Sumac Prairie 2012

[To see photos and stories of this prairie in other years, go to the links on the main Sumac Prairie page.]

We didn’t do any big projects here this year, but I worked away slowly, by hand, clearing brush from both the prairie, the savanna along the top of the hill, and the rocky savanna area on the face of the hill between the prairies.

1/5/2012

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1/6/2012  I cleared out the brush under the old Burr Oak trees on top

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1/6/2012

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3/12/2012  The big prairie area – in the middle of the slope – is slowly being joined to Sumac Corner Prairie on the left.  In between is an overgrown savanna with rocky outcrops where I’ve girdled the invading birch and aspen, and I’m slowly clearing away the underbrush.

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3/29/2012  Sand Cress  – one of the first flowers

3-29-12 Arabis lyrata

 

4/29/2012   Here’s one of the rocky areas on the slope between the two prairies.  The aspens and birches have died but not all of them have fallen, and I’ve cleared some of the brush.  I’m working up the slope, so there’s more work to do farther up.

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4/29/2012  One of the Burr Oaks near the rocks

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5/4/2012   Under the Burr Oaks on top, above the prairie

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5/25/2012  More of the top savanna area

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9/27/2012  The prairie

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9/27/2012  The top savanna

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9/28/2012  The rocky lower slope

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10/15/2012

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11/2/2012  This is what some of that lower savanna area  looks like before I clear the brush.

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11/3/2012  This is the same place, after clearing.

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11/3/2012  A cluster of Burr Oaks on the slope

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11/4/2012  After clearing near the rocks.  This was taken looking along the slope of the hill towards the prairie.  Only a little more work and it will be cleared all the way to the prairie.

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