Conn Doc G292v West Rocl( to the Barndoor Hills no. 4 cop. 3 The Traprock Ridges of Cotmecticut

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j " Cara Lee ( APR ~f ~/jgg0

State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut

Department of Environmental Protection

1985 Vegetation of Connecticut Natural Areas .No.4 I j - - - --

STATE GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY OF CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

West Rocl( to the Barndoor Hills THE TRAPROCK RIDGES OF CONNECTICUT

TEXT AND ILLUSTRATIONS Cara Lee

Co..,., )oc 6o1Y'o.:...., /1(), y 1985 ( Oj'J. ) VEGETATION OF CONNECTICUT NATURAL AREAS NO. 4 STATE GEOLOGICAL AND ATURAL HISTORY SURVEY OF CON ECTICUT

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Honorable William O'Neill, Governor Stanley J. Pac, Commissioner of Environmental Protection Hugo Thomas, Director, Natural Resources Center

in cooperation with

School of Forestry and Environmental Studies Yale University support provided by the Sperry Fund

and

The ature Conservancy - Connecticut Chapter Acknowledgements

Many people helped me to look at traprock ridges the way they do. Their capacities range from engineering to her­ petology to geology and their generously shared enthusi­ asm, talents and skills made this project a pleasure to pursue. Thanks in particular to Ned Childs and his trusty airplane, Lauren Brown, Sue Cooley, Mike Klemens, Ken Metzler, Les Mehrhoff, Barbara arendra, Sid Quar­ rier and Steve Stanne. Diane Mayerfeld was a gracious and thoughtful editor whose help was greatly appreci­ ated. Special thanks to Tom Siccama for never failing to show interest in every aspect of the project as it evolved. This publication is one of a series describing the ecology of natural areas in Connecticut. The previous publica­ tions in this series discussed the vegetation of specific sites that were legally protected as natural areas. This report takes a broader approach. Rather than focusing in great detail on a single area, this book describes the natural history of a habitat type-traprock ridges­ which includes some protected and some unprotected areas in the state. Critical habitats such as traprock ridges are important parts of Connecticut~ natural heritage. In their natural condition, these areas are valuable for education, research, and relaxation, and as refuges for rare species and unusual biological communities. For information on how to order this report or other publications of the Connecticut and Natural History Survey, contact the Natural Resources Center in the Department of Environmental Protection. Contents

I Geology 9 The Setting 9 The Sequence 12

II Ecology 20 Traprock as Critical Habitat 20 Growing on a Ridge 22 Wildlife Corridors 28 A Wilder State 33 The Green Belts 36

III Land Use 38 Quarrying the Traprock 38 Hiking, Climbing, and Sometimes Flying 43 People in High Places 48

IV Managing for Diversity 52

Appendices 57 For Further Reading 57 Other Resources 59 Topographic Maps as a Resource 60 8

I 5 LA 9 I. GEOLOGY

The Setting

In June ofl889, six students from the Harvard University the softer, more gently rounded hills of the surrounding Geology Department arrived in Meriden, Connecticut to valley. spend the summer. Geologists-in-training, they would The prominence of the ridges as a landscape feature in venture into the field every day with Professor William the Central Valley drew the attention of others besides M. Davis, their backpacks bulging with rock hammers, geologists in the late 18008. By the turn of the century, notebooks, compasses, maps and sample bags. Meriden the Victorian vogue for natural history study, combined was a well chosen spot for their field camp, situated in with the persistent footwork of geologists and naturalists, sight of the spectacular traprock cliffs of the Hanging resulted in a wealth of knowledge about the unique Hills and Lamentation Mountain. Hiking to prominent outcrops that they would measure and map, the young Harvard geologists learned to inter­ pret the composition and form of the geologic features that they visited. By the end of a summer of adventurous climbing, prolific note-taking and friendly arguing, they were swept into the controversy over the formation of the ridges. They too became speculators on the order and timing of prehistoric events that had given rise to the landscape of the Central Valley of Connecticut and Mas­ sachusetts. These same traprock cliffs of Central Connecticut and Massachusetts still capture the attention of all who travel in the region. Interstate 91, which runs up the Central Valley, is graced with some of the best vistas of the ridges. They rise precipitously above the valley floor and West Rock-viewed from the west, circa 1890 are fringed by steep aprons of fallen rock, distinct from (The New Haven Colony Historical Society) lO

qualities of the traprock ridges. Fascination with the Sound for over 100 miles to northern Massachusetts. It ridges has continued to be reflected in the work of ranges in width from eight miles near ew Haven to 20 geologists, ecologists and landscape artists to the pres­ miles at its broadest point. The elevation of the Valley ent day. rises from sea level to 300 feet, in contrast to the Up­ A relief map of Connecticut dramatically illustrates lands, which range from 300 to 1500 feet. The trap­ that the state is divided into three major regions. The rock ridges are sharp spines of rock running the length of Western Uplands are separated from the Eastern Uplands this otherwise modestly undulating Central Valley. The by the expanse of the Central Lowlands, or Central ridges protrude from the valley floor with elevations of Valley. The Valley trends northward from Long Island 500 to almost 1000 feet.

Connecticut's major physiographic provinces. , These three major , 1 areas have distinctive ' geology, soil types Ea5ter~~.- and topography. Upla~d Lowlall.d ;' 11

The Eastern and Western Uplands are underlain pre­ dominantly by hard, erosion resistant rock such as schist and gneiss. In contrast, sandstones, shales and con­ glomerates found in the Central Lowlands are soft and susceptible to erosion. The exception are the ridges of the Central Valley, which are made of durable rock that geologists call basalt and most people know as traprock. Historically, the Central Valley has been the focus of intense land use and agricultural development because of the richer, deeper and more level soils found there. The traprock ridges stand out as a dominant feature running through the Valley. They punctuate the flat expanse, interrupting continuity ofland use patterns and lending visual drama to the otherwise gentle landscape. The ridges occur in the Valley in two major belts. The major central ridge is called the Metacomet Ridge and runs from Branford past Meriden, through Hartford and north to the Holyoke Range in Massachusetts. Near Meriden, the continuity of the Metacomet Ridge is bro­ ken up, with the Hanging Hills as a bridge between the northern and southern sections. At Bluff Head, in Durham, Connecticut, the southernmost part of this ridge system abuts the Eastern Uplands. A more frag­ mented but related series of ridges lies further to the west From the "chest" of Sleeping Giant and includes West Rock in New Haven, Sleeping Giant 12

The Sequence

It is not easy to imagine the sequence of geological events that created the Connecticut landscape. Interpreting these events has stirred controversy among ew England geologists for over a century. New evidence has fre­ quently necessitated the revision of theories about the geologic origins of the region. Traprock ridges are a major and highly visible part of this geological story. The sequence of events that created the present land­ scape is solidly but cryptically recorded in the bedrock geology. It is there one must look to interpret the origin of the traprock ridges. Understanding of underlying bed­ rock structure is based on information gradually ac­ Looking north toward the Barndoor Hills cumulated from naturally exposed outcrops, blasted roadcuts and quarries, tunnels, well-borings and the explorations of prospectors, fossil hunters and natu­ m Hamden and the Barndoor Hills near the Massa­ ralists. The relationship between the surface forms and chusetts border. the underlying rock strata is an imaginative three dimen­ Despite differences in their formation, the ridges in sional projection pieced together from the interpretation both belts are similar in appearance. Most of the traprock of these features. Geologists constantly revise and en­ ridges in the Central Valley have similar aspects and large this picture with new insights and observations. slopes due to large scale processes that tilted the bedrock The now widely accepted theory of plate tectonics masses in common. Their steep cliffs generally face west describes the earth's crust as large plates of bedrock and dip gently eastward from their summits. Even to the floating on the underlying molten mantle. The plates casual observer, their uniform positioning links them as a move slowly, but with great force. Over hundreds of feature in the landscape of the Central Valley. millions of years, the plates have drifted, changing size 13

