vegetated. Soils are often poorly developed and rocky, but highly variable depending upon climate, time of exposure, and slope. Serpentine is believed to have been thrust up from the earth’ s core during plate shifting some 450 million years ago. Found only in a few places around the globe, serpentine soils are very low in essential nutrients and high in nickel and chromium metals which are toxic to most plants and animals. In North America, serpentine soils are found in a discontinuous band along the eastern border of the Appalachian Mountains from Newfoundland and Quebec, Canada, through New England to Alabama. Nearly 90 % of the serpentinite acreage in eastern North America is within Pennsylvania and Maryland. Rare indeed. The name“ serpentine” is attributed to the soil’ s resemblance to a mottled greenish-brown snake dwelling on similar soils in northern Italy. The greenish soil color comes from fragments of the underlying bedrock containing magnesium silicate. The soil can be very dark in color, depending on its iron, chromite, and magnesium content. The portion of serpentine outcrop closest to Rt. 28 is quarried by Rockville Crushed Stone for commercial uses, resulting in an enormous pit 450-500 feet deep.
The Serpentine Barrens Conservation Park is now the only remaining significant undeveloped area of serpentinite-derived soils remaining in the County. The property has been known by numerous names including Travilah Barrens, Piney Barrens, Big Pine and Serpentine Barrens. Gray to black serpentine rock protrudes everywhere.
Serpentine Barrens Conservation Park
Serpentine Barren ss Conservation Park Existing Parklands Proposed M-NCPPC Parklands
Outcrops of it poke up like knees
What does grow from these and elbows. The soil is thin and toxic soils? Three trees are signature species for this park. Yel- shallow, unable to hold water. Within the forest, trees look highly compressed. Though they may be old, Oak( Quercus stellata) and Blacklow Pine( Pinus echinata), Post
they are stunted; buttressed where jack Oak( Quercus marilandica). they emerge from rock and in many All are uncommon in the County. parts of the forest itself, the canopy does not meet overhead. When ble of sprouting new growth after
Yellow or Shortleaf Pine is capa-
trees die or lose branches, they do fire. The Barrens habitats were historically controlled by fires in dry not rot or break down as in moist forests. Instead, they dry out like summer conditions. Despite such cactus in the desert southwest and restraints, plants are adaptable lay about like old bones. and evolve to survive. A primary
plenty I summer growing 2026 45