On Saturday, Tom, M-M, and I headed to the countryside near Franklin, Georgia, where The Nature Conservancy has a preserve of over 100 acres, most of which is a pluton, a rocky outcrop of igneous rock. Stone Mountain, east of Atlanta is a massive example of a pluton. The plutonic ridge near Franklin rises out of the surrounding piney woods, and is covered with water-eroded depressions which fill with debris, creating habitats for mosses, native flowers, and the occasional pine tree.
We had volunteered to participate in a TNC workday. Our goal was to help eliminate Chinese privet, a very invasive exotic species. The privet takes over, edging out less aggressive native plants. After meeting up with other volunteers and the TNC land steward in charge of the day's work, we walked into the preserve carrying pruners, handsaws, and herbicide. We probably put in a couple of hours of work before breaking for lunch.
After lunch, Erik, the land steward, took us on a hike over the rocky landscape of this area of the Piedmont. Flowers--especially Confederate Daisy and Blazing Star--bloomed prolifically in the small depressions where soil had deposited. M-M's quick eye spied a fence lizard and, earlier, a tiny ring-neck snake. The day would have ended perfectly had a yellow jacket not flown up from a burned-out stump hole and stung me on the bridge of my nose!
A Closer Look
Butterfly on Blazing Star
Flowers on the outcrop
Confederate Daisy/ Stone Mountain Daisy
Blazing Star
No comments:
Post a Comment