Late Paleozoic era: "New England Alps" created Early Triassic period: Beginning of sedimentation by lateral compression

and position. Pile-ups have occurred as one plate ground crystalline rock. By the early Triassic period, some 75 into another, forming mountain ranges. The collision of million years later, this range had lost its youthful height plates and the resulting mountain-building is currently and ruggedness to erosion. The only evidence of these in progress in the Himalayas and Andes. After colliding, mountains left today is their roots, which constitute the some plates reverse direction and pull away from each bedrock of eastern and western Connecticut. other, trying the elastic strength of the earths crust. Such Over the next 90 million years, the motion of the plates a sequence of events marked the beginning of the forma­ changed and the North American and African plates tion of current landforms in Connecticut's Central Valley. began to pull apart. During the Triassic period, a zone of During the late Paleozoic era, some 300 million years stretched stress formed, as the tectonic plates reversed ago, the African and American continental plates col­ direction. The tensile strength of the crust gave way near lided. Tremendous pressure and frictional heat produced the joining of the American and African plates and vast by the collision caused the bedrock along the north­ portions of the surface collapsed, forming rifts and eastern side of the American continent to become com­ cracks. Huge basins and troughs slowly subsided, form­ pressed and folded into impressive mountains of ing a complex of depressions that reached from Florida 14

(. ~ ,.-- !"~..... ------

Triassic period: Development of rift valley­ Triassic period: Lava flows and continued sedimentation Erosion of Uplands

to Newfoundland. Faults, or cracks in the earth's crust Great fans of loose rock accumulated along the edge of abruptly demarcated the uplands from newly formed the rift, while finer sediments were carried out across lowlands. In some places, long rifts continued to develop the Valley. Sediments that were deposited into the Cen­ until the ancient continental landmass actually split tral Valley from the Eastern Uplands during the Trias­ apart. The splits separated smaller, new continental sic and Jurassic period were at least two miles deep. - plates carrying North America, Europe and Africa. The They formed the reddish brown shales, sandstones, and Central Connecticut Valley is part of a "failed" rift valley. conglomerates of the valley commonly known as "brown­ A major split occurred just east of New England and now stone." cradles the Atlantic Ocean, separating the North Ameri­ Deposition of sediments into the Valley continued for can and African plates. millions of years and it was a relatively peaceful geologic Throughout this period of rifting, erosion continued period in the region. Locked in seemingly homogeneous to wear away the land. As the region including the Con­ layers, there is much to hold the geologist's interest. necticut Valley slowly dropped, streams flowed down Subtle interpretation of the prehistoric climate is possi­ from the uplands carrying sediments that filled the rift. ble from clues found in the brownstone. For example, 15

ripple patterns in the fine mud-stones and shales indicate that some deposition of sediments occurred under shal­ low, fairly still water. Using these clues, geologists are able to fill the mind's eye with an ancient landscape. The Valley was a matrix of streams and large, tempo­ rary floodplain lakes. Since the ancient North American continent was close to the equator during the Triassic period, the climate was tropical with seasonal periods of Jurassic period: Lava flows completed and overlain by sediments storms and drought. Vast warm mudflats were inter­ spersed with higher and drier ground. Soils that were formed in this environment were exposed to air and were surface through great fissures. As the lava cooled, it well oxidized. Oxidized iron in the sediments gives the solidified into basalt. After each flow, sedimentation strata a distinct reddish, rusty color. Giant tree ferns, resumed and the basalt became covered with fresh sedi­ feathery cycads and conifers dominated lush upland ments that slowly lithified into brownstone. Not all the forests and provided habitat for dinosaurs. pressurized molten rock emerged at the surface. Some Long periods of geologic calm and sedimentary depo­ magma was squeezed between older sedimentary layers sition of the late Triassic and early Jurassic were cata­ and moved horizontally, forming sills, parallel to, and strophically interrupted three times. The pulling apart of between pre-existing strata. the continental plates triggered volcanic activity and The bedrock material of both sets of traprock ridges we extensive lava flows sizzled across the Valley. Three see today is similar, but the ridges represent different times, the landscape was flooded with molten rock. basic geologic structures. The Metacomet Ridge that Magma, from deep in the lithosphere, pushed through extends down the center of the Valley is exposed edges of weakened spots in the crust. This formed vertical dikes tilted lava flows. In contrast, the ridges further west are of igneous rock that cut through the sedimentary layers. exposures of magma intruded between strata of sedi­ These dikes fed massive lava flows that emerged at the mentary rock. 16

Jurassic period: Block mountains formed by faulting Tertiary period: Weak rock eroded, Leaving resistant traprock

As deposition continued, the rece1vmg valley con­ Pleistocene epoch. Ice and snow several thousand feet tinued to sink. The east side sank fastet; giving the thick invaded the region. Accumulations from further sedimentary strata, lava beds and intrusive sheets a north were constantly being pushed southward by the rather uniform easterly dip. Faulting broke the area into weight of the deeper ice that extended to Labrador. As massive blocks that were jostled and tipped. ice scraped across New England, it gouged and scoured - During the Cretaceous period, seventy million years mountains and valleys. The tough traprock ridges were ago, the blocks continued to be sculpted by erosion. relatively undisturbed by the ice and were the first points Softer sedimentary trata of the valley were vigorously in the Central Valley to appear above the ice as the carved away, exposing the more resistant basalt layers. climate warmed. The last major glacier retreated about This process continued into the Quaternary period, three 12,000 years ago, marking the latest large scale geologi­ million years ago, and has resulted in the formation of the cal event to affect the Central Valley. When the glaciers valleys and ridges of the pre ent landscape. melted they littered and coated the landscape with debris Erosion continued as all of northern North America, from further north. This rock and soil is called glacial including Connecticut, was covered by glaciers in the till. 17

Basalt is the most common volcanic rock on the earth's sUiface. It is composed primarily of the minerals feld­ spat; pyroxene, olivine and magnetite. These minerals are welded together as an outstandingly tough, homoge­ neous and weather-resistant rock that is remarkably uni­ form in density and hardness. However slowly, it does weathet; and the blue-black color of a fresh face of basalt "rusts" to warm rosy hues. Predominance of calcium in the feldspar minerals makes basalt a rich source of essential plant nutrients. These nutrients are transported to the base of the ridges as rainwater washes down over exposed rock faces. As the basalt cooled, it experienced some shrinkage. This process caused the rock to develop long columnar joints perpendicular to the cooling surface. These joints give the weathered cliff faces a splintered appearance. The joints are hexagonal or polygonal in cross section, and the size of the columns depends on how quickly the rock cooled. Columns several yards wide can be found in intrusive traprock bodies that cooled slowly while traprock formed from rapidly cooled, extrusive lava has smaller forms. Fingers of frost tear at jointing on cliff exposures and columns of rock fall away to form talus below. The staggered tops of these columns are like steps up the face A column of traprock (Sleeping Giant) 18

of the cliffs. The term "traprock" is derived from the melt. In some cases, scavenging of rocks by humans for Swedish word "trappa" meaning step. Sometimes these building has gleaned the cliff bases of rock as cleanly as joints have filled with precipitated minerals. Quartz any glacier might have done. veins then may form that are more weather resistant and Pieces of cliff that are pried loose by frost action join they stand in relief from the basalt like a crystalline net. the jumbled mass of talus that dresses the cliff from the Talus that had fallen from traprock cliffs in interglacial knees down. Momentum of large boulders carries them periods was scoured away by the ice, leaving the cliffs in crashing beyond the smaller pieces that rest closer to even more pronounced relief from the surrounding ter­ where they first land. Graded by the force of gravity, talus rain. Massive talus slopes that now Lie at the base of the collects in a steeply sloping pile, often with solitary cliffs are the work of weathering that has occurred over boulders the size of grand pianos scattered beyond the approximately the last 12,000 years following the Last ice margin of the talus apron.

