation. The wetland communities along
Nassawango Creek represent the northern limit of distribution for
many species. They contain an unusual number of rare species
occurrences per unit area.

More than 30 State Rare, Threatened or Endangered species
have been documented within this site. Some of these grow within
the Bald Cypress swamp and others occupy contiguous habitats. At

least 30 additional uncommon species inhabit the swamp and
adjacent upland. Coastal Plain bogs, emergent marshes, shrub
swamps and Atlantic White Cedar swamp all form part of the
wetland complex along Nassawango Creek, and each supports native
plant communities that include rare species. The large number of
rare species reflects the unique plant and animal assemblages at
this unusual site. Many species here are more characteristic of
.Lonally rare,
cypress swamps of the deep South. Others are natd
including at least two species listed as EndangeAd under the
U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Many of the cypress trees at Nassawango are ancient,
reaching heights of 125 ft. and more, with circumferences up to
25 ft. These mature trees offer superb nesting sites'for cavity-
nesting birds, including Wood Duck, owls and forest interior
breeding birds such as Pileated Woodpecker. The swamp is
reported to have the greatest diversity of nesting warblers on
the Atlantic Coastal Plain. It supports breeding populations of
at least 14 warblers, including one species listed In Need of
Conservation in Maryland. In our state this species is known
only from the Nassawango-Pocomoke swamp system.

This wild, remote, and extensive swamp offers excellent
habitat for many other wildlife species, such as river otter,
raccoon, mink, gray fox, weasel, and flying squirrel.

That portion of the Nassawango Creek ecosystem within the
Chesapeake Bay Critical Area has been designated as Lower
Nassawango Creek Natural Heritage Area (NHA). Natural Heritage
Areas are communities of plants and animals that are considered
to be among the best statewide examples of their kind. Lower
Nassawango Creek NHA was designated because it is a diverse and
relatively undisturbed segment of the unique Pocomoke-Nassawango
Swamp ecosystem. Preservation of the Nassawango Creek nontidal
wetland of Special State Concern protects not only the habitats
within its boundaries, but also the habitats within the NHA.

Historical reports suggest that more than 25 rare and
uncommon species, including 7 State Endangered plants and one
candidate for federal listing, are likely to occur in Lower
Nassawango Creek NHA. Limited recent surveys have confirmed the
presence of three State Endangered species. Two of these are
plants of the intertidal zone, while habitat for the third
species is provided by contiguous palustrine forest. Two State
Rare plants and two plants considered uncommon but not yet
threatened, have also been confirmed in the extensive complex of
tidal and nontidal wetlands in the NHA.

Preserving the nontidal wetlands upstream from the NHA is
essential if the water quality and quantity, species composition,
and natural character of the NHA are to be maintained. The
wetland vegetation upstream from the NHA reduces pollution and

flooding in the NHA by slowing water flow, filtering sediment and
chemical pollutants, and utilizing nutrients. The upstream
wetlands thus help maintain the natural environmental conditions
that support significant plant and animal habitats within the
NHA.

Site Name: Parker Pond

USGS Quad: Salisbury

Parker Pond is an old millpond/shrub swamp complex
surrounded by a forest buffer and low-density residential
development. A State Rare woody species grows along the banks of
the former millpond, especially on the dike that separates it
from the shrub swamp. This species is found in only two
geographic areas worldwide -- on the Delmarva peninsula and in
two counties in Oklahoma. In Maryland, it is limited to the
upper reaches and tributaries of three rivers: the Nanticoke,
Pocomoke, and Wicomico.

Two unusual herbaceous species grow in the wet soils and
shallow waters at this site. Both are considered uncommon in
Maryland, not currently threatened but worthy of monitoring due
to declining or restricted populations.

Site Name: Plum creek Bog

USGS Quad: Sharptown

Plum Creek Bog is a high quality sphagnum bog exhibiting a
diverse flora, including five plant species that are rare or
uncommon in the State. One of these is known from only one other
site in Maryland and is listed as State Endangered. A
particularly large population of one uncommon species blankets
the bog in late June.

Sphagnum bogs are uncommon on the Eastern Shore, and most
remaining bogs occur in powerline rights-of-way. Powerline
maintenance sustains an open canopy at these sites. Many wetland
plants are shade intolerant and thrive in these open rights-of-
way. Historically, fire and beaver were largely responsible for
the creation and maintenance of inland freshwater emergent
wetlands. Current fire suppression practices and the decimation
of beaver have eliminated similar habitat on the Eastern Shore.

