IMPORTANT RULES - PLEASE READ
- Trails are open during daylight hours only. NO NIGHT CACHING!!!
- NO DOGS are permitted on the Nature Center trails.
- Stay on the trails to protect fragile plants and animals.
- No bicycles are permitted.
- Skis are not permitted on the Boardwalk Trail at the nature center at any time.
- Possession of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.
- NO LITTERING
A Little About Asbury Woods
Asbury Woods Nature Center is an educational facility of the Millcreek Township School District. The center is located in a unique and diverse environment, and it provides a wide variety of educational and recreational opportunities for visitors.
The Asbury Woods Nature Center is a state-of-the-art regional nature center with over 205 acres and 4.5 miles of hiking trails. The Center is free and open to the public year-round. Within the Asbury Woods Nature Center Exhibit Hall visitors of all ages enjoy native live animal habitats, a turtle pond, an amphitheater/program area, and a live honeybee hive exhibit – a favorite for many. All exhibits are designed to help visitors learn about native animals they might encounter on the Center’s trails or in their neighborhood.
The Center is open to the public seven days a week June 1 thru August 31, closed Mondays September 1 thru May 31. Trails are open dawn to dusk year around.
Background Information
If you have spent any time hiking around wooded areas you have probably noticed areas with noticably uneven terrain. You may have seen what look like pits next to what look like mounds. It is similar to the kind of terrain seen in mogul sking, but probably with more pronounced pits and mounds. Lets take a look at where they may have come from, and the effect they have on the area.
The process begins with a tree being uprooted. Uprooting is characterized by a root plate at the bottom of the tree with most of the large roots in tact and severe tearing up of the soil. There can be several reasons that a tree might be uprooted. The fundamental reason is that there is more horizontal force on the tree (usually from wind) than the roots can support. The tree acts like a lever, and eventually the tree topples exposing a root plate at the bottom. Soil conditions can play a big roll in the frequency of this occurring in a given area. Soil that is often wet and spongy does not have the strength to support the strong forces that can be placed on larger trees due to wind. Below you can see an example of a typical uprooted tree with the root plat at the bottom.
There are several ways that a tree might fall. Probably the most common is a "simple fall" where the root plate rotates up and leaves a pit at the end of the tree:
Another way it could fall is with a complex backward displacement. In this type a fall the top of the tree falls onto something relatively close to the ground and cannot complete the fall all the way to the ground. When it hits the obstruction the root plate rotates out of the pit leaving the pit on the trunk side of the root plate:
A third possibility is for the top of the tree to hit an obstruction which is up near the top. This could result in a partial tearing of the soil and lifting of part of the root plate. This is called a complex incomplete fall:
The uprooting of a tree begins the formation of the classic pit and mound terrain. Trees that are uprooted result in a raised mass composed of roots and soil along with the associated pit that often fills with water. The pit can become an important breeding area for amphibians. The pit eventually fills with rotting leaves and other decomposing plant material and become very nutrient rich. The root plate begins to decompose, often taking 10 or more years. In the mean time it can provide a home for small animals. Eventually, when the process is complete the root plate cannot be recognized and becomes the mound portion of the topography.
Impact of Soil Conditions
There is a common misconception about tree roots. Many people believe that tree roots grow deep, spreading out about the same distance as the size of the canopy. This is shown on the left in the figure below. Although some tree roots do grow similar to this, most tree roots grow as shown on the right below - shallow roots with a wide spread. Most of the roots generally exist in about the first 3 feet or less of the soil.
Tree uprooting depends on many factors. One of the most important factors is the strength of the root anchorage in the ground. This is a complex combination of root size, root depth, root-soil adhesion and soil conditions. If the strength of the root-soil anchorage is greater than the strength of the trunk then the trunk will snap. Conversely, if the trunk is stronger then the tree will uproot under the same conditions.
Root systems cannot grow deep or wide if the soil has a high density, and are very stunted if the soil has a shallow bedrock layer. The effect of this is a relatively weak root system that is subject to uprooting. Another important factor is moisture which can greatly decrease the strength of the soil. A high water table or waterlogged soils can result in shallow roots and the death of some roots. The combination of weakened roots and the low strength of the soil can also lead to uprooting.
Claiming This Cache
In order to claim this cache you will have to answer several questions. All of the answers can be found at the cache site. You may log the cache as soon as you visit the site. You must email your answers within a week of logging the cache, or the log will be deleted. I hope you enjoy your walk around the Asbury Nature Center.
Questions
- At the cache site you will see a lot of downed trees. Some appear to have been cut down while others have been uprooted (beginning the pit - mound topography formation). How many root plates to see at this location?
- What is the approximate average size of these root plates? NOTE: DO NOT LEAVE THE BOARDWALK TO MEASURE THE PLATES. ESTIMATE THEIR SIZE FROM THE BOARDWALK.
- Do you think the trees at this location were susceptible to uprooting because of a shallow bedrock or because of wet soil?
- You can find other examples throughout the nature center property. Take a little hike on the trails until you find another area with more than one root plate. How many root plates do you see there, and what are the coordinates for the area?
- Do you think the trees at this location were susceptible to uprooting because of a shallow bedrock or because of wet soil?
- OPTIONAL - Photos are always nice, but do not include any spoiler images.