Long-term Ecosystem Study
of Laird Acres
Laird Acres was acquired by Episcopal High School in the 1920’s and consists of thirty-two acres of mixed woodland. We can assume that the area pre-dated Episcopal’s establishment in 1839, based on the size of specimens of White Oak located within Laird Acres. The original forest that occupied the Laird Acres site did not survive due to agricultural expansion. In order to derive fuel, crops, and pasture from the site’s ecosystem, Laird Acres was stripped of woodland cover. The Episcopal community respects and wishes to conserve the Laird Acres site as natural woodland, and we have taken the initial steps to affectively manage the forest through a Woodland Management Plan. This plan’s major goals are Forest protection, Campus Integration, Forest Enhancement, and Forest Management. With the management plan, Laird Acres can be improved and preserved for future learning opportunities and enjoyment for generations to follow.
As seen on the map above, the preexisting trail system in Laird Acres is outlined in yellow and the new trail system, in red. The design of the new trails was to eliminate long, linear lines of sight and to move the path away from border fences and the surrounding neighborhood. The new trails also allow better access to the more interesting areas of the forest for study.
Within Laird Acres, we investigated three different sites. One site, dominated by hardwood, contains a canopy consisting primarily of White Ash and Sweetgum (77°5.988'W; 38°49.562'N; elevation 283'). The second site was dominated by Loblolly Pine, the remnants of a former pine plantation (77º6.709W; 38º49.562'N; elevation 288'). The third site, or the Windthrow area, was created by a series of violent microbursts that occurred over the past few years and displayed significant devastation (77º6.195'W; 38º49.586'N; elevation 301').
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