Quartz veins in traprock (West Peak) outline the shape of the columnar structure . 19

Geological structure of a typical traprock ridge II. ECOLOGY 20

Traprock as Critical Habitat

A meeting was called: 8 A.M. May 10, 1983 - the base of Higby Mountain. The group that assembled included the Falcate Orange-tip state biologist, staff members from The Nature Con­ (Anthocharis midea) servancy and the Department of Environmental Protec­ tion, a geologist, and several graduate students. As people leaned against their cars in the early morning sun and chatted, the biologist produced a cigar box and a small flowering plant in a pot. He explained that this was the plant they would be searching for on Higby; he had collected the plant the week before in West Virginia, where it is extremely common. It was a scraggly spec-

imen, but distinctive enough so that everyone in the group would be able to spot it as they walked over the ridge. The plant, yellow corydalis (Corydalisjlavula), is rare in Connecticut but had been collected on Higby in the 1800's. The biologist then flipped open the cigar box to display a small, brightly marked, mounted butterfly. The specimen was the falcate orange-tip (Anthocharis midea), a spring butterfly that had only been seen in Connecticut on traprock ridges. It too, is common in the Yellow Corydalis south-eastern United States. (Corydalis ftavula) With great anticipation, the group set out to comb Higby Mountain in search of these two small, unusual species, in an effort to document records that had been 21

established almost one hundred years earlier. By the end of the morning, both had been spotted. There were shouts of delight, promptly followed by photo documentation. The morning's exploration confirmed again that Connect­ icut~ traprock ridges provide habitat for unusual plant and animal populations in the face of industrial and urban development. Both yellow corydalis and the falcate orange-tip are quite rare in Connecticut. They have something else in common. They represent a group of species found on the Patches of prickly pear cactus ridges that lie outside of their contiguous natural ranges. (Opuntia humifosa), a plant found in very dry, rocky The cliffs of the ridges generally face westward, and or sandy places, are found on West Rock receive the warmth of the long afternoon sun. Traprock massifs warm up and hold the heat. Micro-climates on the ridges are therefore somewhat warmer than the rest of are created by currents that flow from beneath the shad­ the region and this may explain the occurrence of more ed talus. The cool air can be trapped by surrounding southerly species. Presence of these species suggests topography, creating a distinctly cooler, moister area. that there may have been an overall cooling trend over Such a location may provide habitat for a more norther­ the last several thousand years that has driven the ranges ly species. Overlapping of these unusual extensions of of some plant and animal species south, leaving remnant ranges increases the number of different species found populations as islands in suitable habitats. on the ridges. In contrast to this pattern, a few species with ranges High species diversity on the traprock ridges is further that generally fall north of Connecticut are also found on enhanced by the cameo appearance of plants that are the ridges. Their presence is also the result of particular generally associated with limestone soils. Soils derived microclimates found on the ridges. Pockets of cool air from limestone bedrock are rich in plant nutrients, and 22

rock cress (Arabis lyrata} and purple cliffbrake (Pellaea hardwood/hemlock forest on the western footslope. The atropurpurea) are typical indicators of such favorable soil is derived from a mixture of glacial till and talus edaphic conditions. These plants appear on slopes of boulders and is rocky underfoot. Ash, oak and hemlock traprock ridges because the basaltic bedrock is also rich trees form a dense canopy and deeply shade the forest in calcium minerals and weathers to form fine-textured floor. The ground is often lush with maidenhair ferns, soils. Several rare ferns and grasses also appear in both (Adiantum pedatum), Christmas fern (Polystichum acros­ these habitats. All of these factors make the plant popu­ tichoides) and rattlesnake fern (Botrichium virginianum}. lations on the traprock ridges of special interest to con­ Wildflowers typically found in rich moist woods such as servationists or biogeographers. bloodroot (Sanquinaria canadensis), jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) and jewelweed (Impatiens capen­ sis) abound, as well as some less commonly seen plants Growing on a Ridge such as climbing fumitory (Adlumia fungosa) and tick trefoil (Desmodium glabellum). As the forest marches up Even a casual hiker will find plant life on the ridges the talus slope, the canopy becomes patchier and the intriguing. There are abrupt transitions in substrate and trees thin out. moisture encountered crossing a ridge. These transitions It is an abrupt transition from cool shade in the woods allow for additional diversity in a small area, making the to full sun on the open talus slope. The shifting boulder ridge system a particularly rich habitat. If one were to field below a steep, large traprock cliff can be as hot as a clamber over the talus foot, scale the cliff to the summit desert; the giant shards of traprock are dry, hot and and saunter down the gentle east-dipping slope of a unstable, inhibiting colonization by larger vegetation. traprock ridge, one would encounter several distinct Beneath a more weathered cliff where talus has sta­ zones of vegetation that reflect the stability, microcli­ bilized, tenacious, tough vines send roots to mineral soil mates and water availability of each part. beneath the boulders, and Virginia creeper (Parthen­ In a cross section of a typical ridge approached from ocissus quinquefolia) and poison ivy (Toxicondendron the west, these is often a rich, moist, mixed hardwood or radicans) are often early colonizers that help stabilize the 23

Re.d Cedar

Mi;><.ed Hardwood j He~tt..lock

The distribution offorest types typically found on a traprock ridge in Connecticut 24

slope. Organic litter trapped between the talus, blown in relatively cool. Cool air between the deeper talus moves and dropped, eventually provides a seedbed for herbs downslope by convection and is replaced by warmer air and shrubs. Elderberry (Sambucus pubens) and hop­ from above. A large talus slope is like a giant, silent air­ hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) frequently appear on these conditioner, constantly feeding a flow of cool air from its less active talus slopes and, once established, tap the base. Surprisingly cool air fringes rocks that are baking water and soil resources that lie beneath the talus. Tiny in the sun. Since this fringe remains cool throughout pink flowers of herb robert (Geranium robertianum) are a the year, it provides a microhabitat for species that frequent and delicate contrast to the huge boulders that are commonly found in the northern forests of New shelter them. Hampshire and Vermont such as striped maple (Acer The physical characteristics of talus create a complex pensylvanicum), American yew (Taxus canadensis) and of extreme microclimates in a relatively small area. round-leafed dogwood (Comus rugosa). Massive basalt boulders on the surface of a talus field Talus in the open sun and the sheer cliffs above are absorb and hold heat fror;n the sun. But they also shade often coated with a thin patchy skin of lichens. Flat and insulate underlying rocks and soil, which remain greyish or blackish patches of crustose lichens appear to -

Vtrginia Creeper Striped Maple (Parthenocissus (Acer pensylvanicum) quinquefolia) is also called M oosewood or Goosefoot maple. 25

o~

'W?.rYP!. Alr- drawn in to replace.. Cool Sink.t"j air

The physical characteristics of a traprock ridge create extreme microclimates in proximity. 26

be part of the rock itself. In contrast, loose sheets and rosettes of foliose lichens are easily peeled from the rocky face. Upper edges of the cliffs are fissured and cracked and crevices provide habitat for an array of herbaceous plants that can withstand droughtiness. Early spring blooms of columbine (Aquilegia canaden­ sis), saxifrage (Saxifraga virginiensis) and corydalis (Co­ rydalis sempervirens and C .flavula) are found perched on the ledges and bedrock outcrops. Tightly curled, yellow­ green fronds of rock fern (Woodsia ilvensis) represent the adaptations of the moisture-loving fern family to a severe environment.

Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)

Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) in its native habitat on the cliff edge 27

The flat lops of ridge summits are often like small dry extreme and ~mly the most tenacious individuals survive, meadows with little blueslem (Andropogon scoparius} and resulting in a sparse, slow-growing woodland comprised poverty grass (Danthonia spicata) predominating and of drought resistant species. Wizened and wind-twisted providing a backdrop for drought tolerant wildflowers forms of red cedar (Juniperus virginiana} fringe the and shrubs. A hiker in late July will particularly appreci­ ledges and give ragged, scant shade. Although com­ ate the shrubs growing on the ledges as a limited search monly found in abandoned agricultural fields, red cedar will provide blueberries and huckleberries that have is in its native habitat on the rocky outcrops. Oaks, ripened in the open sun. hickories and ashes are short-stalured and their slender­ The woodland on the ridgetop is not tall or vigorous, ness and height frequently belie their age. The large but tough and competitively able. Wind, exposure to plated, deeply furrowed bark wrapped around the rather sun, and rapid run-off leave the shallow soil dry during spindly boles of these trees gives the woodland a lean, the summer months. Root competition for moisture IS craggy look. Chestnut oak (Quercus prinus} is adapted to

M ockemut Hickory Chestnut Oak (Carya tomentosa) (Quercus prinus) 28

drought stress and often predominates. It is accompanied by a variety of other oaks, including the less frequently seen chinquapin-oak (Q. prinoides) and bear oak (Q. ilicifolia). It is a meagre woodland; the sun coming through the patchy canopy falls on grasses, sedges and herbaceous plants such as sunflower (Helianthus di­ varicatus), bastard toad flax (Comandra umbellata) and harebell (Campanula rotundifolia).

