A Marsh for All Seasons EarthCache

This cache has been archived.

redlights: I'm deciding to put this one to rest. It had a nice run, but according to the new guidelines it doesn't quite measure up. Thanks to those who visited.

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Hidden : 8/17/2009
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:

This earthcache will bring you to a beautiful marsh within Kings Landing Park along the Patuxent River in Calvert County. Please be sure to check the hours of operation at the bottom of this listing before your visit.

Historically marshes and other wetlands have been viewed as wastelands. They were too wet to be used for farming or building and with their abundance of mosquitoes, were often seen as unhealthy breeding grounds for pestilence. The best approach, it seemed, was to drain them, fill them in, and “reclaim” them for human purposes. This view, however, turned out to be shortsighted. Tidal marshes of the shallows are border habitats that connect shorelines to forests and wetlands. They acts as a gentle buffer zone. Like wetlands and underwater bay grass beds, tidal marshes provide food and shelter for the numerous aquatic species that dwell in shallow waters. But they also serve a vital function in our ecosystem. Marshes recharge groundwater supplies and moderate streamflow by providing water to streams. This is an especially important function during periods of drought. The presence of marshes in a watershed helps to reduce damage caused by floods by slowing and storing flood water. As water moves slowly through a marsh, sediment and other pollutants settle to the substrate, or floor of the marsh. Marsh vegetation and microorganisms also use excess nutrients for growth that can otherwise pollute surface water such as nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer. This wetland type is very important to preserving the quality of surface waters. In fact, marshes are so good at cleaning polluted waters that people are now building replicas of this wetland type to treat wastewater from farms, parking lots, and small sewage plants.

Tidal marshes are located all along meandering portions of the Patuxent River. It likely took hundreds or thousands of years to create these wetlands. The tidal portion extends from Queen Anne’s Bridge in Anne Arundel County to the discharge into the Chesapeake Bay, roughly forty-five miles further down river. The freshwater tidal marsh section runs from Ferry Landing (in Calvert) to Waysons Corner (in Anne Arundel). The area of Cocktown Creek, where you stand now, is unique. Between Ferry Point and Cocktown Creek, there is a transition zone from fresh to brackish water. South of Cocktown Creek is brackish marsh. It is believed that the Patuxent River was historically wider and deeper, but due to agricultural sedimentation in the 18th and 19th centuries, this open water converted into low marsh and eventually high marsh.

Freshwater Marshes

Tidal freshwater marshes support a greater diversity of plant species than do salt marshes. Freshwater marshes are filled with a variety of emergent plants that reach the water's surface, including arrow arum and narrow-leaved cattails. Freshwater marshes along the Bay are home to frogs, muskrats, marsh-nesting birds and a host of other animals. They also help control flood waters and improve water quality by trapping and filtering nutrients and sediments.

Brackish Marshes

Brackish marshes develop by salt marshes where a significant freshwater influx dilute the seawater to brackish levels of salinity. This commonly happens upstream salt marshes by estuaries of coastal rivers or near the mouths of coastal rivers with heavy freshwater discharges in the conditions of low tidal ranges. A low brackish marsh is often dominated by smooth cordgrass-tall form and water hemp while the high brackish marsh is often dominated by salt hay grass, salt grass, black needlerush, smooth cordgrass-short form, Olney three-square, switchgrass, common three-square, big cordgrass, common reed, salt marsh bulrush, seaside goldenrod, rose mallow, and narrow-leaved cattail.

Logging Requirements:
At each of the signs stop, look, listen and learn a little about these wonderful habitats. Please email me the answers to the following questions from the signs along the paths. The coordinates for each of the signs are added as additional waypoints for easy input into your GPSr.

N 38* 37.645 W 076*40.460
At the “Home is where the Habitat Is” sign:
1. What plant flowers between May and September and dies out in the winter months?

2. What chemical is in the seeds of the arrow arum that that wood ducks eat?

3. Upon which part of the Narrow-leaved cattail do muskrats and geese feed?

4. And how could you imitate the call of a southern leopard frog?

5. Which plant is “The Plant that’s a life saver?” How could it serve to save your life?

N 38* 37.637 W 076*40.437
A little further down the trail you will find a sign showing “A Marsh for all seasons.” This sign claims that the marsh is always at work.

6. How do marshes perform their jobs?

7. Also what photographer is credited for the pictures on this sign?

While it is no longer required, it sure would be nice of you to post a photo of yourself at the end of the boardwalk overlooking the creek. And please mention in your online log with it was high or low tide as it should be easy to tell.

While visiting Kings Landing Park today please remember to exercise “Leave No Trace” ethics. Please consider that those that follow should not regret you were here. Take only pictures and leave only footprints.

Hours of Operation -- Seasonal
January, February, March, November and December:
Weekends only, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
April, May, September and October
Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Weekends, 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day
Open daily, 8:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)



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