I didn't know it was so rocky!

After our south slope burn last Tuesday, Megan said: "I didn't know it was so rocky!"

As an intern, she had worked on that south slope all last summer, pulling sweet clover, herbiciding sumac, cutting invasive shrubs. But when vegetation is present, you don't really notice the rocks. The soil map classification for this slope is "stony", and there is obviously a reason for it.

I think the photos shown here are convincing. The first one shows the south-facing slope in the fall when little bluestem is in full seed. You can see the occasional rock, but the slope looks fairly lush.



Now, look at the second photo, taken a few days after our burn of March 23, 2010. Rocks everywhere!


Finally, the closeup shows what the little bluestem looks like after it has been burned. The black clumps are scattered among the pebbles and rocks.

You can imagine the root systems of the little bluestem plants snaking down through the rocks.The amazing thing is that large bur oaks are also living upon this slope. Not only living, but thriving. Some are over 150 years old.

Also, our property is not unique. All the other steep hills in this area have more or less the same composition.


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