Vernal pools found on dips lopes are indicated by patches of moisture-loving ferns. Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus)

The forest on the eastern dipslope of the ridge often has the benefit of deeper soils, greater protection from the drying wind and more moisture. Descending the slope, there is a gradual transition from the oak/hickory association of the ridgetop to a more heterogeneous forest as other tree species join the canopy. Further downslope, the woodland develops a denser canopy and supports a wider variety of woodland plants and is similar to the mixed hardwood forest of the western footslope. Fre­ quently, small wetland areas form in the spring and early summer in depressions on the dipslope. A hiker, follow- 29

ing this transect on a summer day, will appreciate the Some of the fauna found on the ridges is closely cool shade of the forest after visiting the exposed summit. adapted to the rocky habitat and its plant associations and probably always had a limited distribution. However, many animals that were common in this region before Wildlife Con-iclors settlement retreated and eventually disappeared a their habitat was disrupted by agriculture and urban develop­ The ridges that extend up the Connecticut Valley are ment. Although some animals such as the lynx are almost a continuous belt of undisturbed upland forest. entirely gone, the ridges provide refuge for some that are Naturalists and ecologists in the Central Connecticut "remainders" of once more widespread populations. Valley are well aware that the traprock ridges act as a In 1979 when there was a heated political battle over biological refuge that allows for the presence and move­ the future ownership and management of West Rock, the ment of larger wildlife through an othe1wise developed presence of several rare butterflies helped to swing the area. In addition, the diversity of habitat types found on case for preservation and state ownership. The falcate the ridges provides specialized habitat for a variety of orange-tip, sleepy dusky wing and silvery checkerspot insects, birds, reptiles and amphibians with limited dis­ were among the rare species known to frequent "the tribution in the region. Warm talus slopes are ideal Rock." Entomologists agree that it takes the pre ence of habitat for copperheads at certain times of the year. The specific food plants to perpetuate many butterfly species, cliff faces are perfect nesting sites for the once common particularly when they are near the edge of their habitat peregrine falcon. Vernal pools on the dipslopes and the range. Several rare species found on West Rock repre­ summits are moist, unperturbed nurseries for a variety of sent northern races of more southerly species. All three salamanders. All of these are examples of creatures rare­ species have relatively rigid food requirements. The food ly seen elsewhere in Connecticut. In addition, many com­ plants they depend on are concentrated on, and some­ mon mammals, such as foxes, raccoons, woodchucks, times limited to, the ridges. Although specimens of these squirrels, mice and deer find refuge on the ridges, where butterflies have not been recorded on all the ridges, their they live relatively undisturbed by humans. food plants do appear throughout the system. It has been 30

speculated that the butterflies, gentle wanderers on the winds following the trap northward, are there as well. Several new species of butterfly have been discovered on West Rock in the last ten years. Since these are the first of their kind to be recorded and studied, they are the critical reference specimens that other entomologists will use for comparison. West Rock is the "type locality" for these species. Broods of seventeen year cicada nymphs burrow to the surface, climb up on vegetation and shed their skins, emerging as adults. Cast-off exoskeletons are often found clinging to branches after the adults have departed.

Seventeen year cicadas lay their eggs in the soil in "batches" or broods, that emerge on seventeen year cy­ cles. Their life cycle includes a 13 or 17 year immature nymph stage which is spent underground feeding on the roots of trees. The most extensive broods of cicada nymphs in Connecticut were found in the forests on the basalt ridges. It is believed that this is due to limited disturbance by logging and the high diversity of tree species. It is likely that this pattern could be generalized The presence of certain butterfly species can be to a number of other forest insects that are dependent on predicted by the presence of the food plants they rely on . the upland forests. 31

The rocky dry talus slopes and grassy summits of the strictor), black rat (Elaphe obsoleta) and northern red­ ridges are excellent habitat for snakes. There are 14 bellied snakes (Storeria occipitomaculata) are all more species of snakes that occur in the region and many are widely distributed but they seem to thrive in the rocky found on the ridges. Throughout the state, copperheads habitat of the traprock ridges. (Agkistrodon contortrix) are declining due to human dis­ Curiously, it appears that the population density of box turbance of habitat and a "shoot on sight" attitude toward turtles is greatest on the ridges. In addition, New venomous snakes. Copperheads are still frequently spot­ England~ only lizard, the five-lined skink, (Eumeces ted on or near talus areas. Eastern garter snakes (Tham­ fasciatus) has been seen most frequently on a traprock nophis sirtalis), northern black racers (Coluber con- ridge in Connecticut. Toads like the same rocky, grassy,

Five-lined Skink (Eumeces fasciatus) 32

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

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:.. · ·" ' ":,\

i: ' ,. I 33

dry habitats and are commonly found near talus slopes. panies in Hartford, likely spots for reintroductions of Other amphibians prefer moister woodland areas and young falcons. are often associated with vernal pools on the dipslopes Many varieties of hawks are seen drifting on the of ridges. Marbled (Ambystoma opacum), spotted (Aby­ updrafts along the length of the ridges during migration. stoma maculatum), and red-backed salamanders Mter a cold front moves through in the early fall, winds (Plethodon cinerea cinereus) can all be expected to from the northwest push down the Central Valley and are inhabit the rich, cool, moist woods below the ridges. forced up by the west faces of the ridges. This creates a Since the 1940's there has been a drastic decline in powerful southerly moving updraft of air that provides a peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) populations, and they tailwind for the migrating raptors. From the summit of are now extinct as a breeding bird in Connecticut. It is the high ridges, an observer can watch hawks carried up believed that this decline is a result of the combined the currents, soaring effortlessly southward. On a clear effects of pesticides and human disturbance of nests. At breezy fall day, a veritable flyway is apparent and groups, the turn of the century, peregrines nested on the cliffs of or kettles, of hawks stream steadily by. h·aprock ridges throughout Connecticut. Rock climbers were called upon by falconry buffs to raid the nests for A Wildet· State young falcons that could then be trained for sport. Peregrines do still appear as spring and fall migrants in Connecticut. Efforts by Cornell University and the Connecticut's history is agricultural; almost all of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reintroduce peregrines Central Valley was cleared for crops and pasture. Even have been fairly successful on the East Coast in suitable the ridges were cleared right to their summits for firewood habitats. Some successful introductions have been on the and pasture. Their rocky inhospitality to the plow and the upper ledges and towers of city buildings, which simu­ cow made them early candidates in the incremental late their preferred nesting habitat. It seems likely that process of abandonment. the cliffs of Higby Mountain, Lamentation Mountain and Roads with names like Rock Spray, Mountain View others will be, along with the lowers of insurance com- and Rocky Vista lead to recently built suburban homes 34

that nestle close to the bases of the ridges. The steep Europe and Asia that are well adapted to disturbance. rocky slopes defy subdividers' plans and the ridges The competitive ability of these plants has displaced remain relatively undeveloped, a green archipelago in a some plants that were part of the native flora of the region sea of roads and houses, wires and tracks. The ridge to the point where certain native species are rare or system remains a refuge for plant and animal species that endangered. Even though the ecosystems along the do not tolerate the otherwise pervasive effects of ci viliza­ ridges are less prone to human disturbance, a variety of tion. exotic, or introduced, plants can be found growing along Many plants that are now common along roadsides and the ridgetop trails. field edges do not represent the native presettlement Events such as clearing for agriculture, logging, wind­ flora. Instead there are many species introduced from storms, droughts, fire and insect defoliation all remove trees from the forest selectively, allowing other species to regenerate. The mosaic of tree species in the woodlands on the traprock ridges reflects the fact that they have experienced a variety of man-made and natural distur­ bances. These disturbances range in proportion from single trees blowing over to whole areas burning or entire populations disappearing to disease. While most of the Common Plantain (Plantain major) forests on the ridges have regrown since they were was sometimes called cleared for agricultural purposes, they differ subtly from "white man's footstep" the presettlement forests. by Native Americans Defoliation by gypsy moths has strongly influenced because it thrived Connecticuts forests in the last fifty years. Introduced in disturbed, cleared areas . from Europe in 1869 for use in silk production, the gypsy moth escaped and became a voracious pest. Without natural predators, the gypsy moth population soared. 35