Sphagnum, bogs are wet, acidic, nutrient-poor habitats that
are inhospitable to most plants. Instead, they harbor a group of
interesting, peculiar plant species that are especially adapted
to these harsh conditions. These often include rare species,
carnivorous plants, and showy orchids. Many of these specially

adapted species have provided insights into the study of
evolutionary processes.

Site Name: Schumaker Pond

USGS Quad: Salisbury

This old millpond along Beaverdam Creek is forested on one
side and supports populations of three rare species. Design
plans for a museum on the south shore of the pond were altered to
provide a protective undeveloped buffer around the rarest
species, a State Endangered sedge.

A few individuals of a State Rare tree grow along the
wetland shoreline of the pond. This species is known from only
two localities worldwide--the Delmarva peninsula and two counties
in Oklahoma. In Maryland, it is limited to the upper reaches and
tributaries of three rivers: the Nanticoke, Pocomoke, and
Wicomico.

The center of the pond is inhabited by Southern Pond Lily,
Waterweed (an invasive, non-native species), and a small, State
Rare aquatic species. This plant is known from only two other
locations in the State.

Site Name: Sharptown Bog

USGS Quads: Sharptown, Hebron

This floristically diverse sphagnum bog was surveyed in the
summer of 1987 and was found to support at least thirteen plants
considered rare or uncommon in Maryland. Large populations and
the presence of both flowering plants and immature plants
indicated that most of these species were represented by stable,
successfully reproducing populations. Eight of the rare species
are listed as Endangered in Maryland. For one of these species
this is the only known population in the State. Three others are
each known from just one other site in the State.

Sphagnum bogs support interesting, peculiar plant species.
They often harbor several types of carnivorous plants as well as
showy orchids. These species are especially adapted to the wet,
highly acidic environment and have provided insight into the
study of evolutionary processes.

Bogs are rare habitats on Maryland's lower Coastal Plain.
Most of the remaining Eastern Shore bogs occur in powerline
rights-of-way, where the removal of woody species for right-of-
way maintenance sustains an open canopy. Many wetland plants are
shade intolerant and thrive in these open habitats.

Historically, fire and beaver were largely responsible for the
creation and maintenance of inland freshwater emergent wetlands.
Current fire suppression practices and the decimation of beaver
have eliminated much similar habitat on the Eastern Shore.

As of September 10, 1987 much of the powerline bog at this
site was destroyed. Clearcutting of forest land upstream was
initiated in late summer and timber was dragged torough the
powerline opening. The soil was rutted and 80% 6t the bog
vegetation was destroyed. Large ruts remained in all wetland
areas and the majority of the forested canopy upstream was
removed.

In spite of this large-scale disturbance, one section of the
bog remains and individuals (or plants) of nine of the thirteen
rare and uncommon species survived. In most cases, population
sizes were vastly reduced, but viable seed sources may remain and
some species may recover.

Nevertheless, the logging operation caused extensive damage
and continues to pose considerable threat. The loss of forest
canopy upstream from the bog and heavy mechanical disturbance
allows increased sedimentation in the bog and may change the
hydrologic character of the site. In addition, weedy species are
more likely to invade from open areas upstream. Therefore, the
future of the rare plants is uncertain. Monitoring of the rare
species and protection of their remaining habitat is now more
imperative than ever.

Site Name: Spearin Road Powerline

USGS Quad: Salisbury

The Spearin Road Powerline site is traversed by a right-of-
way which is kept free of woody species through active
management. This open habitat contains emergent wetlands with
sandy soils where six rare and uncommon species occur. In pre-
settlement history, fires and floods created and maintained
herbaceous wetland communities. since these natural forces of
disturbance are now artificially suppressed, one of the only
remaining suitable habitats for species which require these open
conditions is in and along powerline rights-of-way.

Four plants listed as Endangered in Maryland grow in the
open wetlands at this site. All four are known from fewer than
six other sites in Maryland. Two are sedges that occur over a
five to ten acre area of the wetland. Another is an attractive
wildflower that grows with one of the rare sedges and is known
from just three other sites in Maryland. In addition, two
herbaceous plants considered uncommon in Maryland and worthy of
monitoring also grow in the sandy wetlands.

Adjacent upland meadows support a population of an
Endangered wildflower. This population is vigorous, extensive,
and reproducing successfully. More than 2,000 plants occur in an
area of more than 20 acres. Two additional rare species were
reported from this powerline in the early 19801s, but were not
observed in 1987. This is the only recent sighting of one
species on the Delmarva Peninsula, and one of twq recent Delmarva
sightings of the other species. Further survey ii4ylreveal that
these two species still grow at the site.

