Soils of RI #11: Leicester Traditional Cache
Soils of RI #11: Leicester
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(small)
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This is the 11th in a series of caches honoring the 58 different types of soils found within the State of Rhode Island. Soils were a major factor in the settling and early farming of RI, and soils continue to influence our industry, recreation, wildlife, and homes. As you complete this series, please take note of how the soil is determined in-part by the landscape position (summit, sideslope, drainageway), which in turn affects the vegetation.
This cache is located within the Aldrich Marshall Woods, a large tract of greenspace owned by the Town of Lincoln. These woods are great habitat for a variety of organisms, as the woods contain both upland and wetland habitat. Parcels like this are especially important to amphibians such as salamanders.
The soils of these woods form what is called a drainage catena (sequence) going from well-drained to poorly drained soils. This cachesite is an area of Leicester soils. Leicester series are mapped with Ridgebury and Whitman soils because they have similar uses and limitations. However, the nearby Canton-Charlton and Sutton soils led me to infer that this area was most likely the Leicester series. The main difference between Leicester and the Ridgebury and Whitman soils is that Leicester soils formed in loose till, whereas Ridgebury and Whitman formed in till that is very firm in the subsurface.
Leicester soils are poorly drained and have a water table at or near the surface for most of the year. These soils are classified as hydric soils and are regulated as freshwater wetlands. Most areas are wooded and dominated by red maple, red oak, elm, aspen, white pine, and ironwood. Some areas are cleared for hay and pastureMost areas remain forested and contain eastern white pine, red, white, and black oaks, hickory, red and sugar maple, beech, and white ash.
As for the cache, you are looking for the usual duct-taped plastic container that contains the official series descriptions of a Leicester soil and some assorted swag. Best (driest) approach is from the north.
High five to Nomad64 for the FTF for both the cache and logbook! Thanks!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Pnpur vfa'g gbb sne vagb gur fjnzc. Ybbx ybj.
Treasures
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