Botanical Survey

A botanical survey of New Garden Township was conducted in 2010 by Janet Ebert and Jack Holt, as authorized by the New Garden Township Board of Supervisors and with the recommendation and oversight of the Open Space Review Board. The Township was divided into twenty-one sections to facilitate the survey and to ascertain species abundance and distribution. The survey was performed by recording all plant species observed (with habitat notes for higher-quality areas) while walking roadsides, public lands, and private property of willing landowners.

Special attention was given to rare plants, Exceptional Natural Areas (areas of relatively intact species-rich and native plant dominated communities), and invasive aliens. The survey found that the Township still possesses considerable botanical richness, with at least 493 species of native plants, including 10 listed by the state as rare, threatened, or endangered. Fourteen Exceptional Natural Areas (ENAs) were determined, including dry banks and meadows, wetlands and wet meadow complexes, floodplain wet woods, and rich to dry woods. However this richness is threatened by habitat loss from land development, an overabundance of deer, and numerous invasive aliens. In order to retain the Township‘s remaining botanical diversity the following steps are recommended.... continue to the full survey.

Chapter headings of the survey are listed on the left side.