A Natural Heritage Inventory
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Beaver County Natural Heritage Inventory Update 2014 Beaver County Natural Heritage Inventory Update 2014 Prepared for: Beaver County Planning Commission 810 3rd Street Beaver, PA 15009 Prepared by: Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program Western Pennsylvania Conservancy 800 Waterfront Drive Pittsburgh, PA 15222 The Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP)is a partnership between the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC), the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC). PNHP is a member of NatureServe, which coordinates natural heritage efforts through an international network of member programs—known as natural heritage programs or conservation data centers—operating in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean. This project was funded through grants provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wild Resources Conservation Program. This reference may be cited as: Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program. 2014. Beaver County Natural Heritage Inventory Update 2014. Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. Pittsburgh, PA. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to acknowledge the citizens and landowners of Beaver County and surrounding areas who volunteered information, time, and effort to the inventory and granted permission to access land. A big thank you goes to those who suggested areas of interest, provided data, and assisted with field surveys, including Ben Coulter, Jeffrey Zablow, and Mark Vass. Additional thanks goes to Frank Mancini, Doniele Russel, William Evans, and Sara Knapp of the Beaver County Planning Commission for providing support for this project. Advisory Committee to the Beaver County Natural Heritage Inventory Update Pat Adams Environmental Education Specialist, Raccoon Creek State Park Bob Barr Geologist, retired John Brundege BOF District 8 Service Forester, Beaver County Robert Callen Beaver County Regional Council of Governments, Executive Director William Evans Associate Planner, Beaver County Planning Commission Sara Knapp Shared Greenways and Environmental Planner Erica Loftus President, Beaver County Chamber of Commerce Frank Mancini Director of Planning and Economic Development Victoria Michaels Executive Director, Independence Conservancy Shane Miller Environmental Education Specialist, Raccoon Creek State Park Doniele Russell Shared Greenways and Environmental Planner Beaver/Lawrence County Marty Warchol Watershed Specialist, Conservation District We want to recognize the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program and NatureServe for providing the foundation for the work that we perform for these studies. Current and former PNHP staff that contributed to this report includes JoAnn Albert, Kierstin Carlson, Kristen Erath, Steve Grund, Tyson Johnston, Susan Klugman, Betsy Leppo, Michael Maret, Jessica McPherson, Ryan Miller, Elizabeth Meyer, Benjamin Plunkett, Erika Schoen, Scott Schuette, Christopher Tracey, Jeff Wagner, Mary Walsh, David Yeany, and Ephraim Zimmerman. The species information utilized in the inventory came from many sources as well as our own field surveys. We wish to acknowledge all of those who carried out botanical and zoological survey work over the years. Biologists, both on their own and from institutions and agencies such as the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission have contributed numerous plant and animal records over the years. The task of inventorying the natural heritage of the county would have been much more difficult and incomplete without this tremendous pool of information gathered by many people over many years. Finally, we especially wish to thank the landowners who granted us permission to conduct inventories on their lands. Without their support, this report would have been far less complete. This project was funded through grants provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wild Resources Conservation Program. Support was also provided by the Beaver County Planning Commission. We encourage comments and questions. The success of the report will be measured by the use it receives and the utility it serves to those making decisions about resources and land use throughout the county. Thank you for your interest. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Beaver County Natural Heritage Inventory Update 2014 – Acknowledgements / iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................... iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................1 THE PENNSYLVANIA NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM ........................................2 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................3 Beaver CNHI Update Changes ........................................................................................4 Natural Heritage Area (NHA) Name Changes .................................................. 4 Changes in number of significant ecological features and shape of NHA Mapping ........................................................................................................... 4 Document layout ............................................................................................. 5 Statewide Coverage ............................................................................................................6 Biodiversity in Pennsylvania ............................................................................ 7 NATURAL HISTORY OVERVIEW OF BEAVER COUNTY ........................................9 Physiography & Geology ....................................................................................................9 Pittsburgh Low Plateau .................................................................................. 10 Northwestern Glaciated Plateau ................................................................... 10 Watersheds ....................................................................................................................... 10 Natural Communities ...................................................................................................... 12 Regional Disturbances ..................................................................................................... 13 Forest Fragmentation ...................................................................................................... 13 Invasive Species ................................................................................................................. 16 Invasive Plants ............................................................................................... 16 Invasive Animal Species ................................................................................. 16 METHODS ............................................................................................................................. 19 Mapping Of Natural Heritage Areas (NHAs) ............................................................ 19 Mapping and Conservation Planning for Sensitive Species ..................................... 20 Site Accounts .................................................................................................................... 21 Site Ranking ....................................................................................................................... 23 RESULTS ................................................................................................................................. 25 Species and Communities of Concern in Beaver County ...................................... 25 Natural Heritage Areas of Beaver County ................................................................ 27 Conservation Planning for Indiana Bats ...................................................................... 31 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ......................................................... 33 Future natural resource research in the region ....................................................... 33 A Final Note on Rare, Threatened, and Endangered Species................................ 33 Using the Natural Heritage Inventory in the Planning Process ............................. 33 General Recommendations ........................................................................................... 34 REFERENCES AND LITERATURE CITED ..................................................................... 37 _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Beaver County Natural Heritage Inventory Update 2014 – Table of Contents / 1 THE PENNSYLVANIA NATURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM The Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP) is a partnership between the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC), the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), and the NatureServe, the natural heritage network, was Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC). Founded originally founded by The Nature Conservancy in in 1982, PNHP is part of a network of Natural Heritage the early 1970s, with the first program established in Programs that utilizes common methodology developed