cide with gypsy moth explosions, however, many weak­ ened trees are unable to recover and die. The forests of the ridgetops have been particularly hard hit by gypsy moth because oaks are the preferred food of the moth larvae and these trees are constantly drought stressed and thus vulnerable to the destructive attacks. With time, more native mammals and birds have learned to exploit the gypsy moth as food and it may eventually be an integral, naturalized citizen in this ecosystem. Perhaps the single greatest change in the association Gypsy moth egg ca.se and larva, of trees in the New England forests is the virtual disap­ or caterpillar pearance of American chestnut (Castanea dentata). A plant geography of Connecticut written in 1914 describes the mighty chestnut as the dominant tree on the upland slopes of the traprock ridges. Now, there is not a single First spotted in Connecticut in 1905, the first major mature survivor. defoliation by gypsy moths occurred in 1938. In years The chestnut was an abundant and productive member when gypsy moth populations have been particularly of the forest. There were many uses for its wood in rural large, they have stripped leaves from the trees so thor­ New England and it was a popular tree. Many early oughly that the woods looked as leafless in July as they homes were built from durable chestnut logs and shin­ would in January. gled with a chestnut roof. During the height of the blight, Most deciduous tree species can withstand total de­ diseased trees were cut and stacked for later use. Some of foliation several times and will send out flushes of these piles can still be found on West Rock. Chestnuts replacement leaves. Others, like hemlock and pine, are were an excellent source of food for wildlife as well as killed by one defoliation. When periods of drought coin- for the farmers' roaming hogs. 36

The Green Belts

Although the forest on the traprock ridges has regrown since the period of intensive clearcutling, human distur­ bance and natural processes have determined its com­ position considerably. Still, the ridges are important natural areas and are considered critical habitat by many botanists and plant and wildlife ecologists. They provide habitat for unusual plant associations sometimes includ­ ing plants that are rare elsewhere in the region. Faunal American Chestnut congregations associated with the ridges are additional (Castanea dentata) evidence that the entire ridge system deserves special conservation consideration. Recognizing this, The Nature Conservancy has cre­ ated preserves that include two ridge summits in dif­ The blight that decimated the American chestnut is a ferent parts of the system. An area including the summit fungus (Endothia parasitica) that was first observed in of Onion Mountain in Canton is part of the more western the Bronx Zoological Park in New York City in 1906. By belt of ridges in the state and complements the Con­ 1917, the blight had spread into Connecticut and most of servancy's other ridge preserve, Higby Mountain. The the trees were dead or dying. Salvage operations removed Higby preserve lies east of Route I-91 near Middletown, the valuable wood from the forests, and chestnut stumps and is part of the Metacomet Ridge. still remain to testify to the durability of this wood. The Department of Conservation in Massachusetts Occasional standing hulks in the woods reaffirm that this and the Department of Environmental Protection in Con­ species played an important role in the forest of the necticut have considered proposals to designate the recent past. Root sprouts are common from chestnuts, ridges as critical habitat in order to assure that they but once they achieve a moderate, shrubby size, they are remain havens of natural biological diversity and main­ parasitized and die back. tain their scenic quality. In undertaking the management 37

of such a large, complex and dynamic system, it is disturbance may have and balance that against the desire important to recognize the irrefutable role that natural to maintain the system as it currently appears.

Scratches made by the movement of glaciers are visible on some traprock outcrops . III. LAND-USE 38

Quarrying the Traprock

Central Valley had traprock foundations. Sledgeham­ mers were hefted against the ungiving rock to fashion more manageable pieces. Walls were built, with the yellow or reddish weathered rock faces placed to the viewing side. In spite of availability, the unpredictable fracturing of ~~~tl /.J ~- traprock, its generally somber color, and availability of <'""> r ~ ~~y bricks from Britain prevented it from becoming an impor­ r ~~ tant building material. During the Revolution, when the '---~...._.._.__ ~--==-_ ... L _____;,.__ British blockaded ships carrying bricks, traprock had a - -- brief zenith as a building material. Soon after, however, A farmhouse with traprock endwalls local, high quality brick production gained a foothold North Haven, Connecticut on the banks of the Quinnipiac River. The eventual de­ mand for facing stone for elegant townhouses was met by brownstones of the Central Valley. A more workable As soon as colonial settlers could turn their minds to it, stone, it allowed quarrymen and carvers to produce they began to build substantial, sturdy homes that are neater bevels and blocks. still the pride of New England towns. The stone founda­ Big chunks of basalt were hauled away from the talus tions of these foursquare structures often provide a short­ slopes for a variety of building projects. In 1810, a young cut insight into local geology. Squared off, quarried black man named William Lanson gained a considerable blocks made the best looking walls but quarrying repre­ reputation beyond New Haven for his enterprising bid to sented a substantial labor commitment that even aesthet­ build the new wharf in the slippery sinking silts of New ics could not yet demand. Talus slopes beneath the ridges Haven Harbor. He quarried rock from the base of East provided large, naturally quarried blocks that could be Rock, built a whad on the Mill River to load scows with carried away, and by the late 1700's many homes in the stone and transported them to the harbor. When com- 39

pleted some years later, Long Wharf jutted 3,480 feet into on an 18-inch hunk of traprock. The crusher could be New Haven Harbor and was the longest in the United adjusted to produce various sizes of crushed rock. States. It became the congregating spot for the merchant Although it was still necessary to hammer the trap into princes of New Haven who were making their fortunes in pieces that the crusher could consume, Blakes invention the West Indian trade. radically changed quarriers' ideas about the potential Traprock continued to be quarried by hand for cellar utility of traprock as a resource for road metal and stone throughout Connecticut until the close of the 19th railroad ballast. century. The stone was removed by horse and cart. At the The advent of the automobile as a consumer item quarries it had been discovered that the small, gravelly pushed demand for crushed rock to a new level. By 1915 shards of traprock packed together under the traffic of wagonwheels, thus improving the quarry roads. As wag­ onwheels became more sophisticated, demand grew for higher quality roadbeds and finer grades of traprock. The concept of roads paved with layers of crushed stone had been introduced by the Scottish inventor J.L. MacAdam in the 1830's. In the 1850's there were less than fifty miles of"macadamized" road in all of New England. The New Haven city fathers were eager to keep up with the times and appointed a local inventor, Eli Whitney Blake, to construct two miles of paved road between Westville and New Haven. He recognized the need to mechanize crushing of traprock, in order to produce large quantities. In 1855 Blake patented his solution, a hefty, vice-like contraption whose steam-driven jaws Eli Whitney Blake's stone crusher, patented circa 1876 could exert 27,000 pounds of pressure per square inch (The New Haven Colony Historical Society) 40

to the crusher. Italian immigrants mape up the ~ulk of the labor force in the quarries and many were familiar with quarry work in Italy. Being a labor-intensive operation, a single quarry would employ as many as 150 men, ten hours a day, six days a week for 10 cents an hour. Crushed stone by nature is a high volume, low profit commodity, and as hourly wages increased, owners of burgeoning traprock businesses saw that their profit mar­ gin lay in reducing labor costs, while increasing the tons of rock moved. In 1913 the first steam shovels were introduced which loaded stone into gasoline driven loco­ motives for delivery to a crusher that could chew 200 tons of rock per hour. The Blake stone crusher in operation The power shovels used now can lift about four tons (The New Haven Colony Historical Society) in one swipe and load trucks with a 55 ton capacity. Gyratory crushers like giant mortars release 1000 tons of crushed rock per hour onto conveyor belts that are excavations in traprock ridges were being blasted out programmed to sort and deliver the rock. People on with charges of dynamite, creating series of sharp, per­ foot are almost a rare sight in a quarry today. Quarry pendicular cliffs or "benches." Trees and soil were workers are likely to be either behind the wheel of a scraped away to make room for the drillers and their rigs. truck, at a computer terminal or working over a piece The drillers used steam driven piston drills to drive holes of equipment in the garage. into the rock that would be tamped full of dynamite and Ninety percent of the 7. 5 million tons that are exca­ fired off. Laborers worked the rock pile, shovelling the vated out of the ridges annually is used within the state freshly blasted rock by hand into carts that were pushed of Connecticut. The State Department of Transporta- 41

