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Harvard Forest Symposium Abstract 2007
- Title: Conservation and Ecological Studies in Redding, CT.
- Primary Author: Brian Hall (Harvard Forest)
- Additional Authors: John Burk (Harvard Forest); Edward Faison (Highstead, Inc.); David Foster (Harvard University); Brian Hall (Harvard Forest); Wyatt Oswald (Emerson College)
- Abstract:
The past year, researchers at the Harvard Forest have begun an in-depth collaborative study with researchers and conservationists at the Highstead Arboretum in the town of Redding in southwest Connecticut. The main goals of this project are to gain a better understanding of the historical and environmental drivers of vegetation patterns in this physiographicaly-diverse landscape. We are taking a multifaceted approach to this project including: paleo-ecological studies of a swamp on Highstead’s property and a nearby pond, an exhaustive search for historical documents and surveys, GIS-based analysis of aerial photos, environmental and landcover datalayers, and intensive field sampling of vegetation and soils. Highstead will use the knowledge gained in this study to improve their many educational activities in woodland appreciation and stewardship.
To characterize the early-settlement forest composition, we gathered property-survey witness trees from the first 120 years after Redding was settled from town land records. Additional survey trees were provided by Stuart Reeve, a local historian; this resulted in a total of 920 trees. We were able to group 698 trees into one of twelve geographic areas within the town to allow a finer-scale analysis of tree distribution. The early-settlement forests of Redding were strongly dominated by oaks (50%), chestnut (14%), and hickory (10%). Other taxa important in individual geographic areas were ash, birch, maple, and cherry. We will be conducting additional analyses to determine the drivers of early-settlement vegetation patterns.
In addition to the witness tree data, to provide historical context a variety of 18th and 19th-century primary sources were investigated for landscape citations at various repositories, including the Redding town hall, historical society, and library, the Fairfield County Historical Society, the Newtown historical society and library, and the Connecticut state archives, historical society, and library in Hartford. These sources included maps, account books for the Read farm and the Hill limekiln operation, diaries of Redding and Ridgefield residents that included descriptions of the landscape and businesses in the towns, the Read family papers which contained information about the operation of their farm and descriptions of the property, town meeting and land records, historical photographs, and state geological and geographical bulletins. A bibliography and a detailed summary of all sources checked were compiled and added to the project files.
- Research Category: Conservation and Management
Historical and Retrospective Studies
Physiological Ecology, Population Dynamics, and Species Interactions - Figures: Witness Trees for Ecol Symposium 2007.pdf
