Herpetological Inventory of Rare Limestone-Red Cedar Glades; Harpers Ferry National Historical Park

Middendorf, George

In 2004, Harpers Ferry National Park (HAFE) acquired land (Jacksons Right Flank) west of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Millville, West Virginia on the Ridge and Valley physiographic province from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. HAFE had already been managing the property since 2003 and prior to this, in 2002, NPS botanist Chris Lea had walked the terrain and identified vegetation communities. At Jacksons Right Flank, he identified three rare West Virginia plant species that were not common to the park: grooved flax (Linum sulcatum), downy milkpea (Galactia volubilis) and Shumard oak (Quercus shumardii). Subsequent vegetation plot work showed that these plants were concentrated in one area of Jacksons Right Flank, and that this is rare plant community is an example of a Limestone-Red cedar Glade. In 2006, Perles (2007) surveyed the area for rare plants. Nine state listed species were found. She wrote: "Despite their small size and fair to poor quality, the Limestone-Red-cedar Glades of the Jackson’s Right Flank parcel have conservation value because they: a) are examples of a global- and state- rare vegetation community, b) provide habitat for rare plant species, c) occur at a lower elevation than any other Limestone-Red-cedar Glades in the state, d) are the only Limestone Red-cedar Glades in the state known to occur on Tomstown Dolomite." The Jacksons Right Flank site is located on rolling topography adjacent to an agriculture field with a stream bordering portions of the habitat. Invasive plants are present bordering the agriculture field and stream. The Limestone-Red cedar Glades, a portion of the larger site, is bordered by a stream, as well as railroad track. In 2004, a train derailment occurred on and near this habitat with unknown amounts of damage to the habitat. West of the railroad tracks about .8 km away is a working limestone quarry. Because of activity associated with the nearby, active quarry and the bordering railroad tracks, the habitat is potentially threatened by the possibility of invasive plant introductions. As part of its mission, HAFE needed to identify the reptiles and amphibians (herps) found in the Limestone-Red cedar Glades. Field surveys began in early 2008 and continued through late spring 2009 with the goal of identifying and confirming the presence of the known herp species, with special attention to species known to be threatened, endangered, or of concern. The results of that field study are documented in this report and provide information on the species present and their locations, as well as creating a comprehensive herp species list for the rare Limestone-Red cedar Glades.