Although our woods road was still mostly ice, and not accessible, the trail up through the White Oak Savanna was open. Once on top, I went to the Far Overlook to check on the beavers. Darn! They were still there.

The main work today was clearing fire breaks at both ends of the south-facing slope. By now, we have this down to a routine. The photo shows Susan, Marci, and Amanda clearing the break up the east end of the south slope. Two brush cutters and a leaf blower make fairly short work of the job. They go up to the top, and then widen further on the way back down.

I have always been interested in microclimate effects, and the photo below shows in dramatic fashion the difference between a north- and south-facing slope. The ecologist or forester uses the term "aspect" to refer to the direction a slope is facing. The area on the right (Unit 20) has a north aspect and is fairly closed woods (hickory, basswood, birch, a few maples), whereas the area to the left (Unit 12A) has a south aspect and is white oak savanna. The ravine between these two units is narrower than it seems on the photo, and the steep sides enhance the aspect effect. Not surprisingly, the vegetation on these two slopes is quite different. Also, they burn differently.

I love this website, it is so informative. The 'aspect' topic is extremely interesting and just adds to the complexity and diversity of a site. Have you ever considered making your management map interactive, so that you could click on a unit and see pictures and flora information? Might be difficult to do, but would explain a lot in terms of the effect that 'aspect' has on the plants that grow there (including trees). Thanks for your blog!
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