c ase study : a ltamont p lantation c lemson e xperimental f orest lauren s. pile restoration...
TRANSCRIPT
CASE STUDY:
ALTAMONT PLANTATIONCLEMSON EXPERIMENTAL FORESTLauren S. Pile
Restoration Ecology
Spring 2011
ALT
AM
ON
T P
LA
NTATIO
N: H
ISTO
RIC
AL
OV
ER
VIE
W
•Altamont Plantation was constructed in 1808 by Col. Thomas Pickney Jr. the son of General Thomas Pickney a Revolutionary War veteran and Governor of South Carolina•Pickney’s left in the late 1830s•Went through several owners and was sold in probate court as the Brown Farm in 1923•Was sold by the U.S. Government in 1937 to become apart of the Clemson Community Conservation Project•Was heavily degraded and vandalized and in turn was destroyed
ALT
AM
ON
T P
LA
NTA
TIO
N: L
OC
ATIO
N C
HA
RA
CTER
ISTIC
S
237 acres
Located in the Clemson Experimental Forest in Anderson, SC
Resides on the eastern side of Fants Grove Road, and is north of the Fants Grove Baptist Church
Managed by Knight Cox, Forest Supervisor
ECOLOGICAL SITE CHARACTERISTICS
Southern inner piedmont ecoregion
Elevation between 800-860 ft above sea level
Historically would climax to an upland oak-hickory community
Dominated by Cecil and Pacolet soil series
Reference ecosystem: Aull Natural Area (CEF)
SOILS AND SLOPE PERCENTAGE OF ALTAMONT PLANTATION
ALTAMONT PLANTATION ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION GOALSRe-establish a balanced biological communityEnhance existing ecosystem processesWildlife habitat enrichment/enhancementImprove recreational opportunitiesHistorical education through the use of interpretive trails
KNOWN ECOLOGICAL ISSUES
Invasive plants
~ 1 acre of bamboo Wisteria Periwinkle Monkey grass (Liriope) Privet
Remnant farm terraces
Soil erosion Stream
sedimentation Human debris
INTERPRETIVE RECREATIONAL TRAIL
Trailhead begins at Altamont historic homestead
Historic and culturally significant garden is constructed in the footprint of the homestead
Interpretive markers indicate plant significance (e.g. medicinal properties, etc)
Trail winds through the plantation
Narrative signage will provide insight into historic faming practices and its effect on ecosystem processes
Some remnant terraces will remain for educational purposes
Interpretive trail will also showcase the ecological restoration and provide educational/volunteer opportunities
ALTAMONT PLANTATION RESTORATION COSTS AND TIMELINE
Herbicide application ($40/acre @ 50acres, with 25 acre follow up applications) $3,000
Planting/Vegetation establishment $8,000
Land grading $5,000
Trail construction $10,000
Historical Markers (signage, etc) $2,000
Monitoring/Research $20,000
Project Manager $20,000
Supplies $1,000
Total Cost: $69,000
5 Year Project Year 1
Full evaluation of ecological site characteristics Soil and water chemical surveys
Acquisition of required regulatory permits Collect desired vegetative ecotypes and begin
nursery plantings
Year 2 Land grading with immediate seeding of native
grasses and loblolly and short leaf pines Herbicide application of invasive species (fall) in
high priority areas Build and establish historical site garden Plant pines (loblolly and shortleaf) on eroded side
slopes Plant high value wildlife hardwoods on upland sites
Year 3 Native vegetation planting (spring) in herbicide
areas Green ash and switch cane along stream
margins Loblolly and shortleaf in non-stream areas
Trail construction and interpretive markers Follow up herbicide re-treatments where necessary
Year 4-5 Monitoring
Projected Costs Project Duration
ALTAMONT PLANTATION: MONITORING
Permanent vegetation plots
Soil and water quality samples
Visitor evaluation and trail use
Wildlife diversity and abundance sampling
REFERENCES Clewell, Andre, Rieger, John, and John Monroe. 2000. Guidelines for developing and
managing ecological restoration projects. Society of Ecological Restoration. Dooley, Katherine and Gene W. Wood. Altamont Plantation: Horse Trails Trail
History. Clemson University. Online publication: http://www.clemson.edu/trails/history/altamont.html#middle
Grant, A. S., Nelson, C. R., Switalski, T. A. and Rinehart, S. M. (2011), Restoration of Native Plant Communities after Road Decommissioning in the Rocky Mountains: Effect of Seed-Mix Composition on Vegetative Establishment. Restoration Ecology, 19: 160–169. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-100X.2010.00736.x
Griffith, G.E., Omernik, J.M., Comstock, J.A., Glover, J.B., and V.B. Shelburne. 2002. Ecoregions of North and South Carolina. (color poster with map, descriptive text, summary tables, and photographs): Reston, Virginia. U.S. Geological Survey (map scale 1:1,500,000).
Society for Ecological Restoration International Science & Policy Working Group. 2004. The SER International Primer on Ecological Restoration. www.ser.org & Tucson: Society for Ecological Restoration International.
Tilden, Freeman. 1967. Interpreting our heritage. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.
Tyler, Royal and James Pongetti. Herbicide Applications. Arkansas Timber. Online resource: http://www.arkansastimber.info/pdf/Herbicide%20Applications.pdf
United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service. 1979. Soil Survey of Anderson County, South Carolina. Online publication: http://soildatamart.nrcs.usda.gov/manuscripts/SC007/0/anderson.pdf