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The quality of life in Montgomery County is measured by many different indicators. The quality of our natural environment can be measured by biodiversity indicators. Biodiversity is a term that describes the variety and abundance of native plant and animal species resident in the County. These plant and animal species have specific habitat requirements that must be met for them to survive here. Some species have very specific habitat requirements, and their presence or absence is an indicator of the quality of the county’s different habitat types. Currently, the county supports a variety of habitat types including different field, wetland, and forest habitats. This variety of habitats supports many native species. For example, only riparian forested areas will provide the habitat needs of Kentucky and Louisiana warblers. Only upland forested areas will provide the habitat needs of Black and White warblers and ovenbirds. Swamp sparrows are only found in certain wetland types, as Willow flycatchers are only found in certain field habitats. Countywide surveys, with the exception of the Countywide Stream Protection Strategy (CSPS), that document the presence or absence of these species are either outdated or nonexistent. We hope to measure the existing quality of our natural environment and provide trend information through a variety of ongoing monitoring programs.
The variety and abundance of breeding birds found in the county will accurately describe the quality of the natural terrestrial habitat types in a way similar to the way different aquatic species (fish and aquatic macroinvertebrates) are used to describe the health of our streams and rivers in the CSPS. Many breeding birds require specific habitat types to successfully nest and maintain viable populations. In addition, several groups of breeding birds require very specific habitat types in specific sizes and shapes to be successful in maintaining viable populations. Two breeding bird atlas projects have been completed in the county, with the most recent one completed in 1987. We will repeat the breeding bird atlas using comparable methods and, in addition, will improve on the accuracy of the data by monitoring within specific habitat patches (field, wetland, and forest) of different sizes so that changes in the variety and abundance of breeding birds can be associated with changes in habitat types.
Wetlands serve an invaluable role in maintaining the quality of county streams, rivers, ponds and lakes. Wetlands not only serve to filter pollutants from our waterbodies, but also provide areas of groundwater recharge. Riparian wetlands slow flood waters, allowing sediments to settle out in the floodplain.
These removed sediments would otherwise remain in the stream, eroding stream banks, smothering important aquatic habitat areas, and contributing to lowering the quality of county streams and rivers. Wetlands also serve other functions and provide requisite habitat for many plant and animal species that are found in no other type of habitat. Some plant species associated with wetlands include woody plants such as black willow (Salix nigra), smooth alder (Alnus serrulata), buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), and swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor). Almost all residents know the skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), but few may recognize the skunk cabbage flower when it blooms in late winter in county wetlands. During the summer, arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) and cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) blooms provide attractive color among the lush greens of county wetland areas.
Wetlands also serve another critical functional role by providing necessary habitat for amphibians. Many frog, toad, and salamander species return to the same wetland area every year to breed. As these wetland areas are lost, the local populations using them can be lost as well. The supporting web of life can be so weakened that species can be extirpated from local watersheds. This has reached national concern, and has happened locally in Sligo Creek. Only through an intensive interagency effort have some amphibian species been successfully re-introduced. We will begin to monitor the status of those amphibian species that are most vulnerable to wetland habitat loss by monitoring the species that require vernal pools to breed and maintain viable populations. Wetlands serve many important functions in protecting our natural environment. Through countywide master plans, the county measures and compares the way wetlands within the planning area function. Functional wetland assessments have been or will be completed as part of the Potomac, Upper Rock Creek, and Clarksburg Master Plans. Through the use of this countywide assessment, we will provide a measure of some of the ways wetlands function on a countywide scale.
Stream BuffersForested stream corridors and connected large forests are indicators of a well balanced forest ecosystem. Large wooded areas provide critical habitat for some rare migratory birds species. In addition, these forested stream buffers provide corridors for wildlife movement and connections between larger habitat areas.
In areas where existing forests have been removed up to within 100 feet of the edge of a small or large stream, water temperatures and sediment loads increase, and nutrient uptake is diminished and can present too much food for a system to handle, which can also place stress on fish and other aquatic organisms that use the water as a home. In addition, development of land for housing or commercial use, or related land disturbances, can bisect corridors which connect two large forest plots or otherwise lead to the destruction of large forested tracts, thereby decreasing forest interior space and wildlife habitat and weakening the overall forest ecosystem.
County Woodland Information
Land Type
Acreage
Percent of Total*
Total Woodland
85,560 acres
27%
Total Forest Interior
13,489 acres
4%
Total Riparian Forest
23,104 acres
7%
Unforested Riparian Areas
21,980 acres
7%
Table Definitions:
Forest Interior: area on the inside of a forest patch that is at least 330 feet from the exterior edge of the forest patch.
Riparian Areas: within 100 feet of a stream
*Total County Land Area: 316,800 acres
Forest data from summarized data using the M-NCPPC planimetric layer NFEAT developed from 1992 data capture efforts. The planimetric layers are accurate to +/- 5 feet in the horizontal plane and +/- 2.5 feet in the vertical plane.