Soldier's Delight a Walkers Delight!
Judy Mauriello
A group of seven Sierra Club hikers, led by Nicki, explored Soldier’s
Delight Natural Environmental Area Saturday, March 15. The trails
at Soldier’s Delight are broad, with a few gradual hills and some small
streams to cross. This is an excellent place for a walk in the
woods and through open areas, particularly if you are interested in
seeing a unique area.
The serpentine rock, which contains the chromium, determines the areas
ecology. Serpentine was probably named for its green, gray and brown
colors and layered appearance, which resemble snake skin. The
rock is poor in nutrients and rich in chromium and other metals.
Serpentine is naturally dissolved by rainfall, leaving a thin layer of
rocky soil. Few plant species can survive under such
conditions. Those that do are now rare, threatened, or
endangered.. Thus, much of the land in the Soldier’s delight is barrens
or scrub forest. This barren land is probably the reason the area
never became as highly developed as the surrounding areas.
On our walk we identified some of the native grasses, such as Bluestem
and native pines and oaks. We also noticed non-native invasive
species, including lots of Greenbrier. In an effort to restore
the natural habitat, the park service is cutting down non-native
Virginia Pines. Soldier’s Delight is home to many bird
species. We were fortunate to see a pair of bluebirds in their
preferred habitat, along the forested edge of one of the many barrens
we walked through.
For more information about Soldier’s Delight, visit these web
sites:
Soldier’s Delight Conservation, Inc., and
Soldier's Delight Natural Environmental Area.
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