lion IS the major purchaser of crushed rock and sets standard for the quality of the rock produced. When the Connecticut Turnpike was being built, the ew Haven Trap Rock Company delivered 36,720 tons of crushed rock. filling four mile of railway cars, to Green­ wich in one day! Howeve1; demand for road construc­ tion materials is not steady and quarries have sought new markets for their flow of stone. Diversification has led to development of on-site black-top and concrete plants and paving services. Since there is a five-fold difference in price between "process aggregate" (raw crushed rock) and rock based products such as cement and asphalt, quarries are now also processing plants. There are at least twenty-five active traprock quarries in the Central Connecticut Valley. They are steadily biting away at their home ridges. Their managers can accurately project how many years it will be before they run out of stone and reduce the ridge to a near zero grade. Start-up for a quarry would be extremely costly and it is likely that the traprock companies would seek to reopen abandoned quarries before they would open up new ones. There are many abandoned quarries throughout the state; some are now car graveyards, while some are used as rifle ranges. Other have simply become over­ Crushed traprock is moved by conveyor at the quarry. grown. 42

Zoning regulations established by town planning is channelled through catchment tanks. By removing boards are a major check on the growth of quarries. silt loads, the possibility of nutrient enrichment of nat­ There are some undesirable aspects to any quarrying ural streams is reduced. Emissions from the stacks of operation, such as truck traffic and blasting noise. The the processing plants located at the quarries are in­ biggest byproduct of quarrying is the screenings-the spected and monitored for compliance with air quality fine dust that is produced in the course of processing. standards. Still, the fact remains that quarrying of trap­ It is sold to town landfills as clean fill to cover exposed rock in massive quantities represents a major altera­ garbage. Water flowing off a ridge that is being quarried tion of the landscape.

The Plainville traprock quarry 43

Hiking, Climbing, and Sometimes Flying

In 1854, a student at Yale named George Dunham bet his friend Raphael Pumpelly a bottle of champagne that "even he couldn't climb West Rock." According to local records, student attempts to scale East and West Rocks were frequent, and adventurous scramblers were occa­ sionally arrested by the New Haven police, as they still are. George and Raphael met on a Saturday after lunch, and Raphael spotted a likely ledge and started up an approach of columns that were "four to six inches in diameter, cross jointed with cracks and much broken. The only foothold was on the tops of broken columns and the pieces stepped on were often loose and ready to fall." Raphael not only succeeded in his ascent but in coming back down had the revelation that "it was possible to go West Rock, circa 1900 up where one could not go down." His death defying descent was done in stocking feet and took until dusk. (The New Haven Colony Historical Society) He was greeted at the bottom by a scolding crowd of quarriers and a tearful Dunham. The ridges have always drawn an array of people marked and maintained throughout Connecticut, those seeking an outdoor adventure. Carriage trails and out­ that follow the ridgetops offer the most delightful experi­ looks on some of the ridges are reminiscent of the Vic­ ences. The Mattabesett Trail from Totoket to Lamentation torian passion for "outings'' that were not too strenuous. Mountain stays on the ridgetop for thirty miles and is met ow, hiking is the sport that draws the greatest number of in Meriden by the Metacomet Trail, which continues people to the ridges. Of the 500 miles of hiking trails from the Hanging Hills all the way to the Massachusetts 44

border, 45 miles to the north. This trail is named for the Regicide's lrail, which leads to the Judges' Cave on West Indian leader also known as King Phillip, who used the Rock. ridgetops as retreats during his war against the Euro­ The trail system was formalized by a few industrious peans occupying the land. The Quinnipiac Trail is the individuals who were members of the Connecticut Forest oldest in the Connecticut Blue Trail system, and it fol­ and Parks Association. Beginning with the Quinnipiac lows the ridges over Sleeping Giant and connects with Trail, they built a network that has grown to become one

Hiking Trails on Traprock Ridges in Connecticut

1'. • " p 45

Hiking in East Haven, circa 1890 (The New Haven Colony Historical Society) 46

of the most extensive state trail systems in New England. Soon after the first trails were laid out, a map guide, The Connecticut Walk Book, was created and has been contin­ uously updated over the years. The Blue Trails are kept Excellent opportunities clear and maintained through thousands of hours of for rock climbing volunteer labor. are found at The origins of rock-climbing in Connecticut are pure Ragged Mountain, speculation. Certainly hunters, explorers and dare-dev­ Berlin . ils have always found reasons to clamber over talus and cliffs. Rock climbing as an independent sport had its beginning in New England after World War II, after people had been exposed to it in Europe. It has since developed into a highly skilled sport with a unique technology and vocabulary. The traprock ridges in Connecticut are considered some of the best climbing on the east coast. Some have called it a "crack-climbers paradise" and climbers use Ragged Mountain in Berlin and Sleeping Giant in Mount I Carmel as training grounds for tackling the Alps. Second only to the Shawangunk Mountains in New York, the rough texture and columnar jointing structure of the cliffs \ provide a different climbing experience from the "gunks." Although Connecticut summer weather is often too hot and muggy for pleasant climbing, and wasps, poison ivy and snakes are serious summertime distrac- 47

tions, the ridges remain popular with climbers in other has continued to grow in popularity and sophistication, seasons. They are very accessible, and the climbs afford climbers have become conservationists with yet another spectacular views of a colorful New England landscape. set of concerns. Climbers approach routes with names like "Edge of While rock-climbers seek their thrills hugging pre­ Night" and "Pillar of Strength" with detailed maps of the cariously to the sheer cliffs, others have decided that cliff faces that show exactly which jointing features to jumping off the cliffs is more exciting. On Talcott Moun­ follow to complete the climb successfully. For safety, only tain, in Avon, just below Heubleins Tower, there is a certain areas on the ridges are open for climbing, the small wooden platform perched on the cliff edge. On most popular of these being Ragged Mountain. Most breezy Saturdays, the platform becomes the launching climbers use ropes for protection and use pitons and spot for hang-gliders. Hanging from large nylon wings, bolts driven into the rock where absolutely necessary. gliders sail away from the cliff and ride the updrafts along There has been a movement among rock-climbers within the ridge much the way hawks do, gliding gracefully over the last ten years to use fewer bolts and pins in the rock to the landscape, coming as close as is humanly possible to avoid defacing the cliffs. As the sport of rock-climbing actually flying.

