Restoration of a Xeric Limestone Prairie (XLP) Smoke Hole Canyon – West Virginia Mike Powell 7/31/2013 Xeric Limestone Prairie (XLP)

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Xeric limestone prairies (XLPs) are open, nonforested areas in which herbaceous plant communities occur on shallow, rocky soils derived from calcareous substrates.

These grasslands are characterized by dominance of C4 perennial grasses (particularly Schizachyrium scoparium – Little Bluestem) and are distributed in eastern United States from Missouri and Pennsylvania south to Arkansas and Georgia. (Lawless, Baskin and Baskin 2006)

Also Sorghastrum nutans – Indian Grass, Bouteloua curtipendula – Side oats grama, and Andropogon gerardii – Big bluestem. Distribution of XLP’s in Eastern US Project Site

The Smoke Hole Canyon and the adjacent Monongahela National Forest support the largest limestone glade and barren complex and the largest intact limestone forest in the Central Appalachian Forest Ecoregion. Smoke Hole in early spring Bartgis explores Smoke Hole.

• The discovery of the first cedar glade and limestone barren complex from the central Appalachians (Bartgis 1985) has been followed by discoveries of additional cedar glades and barren locations in West Virginia.

• There is no general consensus regarding the origin of XLP’s.

• High occurrence of these habitats in Smoke Hole Canyon create an archipelago like habitat. Cedar Glade

• Cedar Glades - (or limestone glades) typically occur on limestone outcrops and are sparingly covered by annual and perennial vegetation. Limestone Barren

• Limestone Barren - (or dry prairies) are well- vegetated communities dominated by mid and tall grasses of the tallgrass prairies. Glade Woodland

• Glade Woodland - often surround the cedar glade and barren openings. Trees are well-spaced and of small stature in the woodlands, which are typically dominated by Juniperus virginiana or Cercis canadensis. Glade, Barren, Woodland - Bartgis

• In WV, sites with cedar glades, barrens, and glade woodlands are characterized by having the various communities in close proximity to one another.

• Most glades and barrens in WV have been pastured, typically for sheep.

• 24 of the native cedar glade and barren species are considered rare in WV.

• Several species are currently known in WV only or primarily from limestone glades, barrens, or nearby limestone cliffs. Many of these are species with mostly western or Great Lakes ranges. Unique plants of XLP’s. Prairie grasses

? Restoration Targets

Ecoregional Targets of Restoration: • Allegheny Woodrat Neotoma magister • Virginia Big-Eared Bat Corynorhinus townsendii var. • Spreading Rockcress Arabis patens • Yellow Nailwort Paronychia virginica var. • Large Flame Pink Silene virginica robusta • Canby’s Mountain Lover Paxistima canbyi • Smoke Hole Bergamont Monarda fistulosa brevis • Tall Larkspur Delphinium exaltum • Ozark Milkvetch Astragalus distortus* • Western Wallflower Erysimum capituatum* • Chestnut lipfern Cheilanthes eatonii* • Prairie Flax Linum lewisii*

Items in bold indicate portion of largest known global population

Items with asterisk indicate portion of largest ecoregional population.

Origin and Maintenance

• Shallow soils • Steep slopes – Usually South or West • Weathering-resistant bedrock • Moderate to steep slopes • (typically with south to west aspects) • Erosion • Fire • Drought (Bartgis) • Grazing animals • Chainsaw Soils dominate

Succession converts XLPs on deeper soils to hardwood forests in periods of a century or less.

In more xeric sites, Juniperus virginiana/hardwood forests are the likely outcome of succession over prolonged time periods.

Smoke Hole sites tested were 1-8 inches soil depth with pH ranging from 6.6 – 7.1

*Soil chemical properties analyzed by WVU soil testing laboratory, December 2011 Restoration Process: Trees marked with 30% canopy goal. TNC Staff, Interns and paid contractors.

The Mountain Institute

L.E.A.F After I thought this was a conference dealing with non- native invasive species?

“Exotic invasion is likely a significant reason for the loss of native species from limestone prairies.” – (Uhl and Laughlin, 2003)

“Colonization and resulting competitive advantage of non-native invasive species have likely altered even the best examples of XLP’s in West Virginia” – (Bartgis, personal communication) Poa compressa

• Observed to be major invader of glades and barrens. • Combine with moss layer to form carpet of vegetation. • Test plots reveal that many options exist for control. • Further monitoring needed to evaluate long term strategy. Ongoing monitoring and management Dendrochronology

• Approximately 200 cookies collected during thinning activity.

• Samples prepared and analyzed by Dr. Lauren Howard – Arcadia University.

• 14 Red Cedars analyzed. • Earliest recruitment 1871-Dead • Earliest recruitment 1929-Alive

• 20 Hardwoods (includes Virginia Pine) • Earliest recruitment 1886 Not enough data analyzed, Not enough grad students!

• Many agents can cause scars: animals chewing, trees falling against others, logging equipment, frost cracks or fire.

• Multiple trees scarred in the same year in the same season can indicate fire. (1946 and 1951).

• All living cedars recruited between 1926 and 1945.

• Cedars will survive grazing.

• Great Depression, WWII?

• Heavy hardwood recruitment 1950’s. Measures of success – Site level

• Strong vegetative response (qualitative). • Native vs. Non-Native response. • Rare plants continuing to be represented or increasing. • Dispersal and recruitment could be lengthy process. • Community composition is where it should be. (Difficult to measure, USNVC needs finalized). • Are we successfully enhancing or expanding archipelago? Measures of success – Programmatic

• Management actions are resilient to NNIS. • Cost of treatment is reasonable. • No expensive equipment needed – chainsaw is your friend! • Low-tech. • Important activity for largest landowner (Monongahela National Forest USFS). • Repeated by USFS. Conversations with USFS. 7/25/13