Take a Walk at Ivy Creek

Brown Trail
A Lesson in Succession

Now that you know what to look for, what clues can you find to Ivy Creek's farm history?

Can you find another old field? What clues are there to its age?
Are the woods you are walking though mostly evergreen trees or mostly deciduous trees? Or are there both kinds?
In the mixed forest, do you see the pine trees dying and falling down? What stage of succession is that?
As you walk through the forest, can you tell what kinds of trees are growing in that part of the trail? Is that a clue? (Hint: You may want to walk the School Trail to learn to identify forest trees)
Here's a 1937 aerial of Ivy Creek Natural Area. Can you figure out where you are?
Here is a 1994 aerial of Ivy Creek Natural Area. Can you see a difference?

On a tour at Ivy Creek