Talcott Mountain in Avon is popular with hang-gliders. 48

People in High Places

ative Americans who frequented the Central Connecti­ ------~ cut Valley named the northernmost ridge in the stale ------"Amantuck" which means "to see in the distance. " Indeed, Manitook Mountain, as it is now called, is 638 ~= --~~_£~~~~ feet high and affords a view that includes Mt. Tom in the - Holyoke Range to the north and Higby Mountain in Connecticut. From artifacts that remain, it is apparent that the ridges were places of defense, communciations and spirituality for a variety of groups that lived in the Central Connecticut Valley at different times. Historical records indicate that the Quinnipiacs set up signal fires on a prominent ridge near the mouth of New Haven Harbor to signal to traders on vessels in the Sound when they wished to trade furs. In the same vicinity, there was a Quinnipiac fort and burial ground. Other similar remains have been found on other ranges further north, and artifacts of prehistoric races have been excavated in Metacomet, or Prince Phillip (1639-1676), as depicted in an early engraving. the Holyoke range. The summits became strategic as Native Americans fought to defend their territories. (Smithsonian Institution, National Anthropological Archives) Metacomet, or Prince Phillip, oversaw the burning of Simsbury from the heights of Talcott Mountain. As Connecticut became more settled by the colonists, the reign of Charles I, three dissenting judges drew up the ridges remained wild, rocky refuges. Prior to the and signed a warrant for his death. This treasonous deed American Revolution, caves and hide-aways on the eventually brought the wrath of Charles II down on the ridges served as refuge to more than one fugitive. During judges, who fled for their lives. They spent several 49

months in hiding on West Rock in a small cave formed by During the height of the Revolution, the prominent three large boulders. Sympathetic townsfolk provided for ridges near New Haven became watch and signal posts. them until they could escape to safety. "Judges' Cave" is A telegraphic signal was constructed east of New Haven in West Rock State Park, near the south end of the ridge. on the ridge called Indian Hill. The beacon that was built In 1687, almost 100 years before the American Revo­ was crudely constructed but could be used to communi­ lution, King James II demanded that the Connecticut cate to townspeople the appearance of British vessels in Charter be handed over to the crown. According to the harbor. When the signal was given, armed men would legend, a Yankee named Joe Wadsworth disappeared rush to the State House to receive posting orders. The through a window with the Charter when the lights were ridge became known as Beacon Hill and the signal momentarily doused. His first hide-out was Hell-Hole, a system was used again during the War of 1812. cave on the northwestern side of Talcott Mountain. The Fort Wooster was built on the same site and another charter was eventually hidden in the cavity of an old oak fort was built closer to the water. It was called the Black tree that came to be known as the "Charter Oak." Rock Fort, or Fort Hale, and its earthworks were con­ structed on top of the traprock that descends into the harbor, giving the soldiers the best visibility possible. Although the forts fell into disuse and disrepair, the The beacon high points of the ridges that shelter New Haven again constructed on became strategic in World War I. Gun emplacements Indian Hill were established and forty-eight soldiers were stationed in East Haven circa 1775 on East Rock in 1918. These preparations were made to ward off possible zeppelin attacks on the city. In times of peace, people continued to find reasons to build on the summits of the ridges, generally for the simple desirability of the view. At one time several small lodges dotted the slopes of Sleeping Giant. By far the 50

Heublein Tower, Talcott Mountain, Avon; West Peak Castle, Meriden; Stone tower on Sleeping Giant, Hamden

most visible and most famous structure throughout the There are several other monuments that have been ranges is Heublein Tower on Talcott Mountain. Built by placed on ridgetops to increase their visibility. The Sol­ the wealthy Heublein after the turn of the century as a diers' and Sailors' Monument on East Rock has been a residence, this sturdy stone house with its huge tower is landmark since the late 1880s. It commemorates those an imposing and impressive mansion. Currently part of who died in the Civil War. A castle tower on the ledges of Talcott State Park, the tower deserves a visit on a clear West Peak in Meriden is an addition to the landscape in day for the wonderful view it offers. the romantic tradition. It was built by Walter Hubbard, 51

who gave the entire property to the city of Meriden as a transm1sswn towers. As the highest points in Central park. A trailside tower on the hip of Sleeping Giant was Connecticut, the ridges are the best place for telecom­ built in the 1930's as a W P. A. project. There is another munication transmission. The towers transmit a variety monolithic stone structure on West Rock, but its purpose of microwave signals for radio, television and independ­ is purely utilitarian. It is an air duct for the tunnel that ent communication systems. For this reason the towers passes through the ridge as part of the Merritt/Wilbur can be sited fairly close together without interfering with Cross Parkway. one another, and telecommunication companies, stations The tower on Talcott Mountain is no longer alone be­ and agencies keep words and images speeding across the cause the length of the ridge is now picketed with radio Valley from one summit to another.

An "antenna farm" on Talcott Mountain, Avon IV. MANAGING FOR DIVERSITY 52

West Peak, Meriden 53

As population has grown in the New England region, endangered species and to assess the fragility of par­ development of land for housing, industry, utilities and ticular ecosystems in the face of development. roads has diminished and splintered our open space The traprock ridge system in the Central Valley is resource. This loss is felt profoundly by people seeking important from both the perspective of recreation and the out-of-doors for visual or spiritual refreshment and preservation. It represents the largest remaining open recreation. As borders of one urbanized area bleed into space in the region that has a natural character. Although the next, it seems that "no matter where one goes, nature not completely undisturbed or pristine, the native vege­ is somewhere else." (D. Ehrenfeld) In a state as densely tation on most of the ridges has become reestablished, populated as Connecticut, it is clearly in the public in­ terest to set aside and preserve natural lands for recrea­ tional purposes now and in the future. Concern for the preservation of natural areas extends well beyond recreational considerations. Having wit­ nessed local or global extinction of flora and fauna due to habitat destruction, people are increasingly aware of the importance of sustaining a variety of biotic communities and their physical habitats. Efforts to preserve biological diversity have evolved to encompass this approach. The preservation of natural diversity is now rooted in acquisi­ tion and preservation of a spectrum of land types that can support a wide variety of plants and animals. Since the early 1970s, there has been a sustained effort in Connecticut to identify and inventory existing ecosystems and natural communities. Part of this process has been an attempt to record the presence of rare or Hikers on the cliffs of Sleeping Giant, Hamden 54

and most of these areas have retained or regained a use of fire. Campfire rings casually constructed of basalt natural quality. Since the ridges are set in the heart of chunks are frequent testimony to the popularity of trail­ the well-settled Central Connecticut Valley, they are side fires. The dry and windy conditions that prevail on extremely important recreational areas because of their the summits allow fires to spread quickly and burn hot, scenic qualities and their accessibility. In addition, the devastating the sparse woodland community of the sum­ ridge system represents a habitat that supports remark­ mit. able natural diversity. For these reasons the system Control of the development and intensity of recrea­ deserves preservation consideration. Of course, these tional use of the ridgetops has been determined in great two interests, recreation and preservation, can be con­ part by their ownership. Many of the ridgetops of the flicting. In order to manage the land for both, planners Metacomet Ridge are within state-owned parks. Oth­ will depend on detailed knowledge of the ecosystem, ers, such as East Rock, are owned by municipalities. ownership, and recreational use patterns. Although this status has protected some of the rocky On the basis of detailed studies by botanists and plant summits from commercial development, many of these ecologists over many years, it is generally agreed that the areas receive heavy recreational use. This is particularly rocky summits of the ridges are the most fragile part of true of the park peaks on the outskirts of cities that are the ridge ecosystem and are the areas most threatened. accessible by car. Other ridgetops within state ownership For a variety of reasons, it is here that many of the rare are accessible only by hiking trails and receive lighter and unusual plants associated with the ridges are found. use. Recreational use can pose a threat to these plant commu­ Much of the ridge system at the southern end of the nities simply because of the damage caused by the range (including the northern half of West Rock, Totoket scuffle of human feet. Many of the plants found in the Mountain and Saltonstall Ridge and others) is owned and harsh environment of the ledgetops are small and easily managed by the South Central Regional Water Authority trampled. Once dislodged from the typically thin soils, as watershed surrounding its reservoirs. For the most part they may fail to become reestablished. Another threat to there is no public access to these properties. In addition, the ridgetop plant community stems from recreational the Water Authority has policy goals that specify preser- 55

East Rock, overlooking the city of New Haven

vation and protection of the ridges for their scenic qual­ are similarly owned and managed by the Metropolitan ity and as critical habitat. Due to these policies, the District Commission of Hartford. These areas are open ridgetops that are owned by the Water Authority experi­ for recreation but are primarily managed as watershed ence minimal disturbance. Portions of Talcott Mountain protection areas. 56

