Rocky Outcrop
Facing away from the red maple swamp and looking out onto the forest, there is a rocky outcropping that is home to many of the rare or unusual plants found on the property. To understand why certain plants grow where they do, it is important to look at all aspects of the surrounding environment. The surface geology, soil, glacial history, and land use history affect where certain plants can and can’t grow.
Between 15,000 and 30,000 years ago, much of New England was being shaped and molded by the massive Laurentide ice sheet. This glacier stripped away soil down to the bedrock and then lifted up massive slabs of rock. The glacier’s melting and deposits of soil and rocks that it was carrying shaped our current New England surface geology.
The ice sheet left a rich glacial soil called “lodgement till” that is credited for the successful agricultural economy enjoyed by early settlers in the northeast. While much of the property here was deforested and plowed for farming and grazing, the rocky outcroppings located on this trail served as a refuge for many delicate species, as the rocky and uneven surfaces were not good for such agricultural uses. Additionally, the slightly acidic soil around the rocks is ideal for some plants.
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