Additional investigations of this area may also,provide
records of rare moths and the butterflies that favorthe
specialized plants growing in the unusual, open habitats
maintained in the powerline rights-of-way.

Site Name: Wetipquin Pond NOTE: THIS IS A CORRECTION FOR THE
INCORRECTLY NAMED 11LITSEA POND'$
USGS Quad: Wetipquin

This wetland is a Delmarva Bay with a surrounding strip of
shrub swamp and a temporarily wet, narrow, outer ring of Red
Maple Swamp forest. Most of the pond is dominated by Walter's
Sedge with a dense understory of sphagnum moss. Delmarva Bays
are shallow, centripetally-drained ponds or "bays" that are
seasonally flooded during the winter and spring. By late summer,'
the bays dry out and a number of rare species grow in the exposed
soils. once common on the Eastern Shore, many Delmarva Bays have
been ditched and drained for agriculture and have lost their
characteristic native plant species. This site is one of the
best statewide examples of a relatively undisturbed Delmarva Bay.
Although the forest around the pond was logged approximately 10
years ago, an uncut forested buffer remained around the pond.

In the wettest areas of Wetipquin Pond grows a State
Endangered shrub that is a candidate for listing under the U.S.
Endangered Species Act. This is the only known location in
Maryland for this species. The population at Wetipquin Pond is
sizeable and vigorous, containing 20-30 nature shrubs plus
numerous seedlings. A small population of a second State
Endangered plant also occurs in the pond. This species is known
from only five other sites Statewide.

Site Name: Widow Swamp

USGS Quad: Salisbury

This site is a small, wet, sedge meadow along a roadside.
Naturally-occurring forest openings, created by flood and fire,
once provided habitat for wet meadow species. Since these

natural disturbances have been largely suppressed by man, many
species associated with wet meadows have become increasingly
rare. The removal of woody vegetation in rights-of-way for roads
and powerlines to some degree mimics the natural disturbances
that were once more common. Where soil and hydrologic conditions
happen to be just right, the open canopy habitat created by these
artificial disturbances mimics natural habitats closely enough to
support rare wet meadow species.

Three State Endangered plant species grow in the wet meadow
at Widow Swamp. None of these species is known from more than
five sites in Maryland, and one is nationally rare. Populations
of all three are limited in number and extent at this site; fewer
than 50,individuals of each species grow in an area smaller than
100 sq. ft. These rare plant populationd are extremely
vulnerable. They could be easily destroyed by local change such
as ditching of the nearby stream, widening of the road, or
detrimental changes in roadside maintenance techniques.

Site game: Williams Pond

USGS Quad: Delmarva

This site contains a large, very wet swamp forest with a
small open water pond. A deep pool in the swamp provides habitat
for what has been reported to be the State's best population of a
fish listed as In Need ofIC'onservation in Maryland. This fish is
restricted to acidic poois and other quiet, dark waters, usually
near dense vegetation. Maryland is near the northern edge of the
distribution of this species, which is more common in the
southeastern states. Populations near the edge of a species,
range are important to protect because they often differ
genetically from more centrally-located populations. The genetic
differences may help the species survive potential environmental
changes such as climate changes due to global warming.

ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF

NONTIDAL WETLANDS OF SPECIAL STATE CONCERN

WORCESTER COUNTY

SUBMITTED TO:

Coastal Resources Division
Tidewater Administration

SUBMITTED BY:

Maryland Natural Heritage Program
Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building, El
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

September 30, 1991

Preparation of this report was partially
funded by the office of ocean and Coastal
Resources Management, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration

INTRODUCTION

This report summarizes the ecological significance of each
area in Worcester County that is designated as a nontidal wetland
of Special State Concern under the State Nontidal Wetlands
Regulations (COMAR 08.05.04). Similar reports were prepared for
each of Maryland's 16 coastal counties. Most of the designated
nontidal wetlands provide habitat or ecologically important
buffers for habitat for plant and animal species identified as.
rare, threatened, or endangered by the Department of Natural
Resources, Natural Heritage Program. Other designated nontidal
wetlands are unique natural areas or harbor unusual natural
communities.

WORCESTER COUNTY

Site Name: Burbage crossing swamp

USGS Quad: Ninepin Branch

Burbage Crossing Swamp is a diverse cypress swamp in the
Pocomoke River floodplain. This old, high quality bottomland
hardwood forest is dominated by Bald Cypress and old Red Oak
trees. Examples of a mature community of this type are rare in
Maryland. The forest's diversity of plant species and of age
classes within species provides excellent habitat for a variety
of wildlife species. The Pocomoke River swamp system is remote
and extensive, and therefore supports species not found in more
developed areas of the state.