Three areas in the state that have been set aside as refuges are on traprock ridges. They include McLean Game Refuge, which encompasses the eastern Barndoor Hill, and two Nature Conservancy preserves, Higby Mountain and Onion Mountain. The public is welcome to hike in these preserves, but they are not managed primarily for recreation. Thus, the patterns of utilization, development and recreational use of the ridges span a spectrum that in­ cludes near-zero to heavy use. In order to manage this remaining open space effectively for recreation and pres­ ervation a variety of management strategies are needed. As more is learned about the exact location of par­ ticularly valuable ecological areas, this information can be "mapped" against current recreational demands. Using this kind of information to assess the ecosystem as a whole, it will be possible to plan to divert the distribu­ tion of recreational use away from ecologically sensitive areas, thus minimizing ecological impact on the system. Determining the desirability of areas for recreation and their ecological significance is an essential step towards an overall management plan that will best preserve Con­ necticut's natural heritage while providing its citizens with opportunities to enjoy and learn about the natural world. 57 APPENDICES

Fot· Further Reading

Geology the sedimentary and volcanic strata deposited in the Connecti­ Colbert, Edwin H. Fossils of the Connecticut Valley-The Age cut Valley during the Triassic and Jurassic periods. It ofDinosaurs Begins. Connecticut Geological and Natural His­ describes specific locations in Connecticut that the reader can tory Survey. Bulletin #96. 1970. * As well as giving an excel­ study with the aid of the guidebook. lent geologic history of the Central Connecticut Valley, this booklet describes the history of discoveries of fossils found in Wyckoff, Jerome. Rock Scenery of the Hudson Highlands the Valley, including dinosaurs, plants and fish. and Palisades. A Geologic Guide. Adirondack Mountain Club. Glens Falls, NY. 1971. A variety of geologic features associated Joesten, Raymond and Sidney Quarrier. (ed.) Guidebook for with the traprock of New Jersey are described and profusely Fieldtrips in Connecticut and Southern Central Massachusetts. illustrated with photographs in this guidebook. New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference. 74th

Annual Meeting. Connecticut Geological and atural History Geologist~ Sut-vey. Guidebook #5. This guidebook is a collection of rock hammer articles which discuss specific geologic features found thmughout the state. It gives current interpretations of geo­ logic processes. Ecology and Regional Natural History Hubert, ].F., A.A. Read, WL. Dowdall and J.M. Gilchrist. Cronon, W Changes in the Land. Hill and Wang. New York. Guide to the Mesozoic Redbeds of Central Connecticut. Con­ 1983. This book explores the modifications in the landscape necticut Geological and atural History Survey. Guidebook made by the colonial settlers and contrasts them to those of the #4. 1978. This guidebook gives an overview of the history of American Indians. It traces historical and cultural differences in land-use patterns and their effect on the environment. * Publications that are part of the Connecticut Geological and Nat ural His tory Survey are available from the Natural Resources Center, Room 553, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, State Office Egler, F. E. and WA. Neiring. The Vegetation of Connecticut Building, Hartford, CT 06106 Telephone: (203) 566-3540. A catalog Natural Areas-The Natural Areas of the McLean Game Re­ of publications and maps is available. serve. Connecticut Geological and at ural History Survey. 58

#3. 1967. This guidebook describes in detail the preserve that Wildlife includes the Barndoor Hills. It discusses the distribution of Craig, R.J. The Rare Vertebrates of Connecticut. USDA Soil vegetation found in the refuge and includes a useful plant list Conservation Service Publication. 1979. Describes the dis­ for the area. tribution, habits and life histories of Connecticut's more unusual wildlife. Jorgensen, Neil. A Sierra Club Naturalisd Guide: Southern New England. Sierra Club Books. 1978. A comprehensive but Preservation and Land Use Management readable guide to the ecology of Southern New England, this excellent book describes a variety of distinctive habitat types Ehrenfeld, D. W Biological Conservation. Holt, Rinehart and as well as touching on geology, wildlife and land-use history. Winston Inc. 1970. A textbook on the issues related to biolog­ ical conservation, this book includes a variety of case studies Jorgensen, eil. A Guide to New England's Landscape. Barre as well as a general discussion of the problems of dwindling Publishers. 1978. Since this book addresses a broader region, natural diversity. it is less specific than the Sierra Club guide to Southern New England. lt will give the reader a sense for the entire ew Hoose, P.M. Building an Ark: Tools for Preservation of Natural England region and is a good companion to Jorgensen's other Diversity Through Land Protection. Island Press, Covelo, CA. guide. 1981. This book gives the rationale for preserving natural diversity through land protection. It gives step-by-step guid­ ance on how a community group or organization could carry out land use preservation in a manner similar to that used by Wild Columbine The Nature Conservancy. (Aquilegia canadensis)

McHarg, Ian L. Design with Nature . Published for the Ameri­ can Museum of Natural History. Doubleday and Co. NY. 1971. A creative, philosophical and ecological approach to land-use planning that has become a cornerstone of alternative strat­ egies to unplanned development. 59

Other Resources

Recreation Publications Connecticut Forest and Park Association. The Walk Book .1010 Citizens Bulletin is published ll times a year by the Depart­ Main St. East Hartford, CT. The most complete source for ment of Environmental Protection. It includes features on maps of the maintained trails throughout the state. natural history, regional history, natural resource policy and issues being considered by the Department. Subscriptions are Cooley, Susan D. Country Walks in Connecticut. A Guide to The available for $5.00 per year. Send a check to: Nature Conseroancy Preseroes. Appalachian Mountain Club Citizens Bulletin and The Nature Conservancy. A guide to The Nature Con­ State of Connecticut servancy preserves in the state, this book describes Onion Department of Environmental Protection Room 112 Mountain, Higby Mountain and Bluff Head. State Office Building Hartford, CT 06106 Hardy, G. and S. Fifty Hikes in Connecticut. A Guide to Short Walks and Day Hikes Around the Nutmeg State. Backcountry Publications. 1978. Each hike in this book is classified by Connecticut Woodlands features news on the activities of the difficulty, length and access. It includes interesting historical Connecticut Forest and Park Association and is a good source facts as well as best views and other highlights. Many of the of information on state, community and volunteer activities hikes are along the traprock ridges. throughout the state related to forest and parks. Subscriptions are available for $5.00 per year. Send a check to: Nichols, G.E. Traprock-Rock Climbs in Connecticut. The Al­ Connecticut Forest and Park Association pine Club. NY A complete introduction to the rock-climbing 1010 Main St. P.O. Box 389 opportunities in Connecticut. Includes a geological history East Hartford, CT 06108 and a history of rock climbing as a sport. 60

Topographic Maps as a Resource

Nature Centers Topographical maps are one of the best and most interesting West Rock Nature Center guides to exploring a region. The following is a list of the State P.O. Box 2969, New Haven CT 06515 Parks that encompass traprock 1idges, and the quadrangle {203) 787-8016 maps that show them. These maps can be ordered singly from the Natural Resources Center, Room 553, Connecticut Depart­ Located on Wintergreen Avenue at the fool of West Rock, in ment of Environmental Protection, State Office Building, ew Haven, this center has two rangers and an extensive "zoo" Hartford CT 06106. of native Connecticut wildlife. Call for information on pro­ grams and directions. State Park Quadrangle Name

East Rock Center Talcott Bloomfield, Avon and East Rock Park Simsbury ew Haven, CT 06511 Lamentation Berlin (203) 787-8142 Trimountain Durham and Wallingford With a ranger station in College Woods at the base of East Rock, the naturalist/ranger in East Rock park provides a West Rock Hamden number of programs for the public. Call for information. Sleeping Giant Hamden and Wallingford West Peak Meriden and Middlefield Roaring Brook Nature Center Sunset Rock Plainville 70 Gracey Road Canton, CT 06019 (203) 693-0263 Located near Onion Mountain, this center offers a number of natural history programs for school groups and the public. It has a small shop that is well stocked with natural history books relevant to the region.

Design: Susan Smith I the Red & the Black New Haven, Connecticut

Traprock Ridges are one of Connecticut's critical habitats. They harbor unusual plant and animal communities, as well as rare and endangered spe­ cies. They add to the richness and diversity of the state's natural environment, and they offer spiritu I refuges for people seeking respite from their man­ made surroundings. And, too, these habitats arc -0 threatened by the constantly increasing pressures of use and development.

The Connecticut Natural Heri~age Program in the Department of Environmental Protection is com­ mitted to preserving these habitats, as well as rare and endangered species and other critical natural resources. This book introduces readers to the ecology and geology of Connecticut's traprock ridges.

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