Land Resources | Biotic Resources | Water Quantity/The Water Balance | Water Quality/Pollution |
County-wide Natural Systems | Emerging Issues
Biotic Resources
Vegetation, fauna, wildlife habitat, and migration corridors
The County’s forests have become degraded and need to be restored
and managed on a regional basis but are currently managed on a
municipal-basis.
- Ongoing management
The County has many forested open spaces and riparian corridors. The ongoing management of vegetation, however, is not always considered in natural resource planning. Municipalities manage the open spaces within their borders, but rarely take a regional approach. Similarly, greenway planning does not always follow a regional approach, and the very term “greenway” is often defined differently by different entities. There is a need in Chester County for definitive mapping of forests to assist in this planning effort. - Threats to forests
The County’s remnant forests continue to be degraded and cannot regenerate without assistance. Deer over-browsing makes it impossible to reforest or restore habitat in certain parts of the County, especially in our urbanized areas. Forests are also being degraded by invasive plants. Wooded hilltops are under threat from developments in search of a view. These impacts have especially hurt interior forests (a depth-to-core of 300 feet or more). There is a need to protect this type of forest in order to maintain forest biodiversity and health. - Restoring existing forests
There are two major forest stands in Chester County. First, the Hopewell Big Woods area of northern Chester County has 15,000 acres of contiguous forest and is one of the last major woodlands in the Piedmont Region. Second, the Serpentine Barrens in southern Chester County are a unique forested habitat. These barrens host a fire-dependent ecology that supports globally rare plant species, but controlled burns are not permitted in some locations.
Ecological degradation is increasing as a result of the introduction of non-native vegetation in the built environment.
- Lawn and non-native plants
Throughout all parts of Chester County, urban and rural, there is a spreading threat of non-native plants, including planted conventional lawn grasses. Existing non-native street trees serve as invasive plant seed banks, and many commercial nurseries still sell invasive plants. Non-native cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass are becoming too abundant, impacting runoff and decreasing wildlife habitat. The County’s abundant wetland habitats are mostly small and in riparian buffers. They are often overlooked and tend to be mowed like lawns, eliminating their many economic and community values. Landowners tend to mow or permit grazing along stream banks. These areas are recommended as no-mow zones in Watersheds. - Managing vegetation
Local ordinances that protect natural resources can be rendered ineffective without proper vegetation management. Steep slopes need to be vegetated in order to provide the valuable function of controlling runoff. The installation of lawns and ornamental trees is typically not ecologically sound because it does not restore the appropriate woodland ecology that is native to the county. Hedgerows need to be preserved as living historic structures that provide shelter and corridors for wildlife. There needs to be an integrated approach to vegetation planning. Selective replanting and ongoing maintenance are just as important as tree removal. - Appropriate tree plantings
Municipal ordinance typically do not consider tree design and function at maturity. Trees are often planted too close together. Similarly, street trees can be too large or fast growing, and so are inappropriate. The County’s utility corridors are currently a haven for non-native vegetation, but could be reconverted to native grasses and shrubs.
Regional management plans are needed for animal populations that are impacted by land development or that pose threats to public health, traffic safety, agriculture, or habitat restoration.
- Deer overpopulation
Deer overpopulation is a public health and safety issue that will remain over the long term of this plan. The rise in deer population is also heavily impacting orchards, nurseries and the ecology. Deer browsing in some areas make riparian buffer and forest restoration impossible. Deer and car accidents are a growing public safety issue. - Protecting habitat
Managing wildlife requires the management of habitat. There are “critical species” throughout Pennsylvania, not just preserves. Bog turtle habitat plays a role in land use and comprehensive planning. While there is no regional plan in place to restore them, research is being done on this issue. - Maintaining fisheries
Chester County has the potential to improve its fisheries and reap economic benefits. The health of the fish ecosystem is related to the ability of anglers to have access to catch fish. When anglers do not have stream access there are fewer opportunities for anglers to observe water quality and fish health conditions. - Wildlife conflicts
Protected open space attracts wildlife, but there are conflicts when large animals venture into the developed areas. Bobcats and beavers are returning to Chester County, and black bears might reappear as they have in counties to the north and west. There are currently no specific regional policies regarding how to interface developed areas and “mega-fauna”. The Game Commission’s mission is limited to managing mega-fauna in a wilderness setting. - Meadow and wetland habitat
Municipal weed and mowing ordinances can potentially result in health issues. Some municipalities have ordinances that prohibit tall grass in lawns or seasonal mowing. These ordinances are often justified to control vermin even though scientific literature states that rats are not attracted to tall grass. Cutting wetland plants decreases the population of wetland predator species, such as bats or birds that eat mosquitoes, and create ideal Canada Geese habitats. Lyme disease, West Nile, and other vector disease require animal control.
Locally important wildlife issues and ongoing wildlife management are often overlooked because emphasis is placed on issues that require permitting.
- Economic benefits of wildlife
An important part of the County’s tourism base, including Valley Forge and Longwood Gardens, is based on the County’s natural heritage, which includes wildlife. A sterile field or forest (which has no significant wildlife) is less attractive to potential users and reduces interest in destinations such as state and County parks. Not only does wildlife access impacts tourism, it also impacts real estate since properties near popular parks have a higher value. - Wetlands are productive habitats
Wetland habitats are especially important to wildlife since even upland animals use streams as a drinking supply. Therefore, pollution and degradation of wetlands impacts other adjacent habitat. Wetland species propagate wetland plants, which in turn purify surface water and reduce flooding. Aquatic macro-invertebrates (small, but visible water dwelling animals) are an important but often overlooked animal community. Water quality is measured by the biodiversity of aquatic macro-invertebrates. - Endangered species
The bog turtle is the most publicly well-known endangered species in Chester County. Protecting this species requires taking a wildlife community approach to their habitat, and not just focusing on them as individual species. There is also public confusion as to what constitutes an Important Bird Area (IBA) and what that designation means. - Fishing
Fisheries are important to selected areas of Chester County. Fish populations in the county are said to generate nearly $1 million to the County economy annually. However, fisheries have dwindled throughout the County due to both conventional and thermal pollution. Thermal pollution increase algae, which reduces aquatic wildlife. PCB pollution also hurts fishing because anglers cannot eat the fish they catch, which encourages them to fish elsewhere.
There are insufficient mechanisms in place to restore degraded habitat and reduce the effects of habitat fragmentation.
- Migration routes
Selected areas of the County host herptile (reptile and amphibian) migration routes that often pass active roadways. Mitigation strategies are not widely used. With turtles, there is a complication since they migrate throughout the year and so maintaining turtle tunnels year-round can be an issue. Conversely, salamanders are “explosive breeders” and will have a mass migration all at one time. - Riparian habitat
Wetlands and stream corridors are where most animals live, forage and seek water, which makes wetlands a priority site in terms of habitat restoration. There are many options for water- oriented habitat restoration. Restored riparian buffers provide additional habitat and migration routes. A major in-stream issue for aquatic habitat is shad migration. - Fragmentation
Land development has broken up the natural habitats in Chester County. As a result, some animal species no longer have access to potentially viable habitat. Fragmentation of wild life habitat also permits the introduction of invasive plant species, which do not always provide food for nesting for native animals. Utility corridors have a great potential to be used for native grasslands and meadow restoration. Because of national security concerns, there have been calls to upgrade some utility lines. These potential upgrades present an opportunity to properly restore the habitat around them as part of the upgrade process.
Land Resources | Biotic Resources | Water Quantity/The Water Balance | Water Quality/Pollution |
County-wide Natural Systems | Emerging Issues
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