Three rare or uncommon sedges grow in the moist forest floor
of this protection area. Two of the sedges, listed as State
Endangered, are each known from only three other sites in
Maryland; none of the sites is protected. Another sedge growing
in this swamp forest is uncommon in the state.

The Pocomoke River has been designated a Maryland Scenic
River, and as a result already receives some protection. The
protection of contiguous lands such as Burbage Crossing Swamp
will contribute to the maintenance of the river's water quality,
scenic beauty, and value as habitat for both plants and animals.

Site Name: Campground Branch

USGS Quad: Public Landing

This bottomland hardwood forest contains two State
Endangered plant species and an uncommon tree species. The
populations of all three rare species are large and widespread
within the forest.

In addition, there is little evidence of recent, unnatural
disturbance of the habitat. This swamp forest, dominated by oaks
and Red Maple, is an excellent example of the now uncommon mature
bottomland hardwood forest.

Many of the maples and oaks inhabiting the forest are quite
large. Because such trees are usually harvested before they
reach this size, old forest communities are becoming increasingly
difficult to find in Maryland. Old forests provide habitat for
specialized birds and insects which require dead or aging trees
for food and shelter.

Because the forest is old and the only recent disturbance
has been natural blowdown, the trees are well spaced. The
blowdowns create sunny canopy gaps in a number of places which,
along with a fairly open understory, makes it an unusual habitat.
The two State Endangered plants, both sedge species, occur within
these natural canopy gaps.

Site Name: Colbourne Powerline

USGS Quad: Wango

The Colbourne Powerline right-of-way supports three plant
species which are rare or uncommon in Maryland, two of which are
State Endangered.

Powerline right-of-ways have become significant habitat for
a large number of threatened and endangered plant species.
Powerline maintenance practices keep the right-of-way relatively
free of woody species. In right-of-ways containing special soil
types or hydrologic conditions, artificially maintained openings
may mimic natural gaps. Historically, the major sources of
natural canopy openings were forest fire and beaver activity.
However, modern fire suppression practices, and the decline of
beaver on the Eastern Shore, have nearly eliminated these natural
forces.

Site Name: Delaware Wildlands

USGS Quad: Whaleysville

Delaware Wildlands, a 500 acre wooded wetland, harbors three
rare animal species In Need Of Conservation and a State Rare
shrub. One of the animal species, a rare interior-dwelling bird,
requires large contiguous tracts of deciduous floodplain and
swamp forests. It occurs at only three other locations in the
state.

The rare shrub occurring in the understory of the swamp
forest serves as the food plant for axare insect species. This
insect occurs at only three other sites in Maryland.

The third rare animal species, an amphibian, inhabits
seasonally inundated wetland openings.within the swamp and occurs
at seven other locations in the state.

Site Name: Dividing Creek Ponds

USGS Quad: Dividing Creek

Dividing Creek Ponds Protection Area contains two Delmarva
bays. Delmarva bays are now the only natural, herbaceous, non-
riverine, freshwater wetlands left on the coastal.plain. Because
they are hydrologically connected to the groundwater, water
levels vary both seasonally and annually, causing'-,fluctuations in
plant species and cover.

once quite abundant on the Delmarva peninsula, many similar
ponds have been destroyed by drainage and filling for"agriculture
and development. As Delmarva bays decline in number, so do the
plant and animal species which rely on them for habitat.
Remaining bays often harbor rare, disjunct, or endemic species
specially adapted to fluctuating water levels.

One of the Delmarva bays is unusually large, about 3 acres
in area. Late in the growing season when the.-.bay has dried, six
rare or uncommon herbaceous plants can be seen, four of which are
State Endangered. For two of the Endangered species, a sedge and
a grass, these are the only known populations in Maryland. One
Endangered wildflower occurring at this site is known from only
two other locations in the state.

one rare species was observed in a second smaller bay
located to the north of the first. Further surveys may reveal
the presence of other rare species.

The forested wetlands surrounded by mature pine forest
provide essential habitat for forest interior breeding birds.
old forest conditions are rare in Maryland and have a multitude
of values for wildlife.

The presence of two hydrologically different seasonal ponds,
in close proximity, which harbor similar rare plants, makes this
protection area a good site for ecological research pertaining to
the rare species.

site Name: Furnace Road Powerlines

USGS Quad: Dividing Creek

The Furnace Road Powerline is kept free of woody species
through active management. This open habitat has boggy emergent
wetlands and upland meadows inhabited by sixteen rare species.
Four of the rare species are State Endangered. One of the
Endangered species, a member of the Legume Family, occurs at only
one other site in Maryland. A State Endangered sedge here has
been found at only four other sites in the state.

