YORK COUNTY NATURAL AREAS INVENTORY A COMPONENT OF THE YORK COUNTY COMPREHENSIVEPLAN YORK COUNTY NATURAL AREAS INVENTORY York County Planning Commission www.ycpc.org September, 1997 Amended - October 27, 2004 The original Natural Areas Inventory was funded in part by a Keystone, Park and Conservation Fund Program Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and a Community Development Block Grant from York County. PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Preface ..................................................................... iii Chapter I - Introduction ..........................................................1 Uses For The York County NAI .............................................3 Chapter II - Natural History Overview of The County ....................................5 Physiography and Geology ..................................................5 Soils ..................................................................6 Vegetation ..............................................................8 Disturbance ............................................................11 Chapter III - Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory Data System ........................13 Natural Areas Inventory Methods ............................................14 Information Gathering .....................................................14 Map and Air Photo Interpretation ............................................14 Field Work ............................................................15 Data Analysis ...........................................................16 Priorities for Protection ....................................................16 Chapter IV - Results ...........................................................19 Exceptional Natural Feature ................................................19 Top Priority Natural Areas in York County .....................................20 Chapter V - General Summary and Recommendations ..................................25 Chapter VI - Natural Areas of York County, by Municipality .............................49 Carroll Township ........................................................49 Chanceford Township, Felton Borough ........................................53 Conewago Township .....................................................59 Dover Township ........................................................63 East Hopewell Township ..................................................67 East Manchester Township .................................................71 Fawn Township .........................................................79 Fairview Township .......................................................75 Franklin Township .......................................................83 Heidelberg Township .....................................................87 Hellam Township ........................................................91 Hopewell Township, Stewartstown Borough ....................................97 Jackson Township ......................................................101 Lower Chanceford Township ..............................................105 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Lower Windsor Township ................................................115 Manchester Township ...................................................119 Manheim Township .....................................................123 Monaghan Township ....................................................127 Newberry Township, Goldsboro Borough, York Haven Borough ...................131 North Codorus Township .................................................135 North Hopewell Township ................................................139 Paradise Township ......................................................143 Peach Bottom Township .................................................147 Penn Township ........................................................153 Shrewsbury Township ...................................................157 Springfield Township ....................................................161 Warrington Township ....................................................165 Washington Township ...................................................173 West Manchester Township ...............................................177 West Manheim Township .................................................181 York City ............................................................185 York Township ........................................................189 Glossary ...................................................................193 Literature Cited ..............................................................197 Site Index ..................................................................199 Appendix I - Natural Area Survey Form ........................................... A-1 Appendix II - Community Classification ........................................... A-3 Appendix III - Field Survey Form ............................................... A-7 Appendix IV - Species Delisted Since Original NAI .................................. A-9 Appendix V - Federal and State Status and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Ranks ........ A-11 Appendix VI - PA Natural Diversity Element Occurrence Quality Ranks ................. A-17 Appendix VII - Special Plants and Animals of York County ........................... A-21 Appendix VIII - Names of Common Plant Species Referenced in Text .................. A-27 MAPS & TABLES PAGE TABLES Table 1 - Summary of sites of Statewide Significance for the Protection of Biological Diversity in York County ................................................29 Table 2 - Areas of Local Significance in York County ..................................44 MAPS Map 1 - Natural Areas of York County ............................................. i Map 2 - Natural Areas - Priority Preservation Sites ...................................23 Map 3 - Carroll Township ......................................................51 Map 4 - Chanceford Township and Felton Borough ...................................57 Map 5 - Conewago Township ...................................................61 Map 6 - Dover Township .......................................................65 Map 7 - East Hopewell Township ................................................69 Map 8 - East Manchester Township ...............................................73 Map 9 - Fairview Township .....................................................77 Map 10 - Fawn Township .......................................................81 Map 11 - Franklin Township .....................................................85 Map 12 - Heidelberg Township ...................................................89 Map 13 - Hellam Township ......................................................95 Map 14 - Hopewell Township and Stewartstown Borough ...............................99 Map 15 - Jackson Township ....................................................103 Map 16 - Lower Chanceford Township ............................................113 Map 17 - Lower Windsor Township ..............................................117 Map 18 - Manchester Township .................................................121 Map 19 - Manheim Township ...................................................125 Map 20 - Monaghan Township ..................................................129 Map 21 - Newberry Township, Goldsboro Borough and York Haven Borough ..............133 Map 22 - North Codorus Township ...............................................137 Map 23 - North Hopewell Township ..............................................141 Map 24 - Paradise Township ....................................................145 Map 25 - Peach Bottom Township ................................................151 Map 26 - Penn Township .......................................................155 Map 27 - Shrewsbury Township .................................................159 Map 28 - Springfield Township ..................................................163 Map 29 - Warrington Township ..................................................171 Map 30 - Washington Township .................................................175 Map 31 - West Manchester Township .............................................179 Map 32 - West Manheim Township ...............................................183 Map 33 - York City ...........................................................187 Map 34 - York Township ......................................................191 A Mesic Central Forest Natural Area in York County. Photo by PA Science Office of the Nature Conservancy. York County Natural Area Inventory Natural Areas of York County, by Municipality i Preface The York County Natural Areas Inventory (NAI) is a document compiled and written by the Pennsylvania Science Office (PSO) of The Nature Conservancy. It contains information on the locations of rare, threatened, and endangered species and of the highest quality natural areas in the County (see Map 1 on the previous page); it is not an inventory of all open space. It is intended as a conservation tool and should in no way be treated or used as a field guide. Accompanying each site description are general management recommendations that would help to ensure the protection and continued existence of these rare plants, animals and natural communities. The recommendations are based on the biological needs of these elements (species and communities). The recommendations are strictly those of