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11 <br />Vegetation <br />Floral Park has a comparably highdiversity of native species in all trophic levelsand the previously <br />predominantoak savanna habitat is still visible throughout the park. The tree canopy islargely comprised of <br />white oak (Quercus alba), box elder (Acer negundo),buroak (Q. macrocarpa), northern red oak (Q. rubra), <br />andcottonwood (Populus deltoides), with smaller numbers of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), green <br />ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), and black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) throughout.These weedier native <br />tree species have filled in areas that may have previously been open habitat between oaks, changing the <br />understory to a denser and shadier state. <br />In addition, common buckthorn (Rahmnus cathartica) dominatesthe understory of theforested acres.Other <br />woody understory species seenwith less cover include the nativegray and red-osier dogwoods (Cornus <br />racemosa and C. sericea), black walnut (Juglans nigra), black cherry (Prunus serotina), as well as small <br />patches of the invasive glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus), invasive honeysuckle species (Lonicera spp.), <br />and amur maple (Acer ginnala). Herbaceous invasive and weedy species seen include reed canary grass <br />(Phalaris arundinacea), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), common burdock (Arctium minus), Canada thistle <br />(Cirsium arvense), and bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara). <br />Like Hazelnut Park, the site has experienced reduced invasive population as well asa reduced native <br />population due to thebuckthorn-targeted forestry mowing in winter of 2024-25. Common buckthorn and <br />honeysuckle populations were much reducedfrom this effort, as well as continued community buckthorn <br />mechanical cutting in previous years. In spring 2025, this opened understory has producedsmall numbers <br />ofnative species including – in descending order –Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus spp), enchanter’s <br />nightshade (Cicaea canadensis), lamb’s quarters(Chenopodium album), and common elder (Sambucus <br />canadensis). On their own, these natives have the capacity to dominatethe understory and leave the site <br />with minimal understory biodiversity, though the invasive population may be stunted. <br />Managementof the powerline area occurred between 2023 and 2024 with the mowing of the vegetation to <br />the height required for the utilities. This action favored grass and herbaceous vegetation including numerous <br />weedy and invasive species, specifically reed canary grass(Phalaris arundinacea)which now dominates the <br />corridor. Some native species were seen establishing in 2025, including hoary vervain (Verbena stricta), wild <br />geranium (Geranium maculatum),common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and fern species (Athyrium filix- <br />femina and Matteuccia struthiopteris). <br />Resource Threats and Habitat Goals <br />The main threats to this park’s ecosystems are invasive species pressure/ proliferation and soil erosion. <br />While the buckthorn and honeysuckle populations were initially reduced during contracted work in 2024- <br />2025, their populations will likely rebound over time without sufficient management. Even if those two are <br />controlled, black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), amur maple (Acer ginnala), and reed canary grass (Phalaris <br />arundinacea) populations were largely unaddressed and pose significant threats to the vegetation <br />community as they will likely expand into the spaces where buckthorn and honeysuckle were removed and <br />remain dominant throughout the utility corridor. Additionally, while the areas where buckthorn once existed <br />rebound from the removal, the open soil riskseroding,due to rain and wind,into the adjacent wetlands, <br />leading to excess nutrient and sediment loading.Oak wilt appears to be present in the existing stand of <br />mature bur oak trees, and continued assisted oak regeneration will be necessary to maintain these species <br />(cite).