In pre-settlement history, fires and floods created and
maintained these communities. Since natural causes have been
artificially suppressed, powerline right-of-ways provide some of
the only habitat for species that require open conditions.

In a dry, forested area adjacent to the powerlines, small
fires have eliminated shrubs and thinned trees so'
,@that much light
reaches the forest floor. Two rare species occur'.here. This
habitat type is now rare due to active fire suppression.

Within this large, unbroken, forested tract, woodland
openings with herbaceous growth provide ideal feeding,and resting
grounds for deer, bobwhite, and numerous non-game species.

Site Name: Hancock Creek Swamp

USGS Quad: Girdletree

This large, mature, deciduous forest and swamp contains two
rare plant species. One, a State Threatened wildflower, is known
from fewer than fifty sites worldwide and is a candidate for
listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. In Maryland, all
of the known populations occur in Worcester County, which may be
indicative of highly specific soil and hydrologic requirements.
The population at this site is very large and appears to be
reproducing successfully. The second rare plant species is an
uncommon member of the Lily Family. The forest is also inhabited
by many other species which are otherwise very uncommon on the
lower Delmarva peninsula.

The upland hardwood forest and deciduous swamp forest
provide diverse habitats for forest interior dwelling birds,
reptiles, and amphibians.

Site Name: Ironshire Swamp

USGS Quad: Berlin

Ironshire Swamp at its edge harbors a large and healthy
population of a State Rare shrub, apparently a Delmarva Peninsula
endemic. The low seed germination rate and poor seedling
survival rate of existing populations of this species probably
results from hydrologic alteration and sediment loading along the
fresh intertidal estuarine shores where it grows. of the five
known occurrences of this species in Maryland, most are in
Wicomico County, which may indicate highly specific soil and
hydrologic requirements. This shrub species is a potential
candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act
because of its extremely limited distribution.

Site Name: Little Kill Run

USGS Quad: Girdletree

This area includes Little Mill Run and its tributaries and a
large millpond (Big Millpond). Within its diverse habitats, the
area supports five rare plant species. A State Endangered fern
species occurring along the stream is at the northeastern limit
of its range and is known from only three other sites in the
State. A State Threatened wildflower also grows along the
stream. This plant species is known from fewer than fifty sites
worldwide and is a candidate for listing under the U.S.
Endangered Species Act. In Maryland, all of the known
populations of this species occur in Worcester County, which may
be indicative of highly specific soil and hydrologic
requirements.

Two Highly State Rare and one State Rare aquatic plant
species at this site all occur in the large millpond, relying on
its still and pure water supply for their survival. one of these
was last seen in 1978, the only recent record for this plant in
the State. When it is present, it forms large spreading -mats.
Since this species appears irregularly, there is a good chance
that it still exists in the pond. A second rare aquatic plant
species here also represents Maryland's only record for the
species. The third rare plant species reported from the large
millpond also appears irregularly. It is known from only two
other sites in Maryland.

This wetland complex contains a diversity of wetland types
including forested swamp, shrub swamp, zones of emergent
vegetation, aquatic bed and open water. The millpond is large
(approximately 60 acres in size) and supports healthy Bald
Cypress, both in the water and on land. This tree approaches its
northern limit of distribution in Worcester County.

These diverse wetlands offer ideal nesting, feeding, and
breeding grounds for resident and migratory waterfowl and
songbirds. Fish and birds feed on the extensive Submerged
Aquatic Vegetation in the millpond. Reptiles and amphibians
inhabit the shallow marshes along the perimeter.

Site Name: Longridge Powerlines

USGS Quad: Salisbury

The bog-like wetlands within this right-of-way support five
rare plant species and represent a habitat that is now rare in
Maryland. The management of woody vegetation in the right-of-way
has created a habitat that is similar, although not identical, to
the herbaceous wetland openings historically created by fire and

beaver activity. The modern practice of fire suppression and the
drastic decline of beaver populations have nearly eliminated this
type of habitat on the Eastern Shore.

The rare species grow in the organic, saturated soil of the
wetlands. This is the only known site in Maryland for one of the
rare plants, a State Endangered sedge. This species varies
greatly in abundance from year to year; hundreds of plants are
present in some years. A State Endangered carnivorous aquatic
plant species growing in this bog occurs at only three other
locations in the state. A rare wildflower growing in this bog is
listed as a State Threatened species.

