11-04-13 Field Note

11-04-13 Field Note

November 4, 2013

Jeff Clarke's Field Note describes sprreading clematis seed in Lower Tongue Creek, additions to existing pond structures, and an idea for terminal bud protectors.

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OCT 31 2013 Field Note By Jeff Clarke

In an effort to establish vegetation on the log-covered slopes in Lower Tongue Creek, I spread clematis seed in every nook and cranny. Clematis vines should increase slope stability, and provide shade and moisture for new plant recruitment.

Last year, we set thin log slices around the small pools we had dug. Rodents, macro-invertebrates, salamanders, and toads use the underside of the logs as a moist refuge. When I turned a few logs over yesterday, I found several sluggish toads and considered how they might prepare for the long winter ahead. I added more wood structures to the pools that we dug this year.

A terrestrial toad hunkers down.

Several of the planted trees will outgrow their exclosures next year. We worry the ungulates will browse their growth leaders once this happens. I decided to experiment with some terminal bud protectors (made from printer paper) to see if they prevent browse during the trees’ most vulnerable months. If they work, we will implement this protection strategy on more trees.

The elk make trips to the corn field most evenings. They have devoured the majority of the ears on the outside of the field and are working their way toward the center. All the sunflowers around the outside of the center pivot vanished.