Site Name: Lower Sturges Creek Bog

USGS Quad: Wango

The Lower Sturges Creek Bog contains a great variety of
habitats and diversity of rare plant species. The sandy wetland
and upland soils fall under an array of management practices
creating a variety of habitats, including seasonal pools, wet
meadows, sphagnous seepage areas, bogs, sandy grasslands,
deciduous swamp forest, and deciduous and upland pine forest. Of
the sixteen rare or uncommon plant species found in this great
diversity of habitats, eight are State Endangered and one is
State-Threatened. Three of the Endangered Species, two
wildflowers and a sedge, occur in only one other location in
Maryland.

Many rare native plants that require wet, sandy, open
habitats have been extirpated from Maryland. Preservation of
this habitat type would help to prevent the further loss of
species. -Additionally, this area provides a variety of suitable
habitats for recolonization. The variety of habitats also
increases the value of the area to many animal species.

Site Name: Mt. olive Church Pond

USGS Quad: Wango

This nontidal wetland complex includes a sphagnum bog which
supports healthy populations of four rare or uncommon plant
species, three of which are Endangered in Maryland. Two of these
Endangered species are known from fewer than five other sites in
Maryland. The populations here are, by far, the most vigorous in
the State.

Sphagnum bogs are uncommon in Maryland, particularly on the
Lower Coastal Plain. The plants inhabiting bogs are often
peculiar and fascinating in their adaptations to the highly

acidic environment. For example, the Spatulate-leaved Sundew is
a carnivorous plant that occurs in this bog. Insects trapped by
the plant's sugary secretions provide nutrients to the plants.

Site Name: Oak Hall Road Powerline

USGS Quad: Dividing Creek

This powerline right-of-way contains two rare or uncommon
plant species, one of which is State Endangered. Thought to have
been extirpated from Maryland, three populations of the
Endangered species have been found since 1987. None of these
populations is protected. This population appears vigorous;
seedlings as well as mature, fruiting plants were observed. An
uncommon sedge also occurs at this site.

Many rare plant habitats on the coastal plain are in
powerline right-of-ways. This is probably because powerline
maintenance sustains an open canopy. Many wetland plants are
shade intolerant and thrive in these open right-of-ways.
Historically, the major natural forces responsible for the
creation of open freshwater wetlands were fire and beaver
activity. Forest fire suppression and the decline of beaver on
the lower Eastern Shore have all but eliminated these habitats.

Site Name: Pawpaw Creek

USGS Quad: Public Landing

A steep, north-facing bluff adjacent to Pawpaw Creek
supports a vigorous population of a rare plant species.
Threatened in Maryland, this plant is found at only four other
sites in Maryland, and is at the northeastern limit of its range.
The State Rare sedge at this site inhabits low areas bordering a
nearby pine forest. In addition, the aspect and steepness of the
bluff along the creek provide habitat for other species that are
uncommon on the Delmarva Peninsula.

Bluffs as high as 25 ft. line the creek, exhibiting a degree
of topographic relief unusual for the Lower Coastal Plain.
Several seeps are present and these, as well as the steep slopes,
support vegetation more characteristic of the Piedmont. A
diversity of wildflowers carpet the forest in spring.

Site Name: Pikes Creek

USGS Quad: Girdletree

The bottomland hardwood forest supports one of Maryland's
few known populations of a rare wildflower. This plant species
is Threatened in Maryland, is known from fewer than fifty sites
worldwide, and is a candidate for listing under the U.S.
Endangered Species Act. All of Maryland's populAions occur on
streambanks in Worcester County, which may be indicative of
highly specific soil and hydrologic requirements. The population
at this site is large and extends over 5 acres of the forest.
The forest also contains many species which are typical of the
Piedmont, but otherwise very uncommon on the lower Delmarva
peninsula. Due to drainage and clearing, mature bottomland
hardwood forests are increasingly uncommon on-the Eastern Shore.

This hardwood swamp forest provides habitat for forest
interior dwelling birds, amphibians, and reptiles.

Site Name: Pocomoke Oxbow

USGS Quad: Ninepin Branch

Pocomoke Oxbow is a 1/4 mile long meander of the Pocomoke
River that is permanently isolated from the main branch as a
result of river channelization in the 1940's. The oxbow now
receives only periodic flooding of the Pocomoke River at times of
high winter or spring flow.

The hardwood swamp forest adjacent to the oxbow is old and
diverse. Portions of the forest have not been cut for
approximately 70 years or more and therefore support large trees
(especially cypress, Willow Oak, and maple). Except in areas
which have been opened up naturally as a result of windthrow,
there are few weedy species. old forests provide specialized
habitat for many animals, such as forest interior breeding birds.
Such forests are becoming increasingly rare due to timber
management practices in the region.

Two State Endangered species grow in the floodplain forest
east of the oxbow. One is known from only three other locations
in Maryland and the other occurs here at the northeastern limit
of its range.

An outcrop of ferric rock forms a ridge running parallel to
the stream channel about 100 yds. east of the oxbow. It is
similar to the ferric material smelted in the old Nassawango iron
furnaces and may represent one of the few remaining natural
outcrops in the area that has not been mined.

The old oxbow functions as a pond which provides feeding,
resting and breeding habitat for a variety of wildlife species,
especially amphibians.

Site Name: Porter Neck Bog

USGS Quad: Berlin

Porter Neck Bog is a densely forested wetland which, at its
margins and in slightly wetter areas, contains three species of
rare plants. one, a State Endangered member of the Evening
Primrose Family, is known from only one other site in Maryland.
Another wildflower, listed as State Threatened, is an especially
showy plant in the bog. An uncommon wildflower species has also
been recorded at this site.

This pine-hardwood swamp forest provides high-quality
habitat for amphibians, reptiles, and forest interior dwelling
birds.

Site Name: Powell Creek

USGS Quad: Girdletree

The Powell Creek area contains a mature deciduous forest and
swamp with one of Maryland's seven known populations of a rare
wildflower. This plant species is Threatened in Maryland, is
known from fewer than fifty sites worldwide, and is a candidate
for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. All known
populations of this species in Maryland occur in Worcester
County, which may be indicative of highly specific soil and
hydrologic requirements.

Like other areas with this species, the forested area has
many species which are otherwise very uncommon on the lower
Delmarva peninsula.

The hardwood swamp forest and adjacent upland forest provide
diverse habitats for forest interior dwelling birds, reptiles,
and amphibians.

Site Name: Riley Creek Swamp

U8GS Quad: Girdletree

Riley Creek Swamp harbors a small population of a State
Threatened plant species. This plant species is known from fewer
than fifty sites worldwide and is a candidate for listing under

the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The seven known populations of
this species occurring in Maryland are all located in Worcester
County, which may be indicative of highly specific soil and
hydrologic requirements.

Like other protection areas with this species, this forest
harbors many species which are otherwise very uncommon on the
lower Delmarva peninsula. The hardwood swamp forest and adjacent
uplands also provide diverse habitats for forest interior
dwelling birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

Site Name: Scarboro Creek Woods

USGS Quad: Girdletree

The ScarbQro Creek Woods area contains a large, mature,
deciduous forest and swamp with one of Maryland's seven
populations of a rare plant species. This State Threatened
wildflower is known from fewer than fifty sites worldwide and is
a candidate under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. All of the
known populations in Maryland occur in Worcester County, which
may be indicative of highly specific soil and hydrologic
requirements. This population is large and widespread through
the swamp. The presence of immature plants as well as mature,
flowering plants indicates that the population is stable. The
forest also supports many species which are typical of the
Piedmont but very uncommon on the lower Delmarva peninsula.

The old upland pine-hardwood forest and adjacent bottomland
hardwood forest provide diverse habitats for forest interior
dwelling birds, reptiles, and amphibians.

Site Name: Scotts Landing Pond

USGS Quad: Boxiron

Scotts Landing Pond is a one-acre seasonal pond. Seasonal
ponds are centripetally-drained, nontidal wetlands and are
considered unique natural communities because they are the only
remaining naturally open freshwater wetlands on the interior of
the Coastal Plain. These ponds are highly threatened because
they are easily affected by agricultural drainage or other
hydrological disturbances. This seasonal pond is unusual in that
it very rarely dries. As a result, it is used as a year-round
feeding site by many types of-birds and other forms of wildlife.

Three rare herbaceous plant species inhabit this protection
area. A State Threatened wildflower and a second rare species
grow in the Red Maple-Loblolly Pine swamp adjacent to the

seasonal pond. A third rare species grows at the edges of the
pond.

The pond also supports a variety of reptiles and amphibians.
One of these is the Red-spotted Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens
viridescens). The form found here is unusual in that it does not
pass through the land stage (red eft) but remains aquatic
throughout its life cycle, becoming sexually matuVe in the larval
stage.

The salt marsh on the eastern side of the protection area
provides nutrients for large numbers of invertebrates which form
the basis of aquatic food chains.

Site Name: Spearin Road Powerline site

USGS Quad: Salisbury

The Spearin Road Powerline Site is traversed by a-.right-of-
way which is kept free of woody species through active
management. This open habitat contains emergent wetlands with
sandy soils where six rare and uncommon species occur. In pre-
settlement history, fires and floods created and maintained
herbaceous wetland communities. Since these natural forces of
disturbance are now artificially suppressed, one of the only
remaining suitable habitats for species which require these open
conditions is in and along powerline rights-of-way.

Adjacent upland meadows support a population of an
Endangered wildflower. This population is vigorous, extensive,
and reproducing successfully. More than 2,000 plants occur in an
area of more than 20 acres. Two additional rare species were
reported from this powerline in the early 1980's, but were not
observed in 1987. This is the only recent sighting of one
species on the Delmarva Peninsula, and one of two recent Delmarva
sightings of the other species. Further survey may reveal that
these two species still grow at the site.

Additional investigations of this area may also provide
recordes of rare moths and the butterflies that favor the
specialized plants growing in the unusual, open habitats
maintained in the powerline right-of-ways.

Site Name: Stockton Powerlines

USGS Quad: Girdletree

The open, bog-like wetlands within the Stockton Powerline
right-of-way represent a habitat that was historically more
common on the Eastern Shore when fire and beaver activity created
openings with few trees or shrubs. The modern pi@ictice of fire
suppression and the drastic decline of beaver popU 'lations have
nearly eliminated these natural forces. The removallof woody
vegetation in the right-of-way has created a habitat that is
similar to, although not identical to, the herbaceous openings
historically created by fire and beaver.

Four rare species of plants grow in the unusual wetlands of
this right-of-way, three of which are State Endangered. This is
the only site known in Maryland for an Endangered sedge that
occurs here.

These wetlands are part of the headwaters, of a creek that
flows directly into the Chincoteague Bay. Protection of the
wetlands and the adjacent uplands that flow into them will
contribute to the maintenance of water quality in the bay.

Site Name: Tanhouse Creek

USGS Quad: Public Landing

The upland oak-Tulip Poplar forest and Red Maple-Sweet Gum
swamp include many species that are characteristic of Piedmont
forests but rare on the coastal plain. These species, including
Bloodroot, Showy Orchis, and Cut-leaved Toothwort, are indicative
of soils that are much less acidic than typical coastal plain
soils. The high degree of relief along Tanhouse Creek is also
unusual for this region and provides a variety of habitats along
the elevation gradient.

Included in this atypical flora are seven rare or uncommon
plant species. An extensive population of a State Threatened
member of the Lily Family thrives along Tanhouse Creek's banks,
one of only seven known occurrences in the state. This plant
species is known from fewer than fifty sites worldwide and is a
candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. All
known populations of this wildflower in Maryland occur in
Worcester County, which may be indicative of highly specific soil
and hydrologic requirements.

The woods along Tanhouse Creek also harbor Maryland's only
known population of another member of the Lily family. This
Highly State Rare wild1flower occurs here at the northern extreme
of its range. Protecting populations at the edge of a species'

range preserves the species' genetic variability and its ability
to respond to environmental changes.

Five uncommon plant species inhabit this site. These
species are not yet believed to be threatened, but are worthy of
monitoring.

Any disturbance of the forest canopy cover at this site or
in upland buffer areas would encourage the invasion of non-native
weedy species. Maintenance of upland wooded buffer is also
essential to preserving the hydrologic regime and water quality
of the wetlands.

Site Name: West ocean City Pond

USGS Quad: ocean City

This large but shallow freshwater pond contains four rare or
uncommon aquatic plants, two of which are State Endangered, among
its beds of submerged and emergent aquatic vegetation. This pond
is the only location for an Endangered emergent plant species
which occurs as a dominant here.

In addition to providing habitat for the rare plant species,
the West Ocean City Pond is a well-known stop-over for migrating
and wintering waterfowl. The pond also provides feeding grounds
for resident herons, egrets, ibis, gulls, and terns. Waterfowl
and fish find a rich food supply in the large aquatic plant beds.

Further investigation of the pond's rich aquatic flora may
yield the discovery of additional rare species, particularly
during years of extremely low or-high water levels. In addition,
the pond is frequently used by birdwatchers who recognize the
area as a good location to regularly find coastal resident
species as well as unusual vagrants.

US Depa3d3nent of Commel-ci'
NOAA Coastal SZ7v!c03 Cc_:!'L@ ""ary
2234 South y'--,7 -------
Charlestont SC 20Z,06-14H6,

NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CTR LIBRARY

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